on converts

This post will be, I hope, atypical.

I've been hitting my head against the wall after reading some articles by ex-Orthodox Protestants and the ensuing discussion. The nature of the discussion is beyond the point of this article. My concern is, rather, whether the following picture of ex-Protestant Orthodox is correct [Protestantism of whatever sort, I don't really know enough about those demonic delusions to specify]. Consider: a man who pops up showing little "real knowledge" of Protestantism, asks "leading questions" seeming to intend to imply that Protestantism is somehow wrong on some issue but which really don't have any purchase because the answers are quite in accord with Protestantism [at least, in the mind of the hearers], and has no interest in dialogue except to possibly convert others. I hope this does not sound familiar, but if it does, one should be easier on ex-Orthodox Protestants. All too familiar.

Oh, but I'm not done here yet. The proper response, of course, is to find common ground and build on it. Such clumsy antagonism is poor propaganda, and when your sparring partner displays such obvious wounds, it would be foolish to engage in polemics or to even treat what he is saying as discourse rather than behavior. Yes, one must note the discourse to find out what the concern really is, but direct response to argumentation is not fruitful.