Hi;

Ricky wrote:

My point stands, one can not choose whether or not they like the taste of broccoli.  Over time it can change however.

The broccoli point is this, your dislike of broccoli is not a natural law like gravity. Dislikes change. We are talking about eating the broccoli, you can overcome your dislikes at will. You cannot however suddenly fly.

The hypnosis will only work while in a hypnotic state, which may not even occur in the first place.  Typically a person has to be "suggestible" in order to induce a trance.

Affirmations made through hypnotic trances or without trances can last long after. Usually they need to be periodically strengthened, again a choice. Most people are highly suggestible and easy to hypnotize.

While the word typically has a Christian connotation to it, it has changed to also mean anyone who focuses on proselytizing their beliefs.

Their beliefs. Why are his beliefs any better than what he is bashing? He is not a theologian or a philosopher.  What makes his opinions valid enough to even listen to? Why trade one belief for another?

Getting back to the point, why is someone who "preaches" atheism not an atheist?

I thought the point was the purpose of life? But if you insist, you are phrasing it incorrectly. My statement is, just because someone preaches something that doesn't mean he/she is for it. People like that are sometimes paid lobbyists for a much larger group. I won't be able to convince you of this but  those people are firm believers in God. In fact their beliefs are much stronger than most non-atheists. They are the spokespersons for a group that is in competition with mainstream religion.