OK, this thread may well sink like a stone, or be moved to MPSIMS or anywhere. OK either way. But I have to ask.
In the pit, there’s a thread about a group of gay Christians who were expecting a group of anti-gay Christians to come and protest/witness/possibly harrass. They debated confronting them, but in the end, they made them cofee and breakfast.
Also in the pit, there was a thread in respone to an ncredibly lame joke, where there was much confrontation. It kinda turned into a pile-on.
My question is simply which is the best road to take if we really want to change someone’s mind? Do we confront or do we offer them breakfast? And do we need to do this as a group or can anything be accomplished individually?
IMO, offering them breakfast (or at least patience and understanding) seems like the best way. My reason? Only that I know my own habits and that when I am confronted, I automatically go on the defensive even if I may be wrong. I am likely to dig in my heels and stand my ground and possibly even use the confrontation as evidence (weak evidence, admittedly) of the rightness of my position.
I suspect others may be the same way.
But I do respond differently to reason, especially if offered in a friendly (I don’t want to use the term ‘loving’ here) manner.
Now I don’t know if any of the anti-gay Christians began to re-examine their views. I like to think that a couple of them did. And I don’t know if the poster who made the lame joke now realizes why it’s a lame joke and what it actually implies. Somehow, I don’t think so, although I could be wrong.
So, what do you think is the best approach to take, if changing someone’s mind is actually what you want to do? Do you think it more likely to see the light if confronted, and possibly mocked?
Or am I just a simpleton for pondering what is obvious to everyone but me? (Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time)