Atheist Tabatha Leggett attended a six-week Alpha Course, which she refers to as “Christianity’s most successful recruitment program,” and wrote about her experience for New Statesman.

Turns out it didn’t convince her to change her mind. But it’s still fun to read:

Discussion time isn’t fruitful. Natalie asks me how I’m able to distinguish between moral and immoral behaviour if I don’t base my actions on Jesus’ example. I explain that I work out what makes my peers happy and try to do those things. Everyone laughs, which I find confusing because I’m not joking. … Then we talk about which bits of the Bible we should take literally. Louise tells me I’ll work it out if I read the Bible. I tell her I’ve read it. She says I will never develop a full understanding because I’m not God so I can’t understand everything. This is becoming a recurring theme. These people have answers to some problems, but as soon as they hit a brick wall they settle for not understanding God and refuse to think through alternatives. … “Anyone feel unconvinced by the power of prayer?” Natalie asks. “YES,” I feel like shouting. “YOU’RE IDIOTS. ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE PROBABLY COINCIDENCES THAT YOU’RE READING TOO MUCH INTO.” But I can’t say anything because how can you say those things to a group of people who have shared intimate facts about miscarriages and are now crying?

Logic: Always getting in the way of a good emotion-based brainwashing.

You have to wonder how so many millions of people have been taken in by this anti-intellectual conversion course. (Wait, I think I answered my own question.)



