Ray Ciervo Ministries

At one time I thought of calling my ministry, No Pat Answers. You know, a pat answer is that trite retort such as, "It's in the Bible," designed to require no thinking and to be shot from the hip, quickly ending a discussion.

I almost called the ministry, No Pat Answers, because through it I wanted not only to give well thought out answers, but to help Christians learn how to give reasoned responses to objections offered against the gospel.

I find that most people want to learn how to give an answer, but not learn why the answer is correct. This becomes evident when someone asks a question about a complicated topic such as human depravity but is not interested in the reasoning behind the answer. They may have no idea about what "depravity" truly means, whether it is intensive and extensive. Whether it is only extensive, etc. But still, they want that simple answer. We don't have time or space to go into "depravity here, but I find this really frustrating.

At times I want to ask, "What will learning this answer really do for you? What will you do with the answer? Will it become a ‘silver bullet' to fire at the werewolves of atheism, Darwinism, or some other challenging position? I don't think so. There's rarely a one liner that can shoot down an argument without knowing what lays beneath it -unless, of course, the question being asked is a self-stultifying one. Even then, there's a learning curve to knowing why these statements are self-defeating.

Pat answers are not only ineffective, they also present an inaccurate view of the Christian argument, cheapening its intelligence and power. Pat answers seem to make those who wield them secure, but it is a brief and false security.

Okay, so now it's time for a "for instance." For instance, consider the argument that atheism is a philosophical position as well as a theological position. Some would argue that it is an "a-theological" position. However, the atheistic position is one that centers around God (theos) and the idea that "He" or "it" doesn't exist-- it is clearly a theological position. It is also a philosophical position in that it makes people ask the major moral, ethical, and purposeful questions of life. Already, this discussion has gotten more involved than it once was, and has taken on a different attitude, especially by the "new atheists."

So, what's my remedy? What is it I'd like to see Christians do? There are several steps to learning how to give well thought out arguments, as there are in most acquisitions of knowing anything. The first is to learn the "what" of any body of knowledge. What are the facts about this particular view or issue? Whether it be abortion or evolution, you must learn exactly what the issue is and what its proponents . actually believe. For instance: on the topic of evolution, it is worth knowing that there are natural evolutionists as well as theistic evolutionists, and there's a difference between "micro" and "macro" evolution. These are but a few examples. The point is that when we get into a conversation with someone, they can tell within a couple of minutes whether we know their position or not.

The second step is to learn how to reason through an idea. Here's where the real work lays. Reasoning through an idea involves following statements to their logical conclusions, and in doing so recognizing the logical fallacies and, inconsistent and incongruent statements within them. The last step is to understand how and why the uniqueness of Christ can answer an argument.

Engaging in a conversation with someone who has divergent views is always a challenge. They challenge your beliefs as they promote their own. This is especially true with today's new breed of atheists. In them I find an emboldened opposition that wants to convert you to their cause as well as show you how yours is fallacious. I see also that proponents of diverse religions are emboldened as Christianity is marginalized as a prominent worldview.

Now more than ever Christians need to know why what they believe is not only credible but the only worldview that contains the message of the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. There is no other name under heaven by which men can be saved.  That ought to be reason enough to lay aside the desire for pat answers and pursue real truth and knowledge.