A Christian posted a citation on facebook, a citation which in and of itself was just fine, and then cited the author - a known false teacher. I suggested to the individual that posting such a citation gave tacit approval to the author, and would lead readers to think that author was worthwhile to listen to for Christian teachings. I was excoriated for suggesting such a thing, and was told I was slamming and attacking the character of the one who posted the citation. The one posting the citation said that because the citation itself was good and truthful there was no problem with posting it, and that I was being legalistic by saying it was wrong to do so. The poster got angry with me because I stood firm that it was not ethical to do so, and he ended up “unfriending” me. Many comments from his supporters were in like vein, as none of them could see the problem.
Paul cited non-Christian authors when he was teaching pagans, pointing out to them that even their own authors pointed to God. This is not the same thing as what I’m discussing. I’m talking about using Christian teachings from a false teacher.
I say it is wrong and unethical to use a citation from a known false teacher in order to teach Christian truths. A false teacher, even if he is a Christian, is promoting the deeds of darkness, and Ephesians 5:11 says we are to have nothing to do with such deeds - and it further says we are to expose them! So how can citing them favorably expose them?
I just recently received the current edition of “The Quarterly Journal” from Personal Freedom Outreach. On the back page is a book review of a new book by Ron Rhodes. Now, Ron is one of my favorite teachers, and is really a top-notch apologist. The reviewer noted that there is a blemish in Ron’s book, which were two favorable citations from known false teacher Peter Kreeft. I know the author of the review, and I know he highly esteems Rhodes and yet he pointed out that such citations were not good. Was he slamming Ron or defaming Ron’s character? Absolutely not.
There are too many good teachers who feel it necessary to favorably cite false - or perhaps just questionable - teachers. All this does is promote that bad teacher and lead unsuspecting (and non-discerning) people to seek more teachings by this person who came recommended.
So, am I off base here? Or does it really matter who we cite as long as the quotation itself is good?
12 comments:
I totally agree with you Glenn. It puts me off the good teacher if he favourably cites the false teacher - I would avoid him as well - and that is the other side of the coin.
Sue
I think it comes down to this fundamental question: does the truth change based on who said it?
So if I have a truthful citation about the Christian faith, but it was said by Joseph Smith, should I then use it to help people understand the Christian faith?
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
I'm not sure but the devil quotes scripture, biblical truth, but in such a way as to mislead. We are all called upon to test all things.
Disclaimers are great things. If Joseph Smith's statement is really helpful (which could happen), you could use it, but the Scriptures command us to warn against false teachers. So you would need to warn.
I'll use quotes sometimes contrasted with Scripture to show the quote is wrong. I don't necessarily think it is necessary to elaborate, just the simple statement of Scripture is sufficient. But if the statement from the false teacher is correct, you have to give the warning.
Look at it this way. If you had counterfeit currency, and you showed it to someone in a way that showed where it looked like real currency, but didn't point out the things that showed it was counterfeit, would that be ethical?
Or here's another example. If you know someone in your area is poisoning children with chocolate, should you give chocolate to the neighbourhood kids to teach them to like chocolate without warning them about the poisoner?
I agree, adding that an accurate statement from a false teacher might be cited if that person is clearly identified as heterodox. But why not just use a good source?
Anonymous,
Good point!
Jon,
Actually, I suggested to the poster that if liked the comment so much and thought it was worth posting, he should post a caveat or disclaimer to the effect that even a stopped clock is right twice a day. I said that posting the comment without any disclaimer just led people to think the author was worthwhile.
Using citations to demonstrate how the author is wrong is normal practice for anyone doing apologetics, so that isn't the issue.
Steve,
That was my question also.
IT MATTERS.!!!!!!!!!!.
The church must stand for righteousness and point out error when observed. Our LORD was not unkind nor unloving when He spoke truth and neither are we.
A little leaven spoils the entire loaf - keep up the good work. ali
I read an article yesterday a friend posted. I thought the article was very good, but I refrained from "liking" it or commenting on it. Although the article was from another source, my friend had posted it via No Greater Joy (the Pearl's.) I knew that by showing my approval to the article, it would appear I was "liking" anything posted by the Pearls. However, if the article had come directly from the original source I could have liked and commented on it freely. Truth never changes, but it's important to go the original source of that truth, which is God Himself. If an abhorrent teacher accidentally makes a true statement, it would behoove a person to quote that truth from its source. If your friend unfriended you, he wasn't much of a friend!
Lois,
Very commendable. I've had similar situations where the intermediate source was bad, and had to go to the original just to use it.
This "friend" on FB wasn't really a friend anyway. I got on FB for family and real friends. Some things I post "public" and a year ago some lady who does ministry to Mormons in Hawaii wanted to friend me and I figured, what the heck. Well, from that came friend requests from people in that same ministry, one of which was the individual in question.
I even posed the same question to him - what if the quote came from Joseph Smith? He never answered that one.
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