The communication warzone

It starts with a simple question, or maybe a simple thought, on some theological, questionable idea. That gets everyone's attention, at least everyone who is interested in discussing these "deeper" and more gray areas. It gets the attention of those who are strongly for or strongly against the subject. But from there, the communication can turn two ways. It can be a trade or exchange of ideas in a friendly and open-minded way. Both sides aren't looking for anything more than to provide benefit to each other with the information they can share. But that's only if it's a trade...

The sides also have a choice to become offensive. The basic hope of this method of communication is to destroy the other side and have them in the end submit to the attacker's way of thinking. They do this in two ways. Either they officially declare war and both sides officially begin to bombard each other in debate, or they hide their offensive but nonetheless attack and remain offensive despite the neutrality of the other side. In both cases, they have a war on their hands, and nothing good ever seems to come from wars over compromise, especially wars of words.

So why do so many Christian's expect to win the war for Christ through argumentative wars? I used to, years ago, and I thought that was the way to go. I would throw out all I could at my atheist friends hoping that one spiritual grenade would land right in the fox hole of their heart. But it turns out they weren't the right kind of grenades, and they didn't nearly have the range to reach my friends.

The message Christians need to be showing to others is Christ's love. That's it, that's all we need. Show others what God's love has done for them, what God's love means to you, and how it has changed your life. 2/3 of it is personal testimony, 1/3 of it the actual message of the Cross. Nowhere in there is it about "converting" them by convincing them atheism is wrong and couldn't work, by slamming their opinions as shallow minded, and responding with such opposition and "religious zeal" to perhaps strongly worded questions. That's not what Jesus was about, and that's not how Christians should be either. If arguing is showing God's love, then perhaps God's love doesn't mean that much.

For many Christians, we feel the need to defend the faith. When we get asked tough or threatening questions, sometimes it's hard not to respond aggressively. But before we get ourselves into a war, maybe we should think about firing back, and instead throw the white flag. Ask about what they believe in interest and with an open mind, and if they ask you questions they want answered, answer back with respect and love.

When we convince our opponents to trade rather than fight we open up the doors of opportunity. When we argue, the doors are shut because they aren't listening just like you aren't. Both of your defenses are up and you're lobbing grenades and firing away at each other with no hope of penetrating. Sure, you might break a wall or two, but it gets built right back up the next time. You can never get inside. Someone once told me arguing is a weapon of non-Christians, and using the same weapon is like putting yourself into a trap. They want that, because nobody gets anywhere in an argument and it isn't truly representing of what God is all about.

This truth is hitting harder and harder for me as I see debates going on in school that lead to heated arguments, as well as the people I've seen preaching "hell and brimstone" to non-believers, condemning rather than loving. We can't argue or scare people into believing; in fact we can't do anything to make people believe, only God can. We only plant the seed. But that seed may miss the mark or may be rotten if planted in the wrong way. Plant the seeds with care and love and respect, and God will make them grow.


Let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
1 John 3:18