There are two ways of getting known by the world; get famous or get infamous. John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of Abraham Lincoln already had some fame; however, as Dale Carnegie tells us in his Lincoln the Unknown, it was his desire for more popularity that drove him to kill the most famous man in America. Somehow, the assassin believes assassination as being a short-cut to popularity-control. You kill the king and usurp his throne. Of course, John Wilkes Booth was shot dead sooner; he didn't become the President of United States; but, he did became infamous.
There are a number of provocative titles that drop into the market and create enough ripples, waves, and commotion. Some of them become know for their audacity against common faith. Some may be offensive tools (not apologetical but crusader like, negative jihadist attacks, meant to conquer the centrality of the opponent's faith). These people are serious about what they say. They are willing to die for what they contend for. The others are merely big mouthing tactics. They are like Rabshekah in the Biblical story; he came and shouted audaciously, vociferously, and quite volubly in order to catch attention and put Jerusalem into panic. But, of course, he failed. However, most times such loud-mouthing gets successful as the enemy gets down from the walls and comes out in surrender (compromise) with the more voluminous.
But, there is another kind who only wages verbal warfare, from bulletproof cover zones, in order to get commercially successful. A provocative title might attract much attention and readership; however, one doubts if the writer is willing to die for the claims and arguments he is making. However, the contradictory words somehow are successful in engaging certain apologists into discussion. The result: a lot more people who didn't know about these books get to know these books; some go out and buy these books. One way or the other, the books become commercially successful. Curiosity, threat, and hurt do compel engagement for some. However, we must understand that there are a few talks that the Christian is not called to engage in. We must understand that some challenges can be ignored. The Bible gives us a better solution:
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1Pe 2:11-12 NKJ)
Also, Christian leaders are reminded:
Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. (Tit 3:9 NKJ)
Finally, we must remember that there are cases that are not open for us anymore to deal with. We must have love towards all; however, we also know that an attack on God is not any attack at all. We do not need to be threatened. Apologetics exists only to contend for the truth, to clarify misunderstandings, and to help those who have difficulty with faith (1Pet.3:15; Jude 1:3; Acts 17:2,17; 18:4,19); it does not exist to debate with those who have made up their minds.
"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings1 of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (1Ti 6:3-5 NKJ)
"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (Jud 1:14-15 NKJ)
There are a number of provocative titles that drop into the market and create enough ripples, waves, and commotion. Some of them become know for their audacity against common faith. Some may be offensive tools (not apologetical but crusader like, negative jihadist attacks, meant to conquer the centrality of the opponent's faith). These people are serious about what they say. They are willing to die for what they contend for. The others are merely big mouthing tactics. They are like Rabshekah in the Biblical story; he came and shouted audaciously, vociferously, and quite volubly in order to catch attention and put Jerusalem into panic. But, of course, he failed. However, most times such loud-mouthing gets successful as the enemy gets down from the walls and comes out in surrender (compromise) with the more voluminous.
But, there is another kind who only wages verbal warfare, from bulletproof cover zones, in order to get commercially successful. A provocative title might attract much attention and readership; however, one doubts if the writer is willing to die for the claims and arguments he is making. However, the contradictory words somehow are successful in engaging certain apologists into discussion. The result: a lot more people who didn't know about these books get to know these books; some go out and buy these books. One way or the other, the books become commercially successful. Curiosity, threat, and hurt do compel engagement for some. However, we must understand that there are a few talks that the Christian is not called to engage in. We must understand that some challenges can be ignored. The Bible gives us a better solution:
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1Pe 2:11-12 NKJ)
Also, Christian leaders are reminded:
Avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. (Tit 3:9 NKJ)
Finally, we must remember that there are cases that are not open for us anymore to deal with. We must have love towards all; however, we also know that an attack on God is not any attack at all. We do not need to be threatened. Apologetics exists only to contend for the truth, to clarify misunderstandings, and to help those who have difficulty with faith (1Pet.3:15; Jude 1:3; Acts 17:2,17; 18:4,19); it does not exist to debate with those who have made up their minds.
"If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings1 of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself" (1Ti 6:3-5 NKJ)
"Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." (Jud 1:14-15 NKJ)
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