Did THAT get your attention? Fighting Fire with Fire is a tactic that came about because of its’ successful application when runaway fires broke out. Our Firefighters actually set fires to help contain and eventually extinguish the fires.
Over the years the tactic has been adopted and used when referring to many controversial problems/discord/issues that cropped up in our daily lives. In some cases it was successful. However, we have chosen to use this approach in areas where we have actually aggravated the “fire” and many times made the “fire” worse.
I’m specifically referencing this option as it applies to the current conflicts in our society. We are not stopping any “fires of opinions” or “changing opinions” by using the tactic of fighting fire with fire. In fact, we are simply “fueling the fire” and are being ostracized by the radicals and their agendas being perpetrated upon the “sane folks” that founded this Nation and those who adhere to those concepts, and have worked diligently to make and keep the United States the greatest Nation in the World.
STOP fighting the fire with fire. It is NOT working. How many times have we read an article that infuriated us and went right to the bottom to the comments section and “fired off” our opinion? And then waited for responses that we could “fire off” a differing opinion by bashing the “offending poster” and some have even resorted to name calling? Our first response is usually a gut instinct like that of protecting a child. We lose the fight when we do this with the Left and their radicals.
The “offending poster” is just lying in wait for your response so they can point out your rhetoric as being the reason they don’t want to listen to you, will respond in a way that makes you appear as a mean-spirited individual, and then will continue “firing you up” with their foolish and childish comments that you are a bigot, racist, phobic, or God Freak…all the while making you appear like a raving idiot!
This holds true in discussions with others “outside” the Internet. We CLOSE their ears and minds when we spew opinions and use language that simply angers them and shuts them down to hearing anymore out of you. I am shamed as a Christian when I see fellow Christians “name-calling” (some using profanity at times), threats, and bullying. Who and what are we showing ourselves to be?
I’m not scolding anyone. I have been guilty of getting fired up myself and fueling the fire when issues that are extremely important are being butchered and ridiculed. And I have paid the price of being shut down by many and never made a dent in their thinking. I have changed… and so has the response from the offending poster. I have had a lot of success lately with posters who vehemently disagreed with me initially. In fact…have actually been able to have them open their mind to what I’m saying and sometimes changing their view and agreeing with me.
What has my approach been? I respond with FACTS and COMMON SENSE. I keep my responses free of emotion, the basis for my opinions and responses, name calling, labels, unsubstantiated opinions, and anything that would have them respond with their usual hate-filled name calling comments. And it’s worked.
The Left and some of their radicals out there do NOT use facts or common sense. If they did…their opinions would not hold up. So they immediately “name call”, “ignore or distort the facts”, “make stuff up”, all in the name of “accepting everybody for who and what they say or think they are”!! Point out their “fact-less” comments and opinions calmly. Case in point? Gun Control. Here’s a fact they can NOT refute. The major cities with the “highest gun crimes” are the ones run by the Left and have the strictest gun controls in the Nation. Obviously…the problem is NOT more gun control…it’s a myriad of other problems involving the people and their lifestyle choices. Facts. Use Facts!!
Last night I read an article regarding the transgender bathroom issue. Believe me…NOTHING is “firing me up” more than this issue right now. I have a daughter, granddaughter, sister, nieces, and any number of females in my life that WILL be negatively affected if Obama and the Government get their way. I could very EASILY have responded to a “poster” that rattled my cage with his comments. But I held firm to my new approach.
This “poster” was bashing everybody’s opinions and comments and was doing a good job of making the anti-transgender positions look ridiculous. Nobody commented back to him in a rational way and had resorted to foul name calling (these were professed Christians by the way) and then saying they would Pray for him…which simply fired-him-up even more and was making them look foolish.
I couldn’t help myself. I entered the fray. I did it in pieces with short “facts” and “common sense” and responded directly to him in his posts. He continued to bash the others. I continued to counter with facts and common sense. He ignored my comments and kept responding to those that had “fire” in their posts. He was winning the battle with the others.
I received an e-mail notice that a private comment had been sent. Guess who it was from? The guy bashing everybody on the web site comment page. He informed me through the email messaging that he was surprised that someone against his opinion was not bashing him. He asked me for more information on my comments and where I could direct him towards facts I was stating. He said he was not totally convinced of my opinion but was “open” to learning more about why it was such a big deal to everybody.
This is a “win”, folks. An aggressive person that had closed his mind to what the big uproar was about was going to actually pause and look into it deeper because of “facts” stated and because I didn’t “attack or bash” him personally. I presented facts primarily regarding pedophiles and voyeurism being perpetrated on women where men entered their restrooms, showers, locker rooms. The facts are out there. Learn them and repeat them to those that think this is no big deal.
I am a Christian. Even I hate to be “preached at” by others. Many of the people on the internet are not Christians and have no use for us and our convictions. Preaching at them just fires them up. Have you noticed how many times a “poster” loves antagonizing our belief rather than our opinion? We lose our chance to help change their opinion if our comments are based solely on our Christian beliefs…because they don’t care about our Christianity. Use facts and common sense which backs up our Christian views.
I know some Christians will get “fired up” and respond that I am wrong to “hide my Christian faith” and that we are to be a witness. And I would say…my observation has been that many “Christian responses” are far less than Christ-like. I’m not hiding my faith…I’m giving myself a “CHANCE” to be a witness. The “fired up responses and comments” I see…are NOT witnessing.
Our beliefs are Common Sense and Factual…so we should use common sense and facts and Stop Fighting Fire with Fire. Let’s be “Christ-like”, use common sense, the facts, the truth, and “let God do His work”!!
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