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Playing Devils Advocate
- Thread starter P31Woman
- Start date
farouk
Member
I think there are at least two aspects of the question.
One is the figure of speech in the English language, which could also be easily phased in another way, without any reference to the devil.
The other is attempting to exercise wisdom and sound judgment by looking at a question from various angles.
Deborah13
Member
1. I don't know that it does. What Scripture are you referring to?
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
5. Can't answer without more clarification.
6. Dpends on how he is challenged. Are there knowledgable Christans who can defend the Scriptures in an effective manner? Can they effectively present their case? If there are he will loose the game. The Lord is glorified. It seems to me that is what much of the Bible is about, Lord glorified, sin abhored, good over evil....
Claudya
Member
As farouk said, it's a figure of speech. It means you are defending an opinion or stance you don't actually agree with (or totally disagree with), but you still do it for the sake of the argument, or for gaining a better understanding of the opposing view. It doesn't have to be a religion topic at all. You can be a devil's advocate in any kind of subject matter. I often catch myself doing that kind of thing in real life, because I love debating. So I hope it's not a sin of some sort, but I never really worried about it.
I can't remember any Bible passage about proper debate culture. It's probably just the word "devil" in it that makes you worry about that "game".
As far as I know the origin of that figure of speech was the canonisation process in the catholic church. In order to hear both sides some cleric had to speak against a certain saint candidate. That person would be the advocatus diaboli.
Now we could debate about what to think of the catholic canonisation process... but that's really just where the term comes from, the idea behind that kind of debate behaviour probably existed long before the cath church.
I can't remember any Bible passage about proper debate culture. It's probably just the word "devil" in it that makes you worry about that "game".
As far as I know the origin of that figure of speech was the canonisation process in the catholic church. In order to hear both sides some cleric had to speak against a certain saint candidate. That person would be the advocatus diaboli.
Now we could debate about what to think of the catholic canonisation process... but that's really just where the term comes from, the idea behind that kind of debate behaviour probably existed long before the cath church.
No it's not the word devil that concerns me. It does concern me that you view this as a game.
To answer number 1. I guess I mean any scripture that deals with how Christians are to handle God's word, teach, etc. Are there any examples in scripture of Paul or any of the disciples playing "Devils Advocate"..
Do we need anyone to play that role with so many real life devil's advocates in our life?
Deborah13
Member
I think there are questions that effect a Christians belief sytem about the devil. I think that if those questions can be discussed openly that maybe some could be reesolved in a person's life and in when they are witnessing to an unbeliever who may be quite well versed in the Scriptures. We need to know how to defend the Scriptures effectively. I know when I am confronted with a different view from my own it makes me go to the Scriptures and maybe have to do a more indepth study to be able to effectively be an advocate for the Scripture. Very often I will see something that I never "saw" before. You have been to college to study the Scripture in an organized, structured way. Many of us lay persons have not, so to be challenged is not always bad. The apostles learned directly from the Lord verbally. They could ask Him questions to define His Words. I believe when I read and study the Holy Spirit will teach me. I also believe that I should be asking the right questions. I believe me need to choose carefully which battles (debates) to take part in or even bother with at all.
Deborah13
Member
Hmmm You said what I said in one short sentence.
Obadiah
Member
"Devil's advocate" as used in modern English is nothing more than the act of asking a question from a point of view that you don't believe in to see how the other person handles the question. There is nothing unscriptural, immoral, or wrong about it that I know of. Despite the term "devil" it has nothing to do with Satan or any kind of actual devil. Regarding Christianity and Christian apologetics in particular I have learned a lot from others by asking questions that the "opposing side" might ask even though I don't support the viewpoint. When speaking with someone who knows more than I do, seeing how they answer my "devils advocate" questions most times gives me a lesson in how to answer those same questions when they come from a person who actually believes them. What can be wrong or unscriptural about this?