And Jesus said, "He who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who invested heavily in gold and avoided European stocks like a plague. Also, Merica."
Monday, October 21, 2013
How to take a stand on difficult issues (part 5)
It's been a while, but here is the fifth question to ask when taking a principled stand on a difficult issue of interpretation.
Have I employed sound critical reasoning skills?
Difficult issues don’t just require diligent study of texts; they also require sound, critical reasoning skills. Too often, in our haste to settle a dispute or a debate on a difficult issue we employ lazy and inflammatory rhetoric. Christians are often guilty of loving rhetoric too much and reasoning too little. Such rhetoric is not only unfair to the person on the other side of the issue. It is also unfair to the issue itself and hinders our ability to make principled and informed stands on the issue. Here are some of the most common fallacies in critical thinking that are made when debating difficult issues. I will illustrate with the issue of pacifism:
There are likely other fallacies that could be added to the list, but hopefully the point has been made. When Christians debate issues of difficulty – whether it’s pacifism or some other hot button issue – we do not argue the way that the talking heads on CNN or Fox News argue. Instead, we use sound critical reasoning skills in order to faithfully represent the issue at hand and those who are involved in the debate. I have committed too many of these fallacies myself, and I have learned the hard way that even though it might make you feel good in the moment to rattle off some grand, clinching statement any debate won with faulty logic will inevitably be a shallow victory. It is the Golden Rule of debating. Debate with others in ways that you would have them debate with you.
If you'd like some more information on logical fallacies in theological arguments, see the instructional video below.
Have I employed sound critical reasoning skills?
Difficult issues don’t just require diligent study of texts; they also require sound, critical reasoning skills. Too often, in our haste to settle a dispute or a debate on a difficult issue we employ lazy and inflammatory rhetoric. Christians are often guilty of loving rhetoric too much and reasoning too little. Such rhetoric is not only unfair to the person on the other side of the issue. It is also unfair to the issue itself and hinders our ability to make principled and informed stands on the issue. Here are some of the most common fallacies in critical thinking that are made when debating difficult issues. I will illustrate with the issue of pacifism:
a. Making
hasty or unwarranted generalizations: Jesus said to turn the other cheek.
Therefore he is calling all of his followers to pacifism.
b. Begging
the Question: Jesus was obviously a pacifist.
c. Either/or
Fallacy: Either you are a pacifist or you are militant.
d. Ad
hominem: Pacifists are just cowards.
e. Straw
man argument: Pacifists are simply passive about injustices which are being
committed.
f.
Ad populum: Most people in the church are not
pacifists, therefore pacifism is probably wrong.
There are likely other fallacies that could be added to the list, but hopefully the point has been made. When Christians debate issues of difficulty – whether it’s pacifism or some other hot button issue – we do not argue the way that the talking heads on CNN or Fox News argue. Instead, we use sound critical reasoning skills in order to faithfully represent the issue at hand and those who are involved in the debate. I have committed too many of these fallacies myself, and I have learned the hard way that even though it might make you feel good in the moment to rattle off some grand, clinching statement any debate won with faulty logic will inevitably be a shallow victory. It is the Golden Rule of debating. Debate with others in ways that you would have them debate with you.
If you'd like some more information on logical fallacies in theological arguments, see the instructional video below.
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