Hi Chris,

Appreciate the detailed response.

I've been sick and busy at work, hence my delayed response.

There’s a key distinction here—and I think it’s being blurred.

Yes, Christian evangelism often invites people to reconsider their beliefs. That’s not a genetic fallacy. That’s an invitation to examine truth claims more deeply—something every worldview (including secularism) should be open to.

Note that I myself don't mind when atheists ask questions about specific beliefs I have and challenge me to defend them or reconsider them. That's not what's at issue here.

What concerns me is when someone says to me, “You only believe because of where you were born,” and implies that this fact alone undermines my belief—that is a genetic fallacy. It dismisses the belief because of its origin rather than evaluating the belief itself.

There’s a massive difference between “Have you ever examined what you believe?” and “Your belief is invalid because of where you were born or how you were raised.”

I’m all for the former. That’s how growth happens.

All the best,

Brian