Some people are more interested in paying out Christianity, airing their own opinions, making a mockery of the faith and of you than actually really wanting ot know the answers. The often deflect a healthy discussion about Christianity by offering cheap shots. And we need to be aware of: A fool [who] finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions. (Prov. 18:2)

Sure they may feel passionate about their one-liner but may have nothing to back up the statement they made. Often these statements are sincere but often not. Don’t get me wrong honest questions deserve our best answers. If you don’t know the answers you can always offer to research and get back to them. But more often than not our friends throw us careless one-liner that can high jack the conversation.

Some examples of these one liners that can often derail conversations and make the Christian squirm are:

• There is no proof of God

• All Religions are basically the same

• You shouldn’t force your views on me

• You can’t trust the bible it is not reliable

• God can’t really exist because their is so much evil and suffering in the world.

Here are five examples of responses that are questions to help you push your friend to back up their claim and to help you discern whether this is a cheap shot or a genuine question.

• What do you mean by that?

• How did you come to that conclusion?

• Can you give me an example of that?
• How do you know that?

• Yeah, wow that is a valid point, can you slow down and tell me how you came to that conclusion?

We should be able require your challenger to back up the claim. Burden of proof should be on the person you makes the claim not on the target of the claim. Get them to back up the claim before you answer. Often they will answer with another general one liner.