Really Bad Apologetics

"but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15 ESV.

As with most things, there is a right and a wrong way of doing Christian Apologetics. One of the reasons that 1 Peter 3:15 has been most often quoted as the mandate for Christians to be pro-active with giving a defense of the faith is because Saint Peter in his God-given wisdom was careful how he framed this command. Let's face it some people just love to argue, and provoke a response, and some people treat getting people to make a decision for Christ as just another way of notching up a trophy; like some game hunter looking to put another head on the wall of the trophy room. Apologetics is not the same thing as selling vacuum cleaners. Why is it that in commercial law people are given "a period of Grace" after they have signed up a contract to buy that expensive vacuum cleaner, or that ostensibly wonderful time-share apartment? Obviously people will do things under the pressure of the moment because they have been bullied into something they just weren't ready for or really didn't want. Sometimes they agree to something without really knowing what they are getting into just because of a very slick sales pitch.

Is that what we are to practice as Christians?

I don't think so, therefore in the context of telling us to be always ready to give that defense of the faith, Peter is careful to frame it in words that leave us in no doubt as to what our attitude should be towards the people we are conversing with. It is to be done with gentleness and respect. We don't have to brow-beat people into the Kingdom of God. One of the most wonderful characteristics of our gracious God is that he was willing to come down to our level as an ordinary looking human being without pomp and ceremony and persuade us to follow God. He reasoned with people, he asked them questions so they could better see themselves and make up their own minds voluntarily to follow Him. The only compulsion that was evident were the miracles that were sufficient to get the attention- but not so compelling or overpowering that it left no room to refuse Him. The only force evident in his words were in the power of his great wisdom and logic. The great beauty of the Gospel is in part enhanced by the graciousness He afforded people in that- at least from an earthly perspective- he gave them the room to say no. That does not mean that we can use sloppy or weak arguments but they must always be framed with respect for the individual despite the fact of our inner abhorrence for any particular view or attitude that we might encounter in our interlocutors.

The eminent Christian apologist Ravi Zacharias says this:

"the next thing that is very critical to know is: Apologetics is not the ultimate answer, apologetics is only a means to gain respect- to be heard and observed. What is going to change their life is not the brilliance of your answer, that may just open up the avenue, ultimately the changing of the heart is God's work in the individuals life. Sometimes it's a gentle word, sometimes it's the love of Christ, sometimes it is the way you have handled the question and retained the dignity of the moment without... you know in India they have a proverb: Once you have cut off a persons nose there is no point giving them a rose to smell- and apologetics can slice off a persons nose- you've got to how to answer and when to back off."

The following audio is a prime example of how not to do apologetics, it has nothing to do with the argument itself, which in itself may be really true and even powerful, but it has everything to do with an attitude towards those whom you wish to persuade. The idea is to be winsome, not to conquer. I have no doubt that we all will overstep the mark at times and people will be offended by the message often enough without the messenger adding insult to injury. Towards the end of this episode which took place in a public space the apologist continues to harangue the "victim" as he quietly walks away.

The following article was found on the Parchment and Pen Blog

“THE NEPHILIM HAVE BEEN FOUND” OR YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF REALLY BAD APOLOGETICS by C Michael Patton April 4th, 2010

'Not too long ago I wrote a blog post about 14 examples of the type of apologetics (defending the faith) that Christians should not use. Due to an enthusiastically sent email I received today, I have a 15th example. And I am not happy about it.

I know how it is. We believe what we profess and we are quick to accept anything and everything that confirms some aspect of our faith. I am the same way. However, what we believe is too important for us to be uncritical, even about those claims that seem to support what we believe.

These pictures below represent supposed archaeological finds of giants in Greece. The person who sent these to me (and lots of other people after being forwarded many times) believes this to be proof of the giants that lived in the days of David (Goliath and his bothers; the Nephilim, etc.). The title of the email was “Nephilim – Giants in Greece.” The last words on the email were these: “And in the final analysis…….. The Bible does tell the truth and with precise accuracy….. No doubt about that!!!!” '

'I must admit that my critical admonition here is only going one way. I have not checked to see if this is true. I simply know it is not.

The enthusiastic, “No doubt about that” from the sender scares me for many reasons.

1. I am frightened by the lack of critical spirit this represents among Christians who blindly accept any bit of “evidence” that seems to support the faith. This is not the way God wants us to use our minds, even if the uncritical conclusions support his truth. We simply can’t do this folks.

2. I am also afraid of a faith built upon such tabloid evidences. Whether it is the Bible code, the Shroud of Turin, the lost day of Joshua, crying statues of Mary, or Noah’s Ark sightings, these type of things usually don’t last. If your faith is built on them, it won’t last either.

Could it be that we find evidences that confirm our faith? Certainly. We do all the time.

It is not the finding of evidences that concerns me, but the uncritical method with which these evidences are evaluated by many well-meaning Christians.

I am sure that some Sunday School teacher is going to use these pictures in a PowerPoint presentation this Sunday to show how Christianity is true.

Want to set people up to leave the faith later? This is the first step.

3. Finally, this gives our critics great ammunition. I know that critics will always find their reasons for rejecting our beliefs no matter what, but let’s make sure we do our part to help them reject and criticize for the right reasons. Let them take on our best apologetics, not these side shows.

In short, if you are reading this and your conversion is strongly supported by any tabloid support for Christianity such as this, please, please, please, rethink your faith. I would rather have you not believe having looked at good evidences for Christianity, than to have a believe built upon this type of manipulated sensationalism. More than likely, most (if not all) of these types of things are going to fall apart.

Most Christians are not too critical when it comes to this type of thing. They think that they are supposed to believe it. And I know that this does not only go for Christians. Atheists, Mormons, Muslims, and any other faith-based belief system is going to have those who uncritically use “evidence” that is, in the long run, counter-productive. But I am not talking to them right now. They can use all the pancake apologetics they want. But we (Christians) simply don’t need to. We have enough evidence for our faith to keep up from resorting to such things.'

I have added emphasis to the punchline here, clearly glibly accepting photo-shopped images as real evidence of the veracity of the Bible is not in the best interest of Christian credibility. On this point we are not left without scriptural witness: Even if those images were not photo-shopped, even if it was genuine evidence of giants, look what scripture says about these "experiences".

We give certain things a level of priority in our understanding. For us the truth of God's existence may come from several different directions, different types of personal evidence. You may have had a specially holy moment when the presence of God was all but palpable to you. That's great. You may have had a combination of circumstances unfold that made your faith in him more sure, maybe the Inland Revenue gave you a refund you weren't expecting right when the overdraft was perilously large like happened to me once! Maybe it was the blessed assurance of answered prayer- my mother in-law recently told us how she had been praying for a new home-group but had nowhere to host it. She had a particular person whose house she thought was appropriate but never said anything when all of a sudden the particular person suggested it herself- the joy of answered prayer!

All of these evidences are important and not to be dismissed or made light of, but they are subjective, they are deeply personal, like our own personal testimony and so they must feature on a lower scale of evidence compared to other things. The scripture leaves us in no doubt as to the priority of experience in relation to the Word of God.

"For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased "--and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts," 2 Peter 1:16-19

What an amazing experience Peter James and John had had on the holy mountain when Christ was transfigured before them and they heard the voice from heaven and saw Moses and Elijah with Jesus. That was such a holy, fearsome time. But look what Peter says about that:  Though they saw with their own eyes- the more sure word of prophecy, that is the prophetic Scriptures were to him more sure in order of priority as the evidential proof of Christ as the Son of the Living God. That is a high regard for scripture.