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TL Brink TL Brink is the author of  How to Argue with an Atheist: How to Win the Argument without Losing the Person . T.L. Brink is a social scientist and author of fifteen books, two dozen encyclopedia articles, and hundreds of journal articles, reviews and conference presentations. His main topics of interest include clinical assessment and treatment of mental disorders in later life, religious phenomena, cancer attitudes, consumer behavior, qualitative research methods, and Big Data Analytics using Bayesian Sequential Statistics. He has degrees from Claremont Men’s College, San Jose State University, Santa Clara University and the University of Chicago. He has been a member of the Association for Psychological Science, American Psychological Association, American Sociological Association, Western Psychological Association, Western Positive Psychology Association, Midwestern Psychological Association, International Council of Psychologists, Sociedad Interamericana de Ps...

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 y...

Recently released: Audiobook edition of  How to Argue with an Atheist  by Professor TL Brink . Book description Up against the wall in "arguing" with an atheist or challenged by your own inner atheist? TL Brink proposes a simulated discussion, a heuristic for a conversation with an acquaintance, in a formal debate, or with your inner voice. Considering that faith is a commitment to serve God, Brink posits that atheists have refused to participate in the spiritual side of life-and helps them recover by leading them, in a 12 step program, to an exploration of the spiritual dimension. Remember, the goal is to win FOR, not against, that atheist. This book shows you how. Keywords arguing with atheists, d ebating atheism, f aith vs. atheism, t heist vs. atheist debate, r eligion and reason, s piritual discussions, w inning debates on faith, s imulated religious debate, i nner atheist struggles, c onversational apologetics,  12-step spiritual journey, g uiding atheists to faith,...

  Excerpt from How to Argue with an Atheist , by Professor TL Brink STEP #2: Accept the limits of reason     STUDENT: Dr. Brink, is it OK for our weekly religion discussion?   BRINK: You are right on time. Any problems with what we covered last week?   STUDENT: No, like I said, I am a rational kind of person, so I have no problems accepting that I exist and that other people exist.   BRINK: And what about that people are driven by values?   STUDENT: Oh, yeh, that too is logical, but I just can't see what that has to do with religion. Humans to me are just like other animals: they exist, they have desires. So where does God fit into the picture?   BRINK: That is a few more steps down the road.   STUDENT: Must be, because what you said last time was so rational, and religion still seems irrational.   BRINK: Tell me what you mean by being rational.   STUDENT: Following the rules of reason.   BRINK: Give me an example of good, rati...