W.R.T. dialogue partners ... do you draw a line somewhere?

[Peter_J]

This question is related to a few discussion that I have had with Protestant posters over the years; but please note that I’m not trying to learn where exactly you would draw a line but only whether there is one. That is to say, I’m asking (rather unambitiously) whether there are limits on your willingness to dialogue with other people?

 

[Della]

I draw the line at insincerity–at trolling, also at a total unwillingness to learn. Jesus told his disciples to “shake the dust off your feet” after engaging with people who would not listen. It’s an exercise in futility to try to convince someone who will not listen, besides which, the apologetic’s task is not to convince, but merely to, in charity, place the truths of the Church before others as best he can.

 

[ProdglArchitect]

I draw the line at insincerity–at trolling, also at a total unwillingness to learn. Jesus told his disciples to “shake the dust off your feet” after engaging with people who would not listen. It’s an exercise in futility to try to convince someone who will not listen, besides which, the apologetic’s task is not to convince, but merely to, in charity, place the truths of the Church before others as best he can.

I recently got into a rather long-winded debate over abortion with a group of people on facebook. I presented my arguments, which I had taken a great deal of time to write out, and responded to what criticisms they levied. They gave what I wrote a two minute read, mocked me a little, and then blocked me. Not my loss, I don’t really need a bunch of pro-aborts in my life. I hope what I said will bear fruit eventually, but it is not my concern. All I can do is speak truth. The rest is between them and God.