Special pleading, continued:

• Spiritual importance, continued:

  • Can these questions be applied to themselves?

    • “There is no truth.” – “Is that true?”

    • “We can’t know anything.” – “Then how do you know that?”

    • “All truth is relative.” – “Is that truth relative?”

Strawman

• What is it?

  • Ephesians 4:1-3

  • Mark 14:55-58; John 2:19

  • “Changing or exaggerating the position of an opponent to make it easier to refute.”

• Spiritual importance

  • This type of tactic is often seen in debates between creation and evolution:

    • “Creationists do not believe that animals change. But clearly, animals do change. Therefore, creationists are mistaken.”

    • “Creationists do not believe in science.”

    • “Creationists believe that species never change in any way.”

    • “Creationists say there are no good mutations.”

    • “The Bible teaches that the earth has literal pillars and corners and cannot be moved. It is clearly wrong. (Isaiah 11:12; Psalms 75:3)”

      • Both contexts are clearly figurative.

    • “Creationists don’t believe in the scientific method. They say you should just look to the Bible for all your answers.”

    • “Creationists don’t believe in rationality. They take things on blind faith instead.”

  • Think of how Bible discussions might devolve into unprofitable spats if we mischaracterize what the other person believes.

    • “Oh, you don’t believe baptism is necessary for salvation? In other words, you don’t believe God is sovereign!”

    • “Oh, you don’t believe baptism is necessary for salvation? In other words, you think we should just throw the Bible away!”

    • “You Calvinists don’t believe in obedience!”

    • “You atheists don’t believe in morality.”

  • Titus 2:24-25; I Corinthians 13:4-7 – Christians are to correct those in opposition with gentleness and patience.