In their book, God‘s Wisdom for Navigating Life, Timothy and Kathy Keller ask a very important question concerning online speech: “If you argue, do you do it to strip (in anger, making the other look terrible) or to cover the other person in love (putting them in the best light)?“
If the shoe fits…
The approach I’ve found most fruitful so far is to meet people where they are at – anti-theists are often smug and condescending, so I match them, mocking them for what they don’t know and what they take on faith, just as they do to us.
I find this levels the playing field, and that they are more polite and a more genuine discussion can follow.
But this takes skill and knowledge of science. They have to realise that you can humiliate them in their ignorance… if you chose to.
But we refrain from humiliating them, unless they are really stubborn.
St. Paul said in 2 Tim.4:2 “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction.” In my experiences i usually find that the people who are on the defensive side think that we are oppressing them on their treasured life long held doctrines ( i.e. the catholics ). That their only defensive tactics are to insult, ridicule, or mock you. Sometimes it is really hard to hold back the emotion, especially when you are debating face-to-face.
Colossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
The apostle says, Let it rule. The Greek word means arbitrate. Whenever there is a doubtful issue to be decided, and by one course your peace may be disturbed, while by another it may be maintained, choose the things that make for peace, whether for yourselves or others. Let God’s peace act as umpire.
Do not shoot the messenger…listen to the message…but it is difficult really considering we are all limited trying to represent our opinion the best way we can…but we should do our best to handle correctly the truth. It will help also if we can learn how to avoid using fallacies on argumentation. All in all, I am happy that most people here responds on the most polite way possible especially those who have the maturity to teach new and passionate apologist like myself.
But the problem is that person is wrong! Lol
But if it is against muslem, do not reserve go all out to their personality, family, etc.
this should be posted at the beginning of every post on here
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