• 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.