When did "Apologetics" Become a Dirty Word?

[KingsGambit]

I don't think that's always the best approach. Ravi Zacharias often attempts to get to the heart of a questioner's question rather than answering the question directly (which he could easily do/has done). More often than not, the question is a symptom of something more deeply seated.

Wouldn't that generally be more effective in one on one dialogue, though?

[Adrift]

Wouldn't that generally be more effective in one on one dialogue, though?

I imagine all apologetics are generally more effective in a one on one dialogue. That's not always feasible though, and it's just as likely that another listener could be touched by the answer recognizing that they too share the symptoms of something more deeply seated.

[Cerebrum123]

I don't think the two are equivalent. Jesus didn't go around trying to show everybody how smart he was.

Unless you can show that the intent was/is to "show everybody how smart" they are, then I still can't see much of a difference.

I also think an apologist has a responsibility to actually answer a question in front of a large audience. Even if he may seem clever for ducking out of it, it doesn't change that he gave the impression that Christianity couldn't handle the question straight up.

I think that's the wrong attitude to have about teaching, and answering questions. It's not always best to answer the question directly. Jesus for the most part only did that for His disciples, and in private. People were expected to put two and two together for themselves. I think more people need to be taught to reason through things, rather than just being given all the answers directly. I think that's a huge problem with our school system today, too many people are just taught to memorize answers rather than think things through, and learn to use their reasoning capabilities.

Sometimes it's simply better to just tear down the foundations of an argument. I mean, getting rid of the roots of an objection should in and of itself answer the objection.

[The Remonstrant]

[. . .] I think more people need to be taught to reason through things, rather than just being given all the answers directly. I think that's a huge problem with our school system today, too many people are just taught to memorize answers rather than think things through, and learn to use their reasoning capabilities.

Sometimes it's simply better to just tear down the foundations of an argument. I mean, getting rid of the roots of an objection should in and of itself answer the objection.

Rote learning may make mindless minions.