Tactics in Conversation

Transcription

1 Tactics in Conversation 1. Ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor 5:20) a. Knowledge: an accurately informed mind b. Wisdom: an artful method c. Character: an attractive manner I. The Columbo Tactic Asking Questions If you hit a roadblock when witnessing, ask a good question! Three applications: 1. To gain information: What do you mean by that? 2. To reverse the burden of proof: Why do you believe that? 3. To indirectly exploit a flaw in someone s views: Have you ever considered? I) Gain information and stay out of the hot seat c. Key question: What do you mean by that? (or some variation) 1) This is a clarification question, delivered in a mild, genuinely inquisitive way. 2) This question tells you what he thinks, so you don t misunderstand him/her a) There is no God. What do you mean by God? b) Reincarnation was taken out of the Bible. What do you mean it was taken out? c) All religions are basically the same. In what way are religions all basically the same. d) You shouldn t be forcing your views on me. Specifically, how am I forcing my views on you? or Why not? Is it wrong to tell people what to believe? If so, why are you forcing your views on me? (by telling me what I should & shouldn t do)? This accomplishes a few things. a) First, it immediately engages the non-believer in an interactive way. b) Second, it shows a genuine interest in the other s view. c) Third, it forces him to think more carefully about exactly what he/she means. II) Second application: Reverse the burden of proof >Make him do the work a. Burden of proof = the responsibility to defend or give evidence for one s view 1) Rule: the one who makes the claim bears the burden. 2) Don t allow yourself to be thrust into a defensive posture when the other person is making the claim. No more free rides. 3) When some makes a claim or a statement don t refute it, just ask him a question. [and Then listen carefully to the answer] b. Key question: Now, how did you come to that conclusion? 1) Why do you say that? or What are your reasons for saying that? 2) This graciously assumes that the other person has come to a conclusion, not just asserted or emoted. 3) The first question ( What do you mean by that? ) tells you what he thinks. The second question helps you to learn how he thinks, giving you direction 1

2 for how to proceed in the conversation. III) Third application: to indirectly exploit a weakness or a flaw in someone s views a. Key question: Have you ever considered... then finish the sentence in a way appropriate to the issue. 1) Offer an alternative view that gently challenges his beliefs, possibly explosing a point of weakness you uncovered in his answers to your first two questions. 2) This last step requires you have an option you can explain clearly that gives him reason to abandon his view for a better answer. a) Have you ever considered...the difficulty of removing something like teaching on reincarnation from every existing hand-written copy of the New Testament being circulated in the Roman world by the 4th century? b) Have you ever considered...that the lack of any evidence what-so-ever for abiogenesis (life from non-life life arising initially from inanimate matter) might count against the General Theory of Evolution? c) Have you ever considered...that the existence of evil is actually evidence for the existence of God, not against it? d) Have you ever considered...that if the Bible were merely written by men it would be very hard to account for the fulfilled prophecies? e) Have you ever considered...that having a burning in the bosom about the Book of Mormon may not be an adequate test to know if it is from God or not? f) Have you ever considered...the odd situation that follows if homosexuality is truly natural, then it s hard to explain how it got here (being a trait which cannot reproduce)? g) Have you ever considered...that if partial-birth abortion is morally acceptable, it s going to be hard to condemn infanticide, since the only difference between the two is the baby s location partially out of the womb or completely out? h) Have you ever considered...that if Jesus was wrong about His oft- repeated claim He was the only way of salvation, it then becomes difficult to call Him a good man, a prophet, or a wise religious teacher? c. Jesus asked Questions: 1) Luke 20:22-26 Show Me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have? 2) Luke 20:2-8 I shall also ask you a question, and you tell Me: Was the baptism of John from Heaven or from men? 3) Matthew 21:28-32 But what do you think? A man had two sons, Which of the two did the will of his father? 4) John 18:22-23 And when He had said this, one of the officers standing by gave Jesus a blow, saying, Is that the way You answer the high priest? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me? 2

3 II. The Suicide Tactic A. The suicide tactic makes capital of the tendency of many arguments to selfdestruct when given the opportunity. 1. These are commonly known as self-refuting arguments. For example... a. I cannot speak a word in English. (Was that English?) b. There are no sentences more than five words in length. (This sentence is more than five words in length.) B. Views that commit this kind of suicide are often obvious: 1. There are no absolutes. Are you sure? 2. You can t know anything for sure. Are you sure about that? 3. There is no truth. Is that statement true? (i.e., It s true that there is no truth. ) 4. This page intentionally left blank. (Not anymore) 5. Don t take anyone s advice on that issue. Is that your advice to me? 6. You shouldn t force your morality on me. Why not? b. Usually the response is going to be an example of him forcing his morality on you. 1) It s like saying, There are no moral rules. Here s one. [self- refuting] 7. Who are you to say? Who are you to ask the question? (Frank Beckwith) a. This question acts as if challenging another s view is wrong. b. But the statement itself is a challenge that s inconsistent by it s own criteria. Other It s wrong to try to change other people s religious beliefs. If you think this is wrong, then why are you trying to change my religious beliefs about missionary work, evangelism, and the Great Commission? All religions are true. 1) If all religions are true, then Christianity is true. 2) But part of the truth of Christianity is that other contrary religions are false. 3) Either Christianity is true and others are false, or others are true and Christianity is false. 4) Either way, all religions can t be true, can they? I don t believe anything unless it can be proven scientifically. What scientific experiment taught you that only science can teach you truth? ** Incidentally, if you can t know anything unless science tells you, you can t know what you had for breakfast unless someone pumps your stomach and scientifically analyzes it** This doesn t even pass the giggle-test. You can only know truth through experience? Really? What experience taught you that you could only know truth through experience? Example Dialogue You Christians are judgmental Gil: Greg, you Christians are always judging other people. It s wrong for you to judge. Greg: Then why are you judging me? Gil: Hmm...Okay. [He was regrouping] It s all right to judge, as long as you don t try to force your moral views on other people. Greg: Is that your moral view? Then why are you forcing it on me? Gil: It s not fair! There s no way I can say it so it sounds right. (He thought I was playing 3

4 a word trick on him.) Greg: It doesn t sound right because it isn t right. It s self-refuting. III. Taking the Roof Off A. This is a simple technique used with great skill by Dr. Francis Schaeffer. It s especially good with moral issues. 1-First you adopt the other person s viewpoint for the sake of argument. 2-Then you press him to the logical conclusion of his view. 3-Take him to the logical conclusion of his false assumption. No Moral Absolutes? Q: How do I answer my teacher who denies moral absolutes? A: Steal her stereo. (Not really, but if the teacher objects by saying theft is wrong, you ve made your point.) The minimalist ethic He: It s okay as long as I m not hurting anyone. Me: Then you have no objections to peeping-toms? They re not hurting anybody, right? Professor: There is no truth. Therefore, we ought to tolerate other people s views. One of the students should stand up and say: Class dismissed! What s the point? If it s a fact there is no truth, then why continue our education? Also, if there is no truth, then there is no moral truth, including the moral obligation to tolerate people who differ with us (This is also an example of the suicide tactic) Modified pro-choice position on abortion (the politicians favorite position.) I personally believe abortion is wrong, but I don t think it should be illegal. Why do you personally think abortion is wrong? [Columbo Tactic] It s wrong for me because I think abortion kills a human baby. Let me repeat back to you what you just said and you tell me if I understand you correctly: You think abortion actually kills a human baby, and you think that mothers should have the right to kill their children? This is like saying I am personally against slavery, but I wouldn t tell my neighbors not to own slaves of their own. ABSURD. Troding out the Toddler I think abortion is justified in cases of rape and incest. OK, so if I have a 2 year old here next to me who was conceived through rape, I should have the right to kill that child? No this is absurd. It forces the real question at hand: How does the method of our conception change our value as human beings? It doesn t. Jesus Took the Roof Off in Matthew 12:24-26 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This man casts out demons only by Beelzebub the ruler of the demons. And knowing their thoughts He said to them, Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and any city or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then shall his kingdom stand? 4

5 That s Taking the Roof Off : You move a person, using well-placed questions, to the logical and untenable conclusion of what he believes. Show him the truth and ask him is this really a world you can live in? 5