tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post4019094165811486364..comments2024-03-22T06:23:38.156+00:00Comments on Birmingham Skeptics: The Return of the Alpha SkepticBirmingham Skepticshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13457491922023498093noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-31144859501750267052012-02-21T15:05:19.738+00:002012-02-21T15:05:19.738+00:00Thanks @pedebumchin. I still have contact with som...Thanks @pedebumchin. I still have contact with some people from the church and we still argue the same points. The main tactic seems to be to try and take me into philosophical considerations of reality and knowledge. I presume the reason for this is to show me that I can't trust my perceptions and "faith" in a materialistic existence. The quality of the argument is quite good on an academic level but I think it depends on that old chestnut of describing a lack of supernatural dependency as a belief system.Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-39350455666457104222012-02-21T13:35:59.494+00:002012-02-21T13:35:59.494+00:00Very good summary of your experiences Paddy. I rec...Very good summary of your experiences Paddy. I recall that there was a documentary on television a few years ago on the Alpha course where a presenter (cannot remember who) went through the process from start to finish. It actually scared me a little, they use quite a lot of differing techniques to try and indoctrinate those without a strong mind. The culmination of this particular documentary was a 'Weekend Retreat' with the course to complete and become a full christian. The weekend actually included a session where attendees were "encouraged" to speak in tongues as proof that they were connected to God. <br /><br />Much has been said of Richard Dawkins' militant atheism but the Alpha course seemingly takes militant Christianity to a new level. <br /><br />The one or two people who lead the breakout sessions after the main presentations have been trained significantly in objection handling and have stock answers to many of the questions that people ask. If they aren't very good at it they either are new or lack a certain intelligence that would have stopped them going in the first place!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-24009585379756901062011-03-23T23:10:55.093+00:002011-03-23T23:10:55.093+00:00Pat, I wouldn't worry, we don't behave our...Pat, I wouldn't worry, we don't behave ourselves :-) so sure, no problem.<br /><br />And I agree, Danny & Pat, long live debate and open doors! Otherwise, what's the point? (Thought I'd end with a question. Oops, just put the kibosh on that).Abbyhttp://www.facebook.com/#!/a.bottrillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-44370310512591415512011-03-23T22:37:32.140+00:002011-03-23T22:37:32.140+00:00@Danny thanks and very much looking forward to see...@Danny thanks and very much looking forward to seeing you again too. I'd love to make it up to Newcastle one day. And I agree, long live debate and open doors.<br /><br />@Abby thank you for the kind comments. I must admit that when I post this kind of thing up I half wonder how my Christian friends will react when they read it. I'd be interested in the Q and A at your church. Perhaps you could take me some time and I promise that I'd behave ;)Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-10248832519791495002011-03-23T22:02:14.332+00:002011-03-23T22:02:14.332+00:00Thanks Pat, that's a really good post. It'...Thanks Pat, that's a really good post. It's such a shame that there are environments at some Alpha Courses which give the impression that questionning isn't as important as it actually is to faith. Just last Sunday I'd actually been to one of the Q&A sessions that my church holds specifically for the purposes of looking into questions, often with the idea that we don't have definite answers for everything. (It was a great session but Post-It notes were involved and I'm not a fan of flourescent office stationery). Seriously, thanks for posting; very interesting stuff.Abbyhttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/a.bottrillnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-59566190198948250042011-03-23T11:53:13.865+00:002011-03-23T11:53:13.865+00:00Great post Patrick. From what I know of the Alpha ...Great post Patrick. From what I know of the Alpha course, which isn't a great deal, it seems its for converting the people who are thinking seriously about taking that leap of faith. I guess anyone with any more skeptical a view is unlikely to be swayed. I find the whole concept of the alpha course intriguing, yet frightening. It's almost like the IKEA of religion. Come along and let's self assemble your view of Christianity. <br />I guess religion has at its core a don't question things too much culture. This is very different to the way sitp should work. I think we need to make sure sitp does keep that questioning attitude. There are people involved in sitp who do think it should be about preaching to the masses. I know you don't and I certainly don't either. The whole point of sitp to me, is to provoke debate. The alpha course it seems to me, is just preaching, though it leads people to believe that there is a debate to be had.<br />Great post by the way. Looking forward to seeing you again soon at a brim skeptics event in the future.Danny @dts1970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-16508269336136249072011-03-22T13:51:42.195+00:002011-03-22T13:51:42.195+00:00Absolutely. I am reminded of a lady I know well wh...Absolutely. I am reminded of a lady I know well who tells how, as a little girl being brought up in strict Roman Catholic tradition, she was obliged to make up "sins" to confess: she genuinely couldn't think of anything bad she'd done or even thought, but knew that only Jesus is allowed to be sin-free.Elainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-9001702359908755642011-03-22T10:49:11.802+00:002011-03-22T10:49:11.802+00:00I know what you mean Elaine. I get quite angry abo...I know what you mean Elaine. I get quite angry about the subject of sin and atonement. It instills the ultimate thought police, condemns without trial and offers a solution that's conditional on a life time of commitment and servitude. They can make you feel good about yourself as long as you accept that you are inheritently bad and dependent on God for that goodness.Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-42553285337916566172011-03-22T10:20:58.063+00:002011-03-22T10:20:58.063+00:00Thanks for your post, Patrick. It was really inter...Thanks for your post, Patrick. It was really interesting to read about how your investigative experience turned out. Even though you only attended here and there it is still valuable to get the perspective of a critically-thinking observer. I was disappointed but unsurprised to hear that your big questions were not as welcome as the Alpha invitations make out. I came across the same thing in my church-attending days. Whilst I was still viewed by the vicar as good potential Christian material he patiently tried to answer my questions, but as the years rolled by I could sense his exasperation! One of the last things he said to me was, "We really do try to make it as simple as possible!" Well, by that point the one thing I was certain of was that if you really try to think it through there's nothing simple about it. I left. I fully expected a home visit from him but it never came. I suspect he was secretly glad to be rid if me!Elainenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-44368729519586253432011-03-22T09:58:34.208+00:002011-03-22T09:58:34.208+00:00Hi RobN, they did mention Original Sin but there ...Hi RobN, they did mention Original Sin but there are so many layers of theology to this subject now that it can get a bit confusing and I think the speaker was trying to cover the lot in half an hour.<br /><br /> The problem with original sin is that superficially it can seem to take away individual responsibility for the fallen state which to an outsider seems unjust. It's therefore not a great doctrine for catching the wavering believer.<br /><br />The more evangelical churches especially also strongly advocate a personal response to Jesus to take away sin and an admission of individual culpability. They're therefore big on hammering home individual wickedness and weakness.Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-22616554873310846202011-03-22T08:25:31.047+00:002011-03-22T08:25:31.047+00:00Strange that they didn't mention original sin,...Strange that they didn't mention original sin, I think that came up when Adam Rutherford did the Alpha course. The idea that we're all born sinners because of what Adam and Eve did (who didn't really exist), and that jesus died on the cross to absolve us of that sin (through 'punative substitution' or something) and that's why we owe him, big time, and have to accept him as saviour.<br /><br />Sounds like a crock of s*** to meRobNhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02748755621265930350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-66297928872639054462011-03-22T00:35:20.600+00:002011-03-22T00:35:20.600+00:00Oops yes! Thanks for putting me right there. I rat...Oops yes! Thanks for putting me right there. I rather got carried away with my generalisations. [to self: "Bad Skeptic!"] I also of course know lots of lovely and interesting and smart people who are believers. No offence intended...Andyhttp://www.twitter.com/andypicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-40420869343592668272011-03-21T23:56:47.888+00:002011-03-21T23:56:47.888+00:00Thanks Andy, I'm not sure you could count it a...Thanks Andy, I'm not sure you could count it as completing a mission though, I struck out early on. Jimbobthomas up yonder lasted longer than me. I didn't really have a brief either beyond lets go in and see what it's all about.<br /><br /> I don't think all believers as the same, people are much more interesting than that and I have good Christian friends that are still happy to argue with me, which is good.Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-85908021921210039062011-03-21T23:32:10.748+00:002011-03-21T23:32:10.748+00:00Great post, Paddy! My view is that sin is essentia...Great post, Paddy! My view is that sin is essentially defined as "anything we don't want you to do or that we can make you feel ashamed about" by people who want to frighten and control you. The notion that just by contemplating an act that you are as guilty as committing it is overwhelmingly manipulative and another ploy to discourage independent thinking.<br /><br />Your comments about Amazonian Indians reminded me of a BBCR4 Book of the Week from some time last year telling the story of a Catholic missionary who had gone into the Amazon to spread the word of Jesus. After about 10 years of lukewarm indifference and a small degree of derision from the natives he suddenly had an epiphany - an "Emperor's new clothes moment" as it were - and realised just how hollow and meaningless his teachings were to these free-living free-thinking people in the jungle. He returned as a humbled atheist... :-)<br /><br />Well done again on completing your mission. Strengthens the evidence that those who get absorbed by the church are those who have not had the resistance to really question the indoctrination...Andyhttp://www.twitter.com/andypicnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-57155481557656354652011-03-21T22:41:12.639+00:002011-03-21T22:41:12.639+00:00Mmm ice cream! A good illustration. I agree that i...Mmm ice cream! A good illustration. I agree that it's extremely unlikely that you will ever persuade the true believer through argument, but we still need to have those discussions. There's little that's truly new in the world of theological debate and there's a bit of me that at times wonders "why bother?"<br /><br />But if we ask the questions and keep the conversation public even if we don't persuade that person we might plant a seed somewhere that will help somebody make a more informed choice at some point in their life. As the man in the ice cream clip illustrates.Patrick (@paddyrex)noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-78196426048363117492011-03-21T12:10:02.925+00:002011-03-21T12:10:02.925+00:00I have often contemplated that whilst Xtians have ...I have often contemplated that whilst Xtians have the Alpha course we should run the Better (get it better/beta) Course. Of course you do being bright intelligent people.<br />But who has got the time.<br />That's what skeptics, humanist, Cafe Scientifique etc etc are for.<br /><br />This is not a head to head argument because you cannot convince the true believer with ANY argument.<br /><br />Here is what should be done.<br />Enjoy Nick Naylor on ice cream.<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLS-npemQYQ&feature=relatedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7123899360714390074.post-86208471669900704362011-03-21T10:43:26.582+00:002011-03-21T10:43:26.582+00:00Agreed! Managed to get to 5 meetings but the Creat...Agreed! Managed to get to 5 meetings but the Creationist agenda in my group was apparent right from the start and eventually I had to leave because it would have turned nasty.Jimbobthomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13871376414914384679noreply@blogger.com