"I especially resonate with what you said about not responding with hysteria like was initalized...that's an area of work to be done in me, because this *&^% makes me sooo angry."
And the following was my response: “You are not the only one who struggles with that, even if I think you mean "initiated" and not "initalized". We all do feel like that believe me, and me likewise, but I have also learnt the hard way, that responding in Kind, only inflames the matter, and never resolves it.
Again I have learnt the hard way the truth of proverbs 15: 1. "A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger" Also Vs. 2 is applicable here as well. "The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge, but the mouth of fools pour out folly."
I can't remember any real slanging matches since I became a Christian, but I do remember 2 specific incidents where I was a (very) quiet voice to a very loud and strident opponent. All I wanted was for both conversations to end with out me offending God, and appearing a complete fool. When they did end and I could escape, I was pleasantly surprised about all the positive comments I got from the other listeners and the negative comments my vocal opponent got, whom I till then had thought, was winning the argument.
I truly believe that had I answered in kind to either of them, no one would have listened to the Slanging match, but as I was a quiet voice of reason in the storm, the others trapped in hearing distance, listened to what I said.
So as Hard as it may be at times like that, we may have to bite our tongues, (by not answering in kind,) but by taking the real facts and arguing them back at them in as cool and calm a voice as is possible, and not let their attitude or lies deflect us from challenging them with the truth.
I have seen a couple of memorable interviews on TV where the one in the right allowed their opponents to shift the focus away from the truth with some 'snippy' comments and the person who was right, lost the argument because they strayed from the truth and got side-tracked on the lie or offensive comment.
And that is often the main point of our opponent’s attack, to deflect from the real point to one of his or her own Choosing. They know they can’t defeat us with the truth and so try and bamboozle us with some distracting side issue.“
So if you ever find yourself in a situation like that, ignore their distractions and stick to the truth with a calm (as you can be under the circumstances) voice and don’t get distracted from the main point and keep solely to the truth, not giving them any opportunity to shift the conversation to one where they are more comfortable. I can’t guarantee that you will feel you have won the argument, but you will have gotten the real point of issue out to a wider audience than you might imagine. Anyway that is my opinion. What’s yours? Walter
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