Search the Community

Recently out-of-the-closet atheist here, from a charismatic Christian background (that means dancing, speaking in tongues, literal interpretations of the bible, prophesying, praying for miracles of healing and other sorts). What would you wonderful intelligent skeptics say to someone who tells you they personally know a person who has been raised from the dead by prayer in Jesus' name after being dead for 24 hours, and personally knows someone who had a metal plate that had been surgically implanted in their head show up on an x-ray one week, then completely vanish in the next week's x-ray after it was prayed (also in the name of Jesus) that it would disappear? I mean besides the questions of clarifying who they are, who the doctor was, etc.What would you tell someone who was convinced this had happened? Would you just give up talking to them? I am very curious as this was one of the first things said to me when I came out. Thanks for your thoughts. P.S. I sent out 46 personal emails to people yesterday coming out explaining my journey and reasons for not believing and offered to talk further and discuss it with anyone who was willing. 10 people have already taken me up on it. They are reasonable people outside their faith, and I laid down guidelines that I may ask them to read certain books or articles before we continue our discussion if it is getting repetitive or stuck (which some will), and that I may stop if neither of us is increasing our knowledge, but I already know it is going to be exhausting. I know, I opened myself up to it. ANYWAY, what are some of your favorite sources/books/sites/etc. for atheist materials to refer to, other than the obvious (FDR)? I will probably be able to use anything I can.