I recently stumbled upon a great post by Michael Patton that just about perfectly expresses how I’ve felt about Christian apologists since growing past teenagerhood.
In part:
This is the problem that I have with some apologists (those who defend the faith). Don’t get me wrong, I believe very much in apologetics and also love many apologists. But very rarely do I find a reasonable apologist. Most are very hardened because they are committed first to defending their particular position, not so much to learning.
Read the whole thing. He also has done a similar post recently.
I would add: apologists too often fall into mere rhetorical violence: hyperbole, attacking a straw man, verbal aggression, smug, acid condescension, simply repeating oneself more loudly, insults, poisoning the well, and so on. And this is leaving aside poorly constructed arguments. Sadly, debates between philosophers (one or both of whom may be atheists) are nearly always “cleaner” (more reasonably and respectfully conducted) than your average debate between a Christian apologist and anyone else.
I’m always reminded of what James says:
Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires…
If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness. (James chapters 1, 3 NLT)
If you’re doing Christian apologetics, and it doesn’t look like this, you’re not doing it right!
Dale,
I’ve only a few times agreed with Patton. I came across his site a few years ago when I critiqued a debate between Dave Burke and Rob Bowman on the (a) Trinity. I found him to be a very mild-tempered fellow. But among his great heroes are those very apologists he describes in the article you mention. Some of those dirty techniques are simply rhetorical clutter unnecessarily used in discourse. The one Evangelical apologist I’ve never heard playing dirty in any of his debates is Gary Habermas. Even someone like Bill Craig has a knack of resorting to somewhat embarrassing techniques in his debates. No wonder it was Habermas who, with such straight-forward and uncluttered rhetoric convinced Anthony Flew of the real possibility of the existence of God…people like Craig can only dream of ever achieving this…
John
What is the Gospel?
Dale
I think that it was Martin Luther who said “Go out and preach the Gospel – and if necessary use words”!
And that’s about it!
Instead “Gods Christian/Muslim/ Hebrew Warriors” go out and do battle with the World, driven by absolute CERTAINTY that their scriptures are ‘literally correct’ -and in the righteousness of their cause
The problem is, of course our human nature.
The closer we come to ‘certainty’ the further we get from the virtures of love and compassion that are the hallmark of God’s people.
I saw a Hebrew rabbi on television recently and he embraced similar thoughts
He pointed out
(i) We believe in one God
(ii) We believe in Gods commandments and
(iii) We believe that because we fall short of obeying HIS word, there is Gods Grace.
Yet people are ready to go to war because of the way they ‘dress’ this model… and I fear that they will one day.
Has anyone noticed the recent lack of ‘civility’ in our world recently. It encompasses all the debates -whether “Milton Friedman v Keynes”, “Global warming”, ” Nuclear Energy” etc.- people are becoming angry and almostic frantic that their way is acknowledged to be ‘right’.
The phenomenon is driven by FEAR – and as the scriptures state “perfect love drives out fear”
Blessings
John
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