The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel
that displays the glory of Christ,
who is the image of God.—2 Cor 4:4
Talking with certain people seems to move a conversation no closer to an understanding.
In town square issue discussions today, even hard evidence, fullest versions of edited and weaponized sound bytes, independent statistical data points, and to an even lesser extent, first hand personal accounts, count for little to nothing to those so glazed over by a durable resistant coating of politics, partisanship, irrational beliefs, or painful personal history, they develop a hard shell finish resisting any challenge.
Add deep fakes, autotune, and AI and the truth will soon be indistinguishable from reality.
Discussions of the spiritual realm are no different.
Take Paul’s abrupt and instantaneous conversion from persecutor of the faith to believer in the faith witnessed by many.
Take Jeremiah’s relentless proclamations of Christ to those who would listen and hear.
Peter, Philip, Jonah, and even Jesus himself, all testify to present compelling cases for faith and belief. All suffered avoidable gruesome deaths refusing renunciation.
Truth begs to be told, but today, it is the voice least often heard.
Use of personal and testimonial accounts and supporting scriptures are quickly written off by the ill informed as an appeal to authority supported largely by the authority’s claims, a basic philosophical error of fallacy by the same name.
Getting anywhere with anyone used to be subject to reasonable rules of engagement and debate where the better argument often converted observers.
God doesn’t blind people to truth. It is the god of this world who spins truth into lies, and ignorance completes the circle, imprisoning those caught up in it.
But don’t give up.
The holy spirit works alongside us to counter the insidious tactics in this war waged against truth, against us, and against those who desperately need to see the Truth.