Ad hominem:
1. appealing to one's prejudices, emotions, or special interests rather than to one's intellect or reason.
2. attacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument.
ref: Dictionary.com
Example of a Christian using ad homimem in a follow-up comment after blocking me:
"[...], he's gone. I blocked him. He is a contrarian for the sake of contrary and an argumentarian simply to argue. It doesn't matter what you say, he skips over what makes sense and attacks from the flank. I've had to put up with people like this for years. They have nothing of value to add. They say they are atheists, but they spend all their time fighting the God they don't believe in. The proverb is true with people like him - Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Lest you also be like him. I've given him far more slack than I should have. I don't need to go to bed fretting over a person who has nothing of value to add."
Notice that the Christian, in this case, a "Pastor", refuses to even acknowledge that he's in a conversation with an Atheist. To him, I am, uh, "fighting God". He then goes on to tell one of his flock that I'm a "fool"(because, of course, the bible says so in a "proverb"), and that Christians shouldn't even listen to Atheists, or else, that makes them "fools", too. 'Funny how that works, isn't it?
Then there's the accusation that I'm posting things contrary to what he believes for the pure sake of being contrary and argumentative. LMAO! Good grief! Yes, I put all the time and energy into my responses simply because I want to disagree. It couldn't possibly be because I really disagree and even have good reasons to back it. Nah.
4 comments:
I've discussed some of the Bible's mysteries/contradictions with a REAL pastor. a real pastor will tell you that he doesn't know all the answers and that sometimes we do need to have faith - but a REAL pastor will talk to anyone who is respectful and courteous ... I'd argue that this guy ("pastor" charlie) is out to manipulate good Christians in God's man for his own vanity and pleasure. And he'll say and do anything to protect it - Jim Jones and David Koresh come to mind. I hope his "flock understand the difference between having faith in the Lord, and faith in the preacher ... afer all, the preacher is still only a man, a sinner ... unfortunately some followers don't see the obvious difference
I agree. When/if any person tells you that he or she has all the answers - even a Priest, Minister, or Pastor - this should be a giant, red flag. And again, if the good Pastor is ministering to put food on the table, then he has a vested interest in steering his flock away from a situation where they may start to think for themselves. This is precisely what we witnessed yesterday, when, pressed for answers in front of his flock, he couldn't provide them, and thus, deleted me. How very predictable of him to come back and claim victory. Sad, really. But even he is victim....or... wait, is he merely con artist? Hmmmm....
I vote "con" ... people who use God for profit have to know how to exploit those looking for genuine faith and salvation for their benefit ... a "false prophet", if you will.
I tend to agree with you. It seems to me that genuine, dyed-in-the-wool believer would do the necessary work ahead him, which, at a minimum, would be to keep bombarding us with apologetics, however flimsy.
Post a Comment