The Leading Question

In a courtroom a question is often objected to for leading a witness. In the spiritual realm the questions we ask often determine the answers we get.

Not all questions are equally helpful. You see sometimes we cannot find the answers to our issues because our questions are too narrow. We have presupposed with our questions the answer will be of a certain type.

It is like Christians who pray who fail to understand that God may answer their prayer with an absolute "no." It is not that the prayer is insincere or lacking in faith but that God with his greater wisdom sees something else.

In the same way when we have a spiritual issue or an issue in life and seek guidance we are often plagued by asking questions which are too narrow. We assume the answer will be of a certain type. Sometimes our issues would be solved much quicker if we dealt with the problem more broadly.

Some of the issue is cultural. In a highly specialized world we often think questions should be of a highly specific nature. Often with spiritual issues or life issues the answers tend to be big picture and directional. Very few spiritual issues or life are based mainly upon a tiny issue.

Most issues are multifaceted and the answers complex. We need to realize that the answers to many questions are not simple to grasp. If the answer was simple we would not have had to fight the problem for so long.

When we are asked for advice we should be ready to listen with great care. If a person has struggled with a spiritual or life issue for some time it is unlikely that quoting advice that might be found easily in hundreds of books or thousand of websites will help. It is possible that is the issue, but often issues are of a complex nature.

It is fine not to have an answer to a question. I believe it is always better to admit we do not have the answer to a spiritual or life question than to make something up. Maybe we might if pressed offer our best guess or suggest someone who might know.

A person who asks a question will know when they are given a response of no value. To me it is a sign of humility, respect and wisdom to admit we do not know an answer rather than make up something that the listener will realize is of no use.

Question as Rhetoric

Often strings of questions are rhetorical tools and tend be too uncharitable in debate. The nature of a question is that it requests and answers.

Usually strings of questions are rhetorical tools meant to trap and not question while providing little the debate oneself. You see questions contain assumptions within.

I am convinced the truth shines in the light. To obscure ones position behind a mound of questions forcing the person you are debating with to only speak and providing nothing to the debate is hiding in the shadows.

You see truth must be based on content. To try to undermine positions without content is uninteresting. You see to prick a position to point out an oddity is of little use.

You see worldviews are filled with many oddities and to point out this or that issue with a theology without positively presenting an appealing worldview oneself is uninteresting and unhelpful.

In theological debates I believe positions should be positively expounded. Too many debates now days tend to be point out errors in that or that without positively placing another system in place.

To point out an error or hole and offer of replacement view is of course interesting. The negative is also answered with a positive articulation. But the purely negative articulation against a theology or worldview is uninteresting.

At times journalism in Christianity suffers from offering negative without positive. Whatever is good and holy is what we should thing of.

Sometimes pastors or theologians will fail and make a careless comment or questionable but not terrible decision and there is much discussion of the issue without clear reason. Why are we focusing on the error of this person? It is often relatively small and yet much discussion happens.

But where is the positive take? You see we often become theological gossipers guilty of more law-breaking than the pastor in his small failure.

To me there is a need for charity. You see many of us in our own work make errors. Carelessness or say ill thought out ideas. And yet as a work tends to be private there is not much to do about our actions.

You see we should be treated as we want to be treated and not expound an unrealistic Hollywood gossip tendency onto high profile pastors and theologians.

Irrelevant Answer to an Ethical Question

"Well, to every man his own."

I can’t find any less irrelevant answer to an ethical question than this.  Either you or I am I wrong.  I can see no point in applying relativity to an ethical question.  You are doubly Gods.  First in that you are his creation and second that you are bought at a price. We should be debating the issue off of scripture not such appeals to relativity.