[orangeitis]

Might as well just post my updated version, since I can't edit the OP.

Okay, so you're a Christian. You look at us godless heathens and are appalled. Some of you might even want to convert us so we can be touched by the big J too. Well there's a few guidelines you should consider about how to approach the skeptical-minded. And remember, as much as you've been taught that atheists are close-minded, they in fact are not, and with the proper evidence, you could very well convert them with ease. Heck, you could even win a Nobel prize if you present demonstrable evidence of your god!

First, you can not, under any circumstances, go into any argument without being open to the option that you're wrong. If you simply refuse to believe that there's a possibility that you could be, then you have already lost the argument to yourself, not your potential opponent. If you refuse to consider that you're wrong, turn back now.

Okay, if you've made it by that step, great! It means you can think for yourself at least a bit. That means you can hold your own argument, rather than let your beliefs "do the talking" for you! =D

Next thing you must keep in mind when confronting a non-believer is to never EVER cite Bible verses or scripture, or use personal experiences as evidence. The reason being is that there is no historical documentation for any of what's written in The Bible other than what's in The Bible, which means it's not supported by anything else. This is true despite your beliefs, and asking your potential convertee to look out at the trees and clouds will not help either. The reason that the atheist probably wouldn't accept personal experiences is because we're all human, and human perception can be wrong. Some atheists would even go as far as thinking they themselves are insane if they see a sign or experience direct contact from God!

Next, you must know what your religious stance is. Research what you believe in and why. Yes, I realize you must believe in something pretty strongly to even consider recruiting atheists, but you still need to define your beliefs so you can successfully rebut the opposition. You need to first define the deity you worship. Since I'm specifically addressing you Christians, that would be Yahweh, the one you call "God". Why must you do this? Well contrary to popular belief, your god's parameters vary from person to person. You can't just say "define God? It's God!", as the definition of God isn't a given. But defining God isn't that hard, right?

Next, you must not only define what your god's will is and why the atheist should believe, but you must also give evidence to support this. Yes, you can point to The Bible and say "that's what I believe in", or "that's my god's word", but before you think about doing that, read the entire Bible if you haven't already. And remember, if you believe in the entirety of The Bible, under no circumstances try to only pick certain verses that you think is your god's word, then dismiss other verses as not his word. This is a logical fallacy which the atheist most likely can identify very quickly! You must commit a choice to believe in the whole Bible or none of it.

Also, do not use the fact that the atheist is doomed to be tortured for all eternity for their infidelity to your god to deter them. The atheist is using the logic and reasoning that you believe God gave him/her, and is using the language of God's universe, science, which is the study of the universe. They consider that righteous, and will not be phased by God's threat of eternal torture, even if you could prove your claim!

Never ever just state something without a logical argument to back it up. A "That's just how it is" statement won't work on atheists, or any skeptically minded person! You must think about why you consider that "how it is". You must then define what it is and and have a solid demonstration of it. After all, evidence that solid can't be denied by someone with at least a sliver of intelligence, right?

In addition, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and atheists acknowledge the divine claims of The Bible are definitely extraordinary. You need to research the divine claims of The Bible to confirm that they actually happened so you can successfully attack the atheist's stance! No amount of professing your faith can convince them. Not to mention that if you do find solid, demonstrable evidence for the actual existence of divinity, every scientist on Earth will want to study it! You WILL be a famous person if you manage to do this, and you'll convert a lot more people than just your atheist target.

Also, telling atheists that you just have to "believe" or "have faith" will not get anywhere with the heathens. Again, any experiences a true atheist/skeptic has, whether it be a divine dream, a near-death experience, or even being touched by the Holy Spirit/Ghost, they will put off as a hallucination, or even worse, a natural effect of the body. You must find a way to demonstrate one person's divine experiences to other people, rather than attribute more than one person's divine experiences to the same source.

Finally, you need to know your enemy. Now while you might not consider your atheist target an enemy normally, they will be in the debate. Now, don't think that "atheism" is an evil concept, or that all atheists are inherently evil! It's not to say that isn't true, but you need to research the individual themselves. "Atheism" by definition, is merely a lack of a belief in at least one deity. That's it! So in order to convert them, you need to find out what they believe in, have faith in, or what they simply just accept as real. Study what makes them tick. And remember, never assume anything! Even if they use yucky words like the F word, the C word, or science forbid, the U word. Just get to know them personally. You'll get further when you know them for yourself.

There, I hope this helped any Christian that wants to convert an atheist. And if you are one of another faith, just replace "God"/"Yahweh" and "The Bible" with your deity(-ies) and holy book respectively, and this guide should work just as well. Good luck, Christians! =D