And when they bring you
unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how
or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12For the Holy
Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.— Luke 12:12
In
our previous article, we began to look at the steps you should take if you
must respond to a leftist/progressive argument. As we learned from the Book
of Proverbs, there are times when wisdom decrees no response, while others
times we should. Unless you are a politician or debater, much of the time
silence is golden. Yet, there could come a time where you have no choice; in
that case, your response should be straight and strong, clear, calm, and robust.
Remember the other side is not your real enemy so don’t treat them as such.
Yet, don’t let them walk over you, either.
1.
Don’t allow them to interrupt you: You gave
them a fair hearing, demand to be given the same. Do not allow brow-beating or
interruptions to keep you from giving your perspective.
2.
Avoid being defensive: If a
smattering or barrage of insults are hurled your way - for example, ‘bigot,’ ‘hater,’
‘sexist,’ ‘racist,’ ‘homophobe,’ ‘islamophobe’ are some of the current terms on
offer - do not go on the defensive. This will be interpreted as going on
the back foot and even weakness. No need to say things like ‘No, I’m no
homophobe. I have gay friends’ - such statements will get you no where. You
would be better off going on the offensive. In football, failure to do so means
no points and losing the game. If, and only if wisdom decrees you respond, then
‘go for it.’ Your sensible words, calm demeanour, and steely determination -
along with God-given authority - will take you far and you will prevail. Don’t
worry about vindication or being proven right - just fight the good fight of
faith. God will do the rest.
3.
Issues: Do you best to stay
focused on the issues, not your (screeching) opponent. Frame the topic on
something highly valued and worth defending, like faith, freedom, and/or
family. If someone argue that you are against the valued notion of ‘social
justice,’ your response could be: ‘For me, social justice means supporting
struggling families, caring for our courageous veterans, seeking justice for
people being persecuted for their religious beliefs and conscience. Justice
means protecting the unborn so they can have a right to life and liberty like
everyone else.’ Such words are hard to refute, though there are no
guarantees that your opponent won’t degenerate into a triggered tantrum. No
matter what, keep calm and solder on.
4.
Be prepared: Above all, be prepared
factually, mentally and spiritually. You want to be truthful and accurate,
because anything less will undermine your argument and discredit your Christian
witness. You will have immediate access to wise answers and, in some cases, the
words will deposited into your mouth at that moment (Luke 12:12 above).
5.
Stay on track: Don’t allow the
opponent to get off track or side. Stick to the issue - make them answer your
questions.
6.
Word wise: Watch your words and
body language. Both are potent tools of communication.
7.
Inconsistencies: It won’t take long to
identify inconsistencies in your opponents arguments (e.g. antifa using
forcible fascist means to silence ‘fascist’ opponents). When discovered, hammer
the point.
8.
Firm but Fair: No need to be Mr. or
Miss ‘Nicey-nice.’ It will be misinterpreted as weakness. Yes, you can be
collegial and confident, controlled and strong, firm and fair, not
faint-hearted and flustered.
9.
Honesty is the best policy: Be willing,
when necessary to admit if your side has made mistakes or if you don’t
something. Do not try to bluff your way through. Truth and honesty are
powerful weapons.
10.
Personal experience: If you have
a personal experience involving an issue, don’t hesitate to share it. It can be
a powerful counterpoint, especially in an age of relativism, since most people
are reticent to challenge other people’s experience. Even if they disagree with
your position, they normally won’t gainsay what you have lived through. A good,
true, well told story can do wonders.
11.
Audience: If there are others
watching, keep them in mind. You are more likely to persuade them than your
debating opponent.
Now if some
of these principles appear to be ‘un-Christian,’ remember this: is it
un-Christian for a Christian to be a soldier and fight to defend his or her
nation? If not, then remember: this is a culture war and what you are
doing is defending the values you hold dear. This is a God-honouring thing to
do. What’s more, you are not killing anyone in this war; in fact, you might
just help deliver them from the error of their ways.
As
emphasised from the beginning, remember that ultimately the culture war is a ‘spiritual
war’ and your spiritual weaponry is of the utmost importance (II Corinthians
10:4-5; Ephesians 6:10-18; I Thessalonians 5:17). When you are in spiritual ‘tip-top’
shape, you are optimally prepared to face a culture war dialogue, debate, or
outright confrontation, with wisdom, grace, anointing … and success.
TO BE
CONTINUED
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