Socrates said, “When the debate is lost, slander becomes the tool of the loser.” Most atheists have been observed to make liberal use of the tool of “slander” in controlling a conversation and putting their well-intentioned opponent in a difficult position. But it has further been observed, that if one “stands strong,” and continues with their dialogue, unwavering and unaffected, many times the conversation can actually continue productively. Can Creator share advice on what to expect and how best to proceed when one is faced with an onslaught of “slander?”

The best rule of thumb in such engagements is to hew to divine principle in one’s conduct and deportment, to not fight fire with fire as that will often be a losing tactic in any event. To the extent people are attacked, they will rise to the occasion and renew their assault with vigor and will often up the ante, drawing greater and greater distortions into the mix, but these will be inflammatory and will be prejudicial and will complicate matters when a dialogue becomes more than a scholarly exchange and comes to be seen as more of a saving of face, a test of wills, or even a life or death struggle. All such onslaughts giving rise to greater resistance and unleashing greater counterforce will backfire and make the job much, much harder to encourage open discussion, free-thinking, and the opportunity to modify their views.