Handling Antagonists

How can you tell if someone is interested in discussing a difference of opinion or just wants to dump his or her views on you? How can you tell if a person is truly interested in learning or is entering the discussion as a teacher, a know-it-all? More than that, how does one deal with such a person?

I received two responses from the same individual to a blog article I had written some time back on the basis of the Trinitarian belief. The first of these started with, “Sorry, but your Trinitarian belief is incorrect.” Not much to discuss, is there? Judgment has been passed. I (or at least my understanding of the subject) has been tried, condemned, and declared anathema. What do I say, “Is too”? Mr. Obdurate isn’t going to listen. His mind is made up. I’m wrong and that’s all there is to it.

Can this person enter into a civil and gentlemanly discussion at this stage of the game? I do not think so. He has thrown down a gauntlet and is daring me to pick it up. He is picking a fight rather than looking for light and for a reasonable answer. It is his prerogative to not believe what I have written. A better course of action would have been to ask me to provide additional support for my belief in the Trinity. Then we could enter into a discussion of the pros and cons of our respective positions. But he did not do that. He just spoke ex cathedra and declared me to be in error.

What is my response to be? I guess I could answer in kind, but that would shed no light and only generate ill feelings. I could respond to his reasoning with logical counterpoints but that would probably be met with arms akimbo and an equally closed mind. And I could ignore him. I could do a combination of these responses but that would be counterproductive.

The one thing I will not do is post his thoughts on this blog. Why not? Many blogs will allow just about anyone to say anything, pro or con. This particular blog does not fall under that category. I am not afraid of opposing viewpoints and have allowed some readers to post views differing from what I believe. The purpose of this blog is not to allow just anyone to vent or push his or her own understanding of the Word of God, but to (as much as is humanly possible) present a clear and orthodox understanding of Scripture and Christian doctrine. This man’s views are unorthodox and from an historic Christian perspective, heretical.

What I will do is to present portions of his response and show the weakness(es) in his thinking. That way, those interested in having their convictions regarding the doctrine of the Trinity made more concrete will also have more knowledge to answer those whom you may encounter that think like this man or are leaning toward his views. My antagonist is welcome to read my posts and learn why the Church has insisted that orthodoxy include belief in the Trinity. He is also free to continue to disagree. He is free to discuss, to offer remonstrances, or to ignore me. He is not free, in this forum, to push his present views.