Excerpt from How to Argue with an Atheist: How to Win the Argument without Losing the Person (Brink): I affirm that people are values-centered.
STEP #1: I affirm that people are values-centered. STUDENT: Dr. Brink? Do you remember me? I came by last week and we talked about religion. BRINK: Of course, but as I said last time, to give you the entire answer as to why I am religious, or why you should be religious, is not something that we should attempt all at once. We need to approach this topic advancing slowly but surely, one step at a time. STUDENT: So, where do we start? BRINK: My first point is that humans are values-oriented beings. They seek values, uphold values, and when they are not oriented by values, they fall into alienation. STUDENT: That sounds like Chapter 13 on social psychology. BRINK: My, you have read ahead in your psychology textbook. STUDENT: So, what’s the next point? BRINK: Don’t be so quick to agree with me. If we have not fully established step #1, then we do not have a good footing for the next step. We need to break down step #1 into several sub-steps. In order for you to agr