Tools of Apologetics 1.20.1
Leading Questions
Chapter 1
Leading Questions - Introduction
Whenever there is a conflict between two viewpoints, a thorough examination of all the proofs on both sides becomes essential. This is why Courts of Law allow both sides plenty of time for cross-examination. Asking proper questions and receiving an honest response is essential for discovering truth. While this procedure is always followed in Courts of Law, Christian Apologists often overlook this approach. Many of them feel that making affirmations is better that conducting an interrogation. This is a misunderstanding. While making affirmations is essential in all defense of truth, an Apologist should never depend upon it alone.
Human depravity biases people against accepting the truth. Thus in many situations the opponent can dismiss the Apologists’ entire labour with a simple, "I am not convinced". On the other hand, if Apologists can lead their opponents through a series of questions, with each question bringing them closer to truth, then the opponent cannot easily get out of it. After all the conclusion now depends upon numerous assertions that the opponent has made.
People’s erroneous opinion on a given subject often depends upon numerous other subjects and assumptions. Thus to show such people the truth, it is first necessary to expose all those related false assumptions in their minds. This can be done only by questioning them on important assumptions, so that in the process of defending those, their false stand is exposed. No amount of lecture or harangue can force people to think. But when they are asked to defend their assumptions, they are forced to make decisions. Only this method can force a resistant or blind person to see truth. Thus the importance of asking Leading Questions.
Successful Christian Apologists should constantly strive to make their interrogation yet more powerful every day. Interrogation of the type mentioned in this chapter is called asking "leading questions". They are useful not only for the apologist, but also for anyone who is involved in bringing out truth. Thus parents, counselors, news analysts and people in many other occupations will also benefit from the information given in this
What Are Leading/Non-Leading Questions
Discussions and debates help people to discover truth. However, most of the time people are not interested in arriving at truth. Rather, many of them are more interested in establishing their viewpoint as true (even if it is not the truth). In such a situation, instead of becoming a tool for inquiry, debates become a tool for suppressing the opponent. Often the apologist has to work in this kind of a hostile situation. All sincere inquirers must be shown the truth. This is an important responsibility of the Christian apologist. However, most people who argue against the truth of the Christian faith are not sincere inquirers. Thus they debate, not to discover the truth, but to overpower truth with their own brute force techniques. In such a situation, mere affirmative or negative assertions made by the Christian apologist does not suffice. The opponents may always escape by saying that they are not convinced.
Rather than depending upon their own assertions, Christian apologists should cross-examine their opponents on truth. This carefully planned cross-examination should proceed in such a way that opponents to truth are forced to accept the weakness or falsity of their argument. They should be brought to a point where they are no longer able to defend their views. If possible, they should be persuaded to confess that the Christian Apologists’ position is stronger than their own.
A cross-examination of the kind mentioned above has to proceed mostly through questions. Since these questions are aimed at leading the opponent into a definite direction, these questions are called "leading questions". It must be noticed carefully that all questions are interrogative in nature, but not all of them lead into a definite direction. It is possible to keep piling questions on a person, yet not move in any specific direction. It is also possible for the questions to be very tough and even look very intelligent, yet be useless for the over-all purpose.
In Apologetics, all questions must definitely lead everyone to the ultimate goal. Questions that do this are called "leading questions" while questions that do not attain this goal are called "non-leading" questions. Even the most sophisticated-looking questions might not lead in any definite direction, thus every apologist must master the subject thoroughly to use this tool effectively. Every apologist must also make a point of it to listen to the way in which more experienced apologists and communicators use this technique effectively and effortlessly.
Though the Christian apologist uses leading questions to arrive at truth, some clever radicals use the same tool to deliberately lead people away from truth. Thus Christian apologists should listen also to those who use leading questions for sidetracking honest inquirers. This would give them great insight into the way critics misuse leading questions.
The Need For Asking Leading Questions
In addition to leading people into truth through effective cross-examination, leading questions offer many other advantages too. Since all of them ultimately lead to more successful Apologetics, it is helpful to know these aspects also.
TO CONSERVE TIME: Time is precious and more so in the modern world. However, once there is a debate or discussion even on the most trivial subject, no amount of time might suffice to arrive at a useful conclusions. Once a certain amount of time has been expended, opponents might be able to escape defeat by appealing to the busy schedule and their need to go. Thus in spite of all the energy spent, the apologist might have to go home without coming to the real issues. At the same time, this incompleteness might give a false sense of pride to the opponents of truth who feel that by not losing the debate they have won their case.
The problem of time becomes more acute if the opponents are determined to sidetrack the Christian apologist. Thus some strategy to conserve time by eliminating unnecessary discussion is essential. Leading Questions play a very important part here by separating the significant from the trivial and the useless.
TO LEAD IN A DEFINITE DIRECTION: As said above, though all interrogation involves asking questions, not all such interrogation leads in a definite direction. Leading involves aiming at a goal and then asking questions in a manner planned to lead the respondent in that definite direction. This can be achieved only if general and aimless questioning is abandoned and leading questions asked. Anyone who has attended committee meetings knows that often a discussion can prolong endlessly, dwelling on trivial issues, without ever moving in any definite direction. At the same time, committee meetings chaired by able and perceptive chairpersons do not suffer this problem because the chair repeatedly brings the meeting back on track with the help of timeously asked leading questions.
TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM: A logical analysis of statements, cause and effect, deductions and other ways of reasoning often uncovers many hidden assumptions. Further, often the issues involved are so complex that the discussion goes on without ever touching on the root of the problem. Only leading questions can expose the hidden assumptions and the root cause of the problem being discussed. As mentioned in the previous point, committee meetings are a good example. Often the discussion might prolong for hours without actually discussing the root problem. Only the appropriate questions asked at the appropriate time can lead people to address the real issues. So in all discussions.
TO CONVINCE THE RESPONDENT: Often the persons responding to the Apologist are not convinced of truth, or are not willing to see the truth. Affirmations made by the Apologists do not create much impact because the logical thinking and reasoning have passed only through the Apologists’ minds. Often the issues involved are so complex, that the opponent is unable to see the truth unless they are forced step by step through their process of reasoning and deduction. At other times the mindset of the respondents is so opposed to discovering truth, that they do not come to the right deduction unless they are forced to reason step by step. Only leading questions can help Apologists to force their opponents to go through the steps needed to arrive at truth.
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