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Writer's pictureBible Brian

The Silent Quote strategy


A strategy I am very fond of in apologetics is what I like to refer to as the "silent quote". The silent quote is designed to anticipate the seemingly inevitable accusations that you don't understand something simply because you disagree with it (or, in some cases, that you don't understand the Bible because you disagree with a specific heresy). It's a common tactic, because if you can paint someone as ignorant, you don't have to deal with their arguments.

The silent quote pre-empts these accusations and provides a shield against them. The strategy is to mirror a quote from an authority they would agree with as closely as possible (word for word is preferable, though minor, changes are sometimes acceptable, with the provision that they do not alter the context) without quoting the original source. Your opponent will think you are using your own words, and understand them almost perfectly. They will then proceed to use the usual claims of ignorance, but because you haven't used your own words, what they're actually doing is cannibalising their own.


In the header image, I have used an example from a Creation vs. Evolution group. I half quoted Richard Dawkins, who of course is famous for his opposition to Creationism. I did not reveal that I was word-for-word quoting him on his beliefs about the origins debate. As anticipated, a number of Evolutionists popped up saying I was ignorant of Evolution, one of whom, as shown, claimed the quote is just Creationist rhetoric designed to attack Evolution. But unless this man believes Richard Dawkins is a Creationist, it's probably a good idea to retract that statement, and instead focus on the arguments presented.

Another example comes from my time witnessing to Mormon missionaries. I silent quoted Hebrews 1:1-2a: "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son" (in person, I quoted from memory, so I probably didn't quote it perfectly). Mormons, of course, believe that there were prophets after Jesus, and that there is still a living prophet today, so naturally they told me I didn't understand Christianity. So I pulled out my Bible and revealed that I was actually quoting the Bible almost word for word. After that, they got a little uncomfortable, and eventually decided to leave my house, insisting that as representatives of Jesus Christ, they testified that I was wrong and Joseph Smith was a prophet.


A third example can be found in Mike Winger's videos on Catholicism (I can't remember exactly which one). He told about a time when he debated with his Catholic friend, and silent quoted Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." His friend's response? "Mike, that would be scary if it was in the Bible."

So Mike showed him exactly where it is in the Bible, and the Catholic switched tactics. It was no longer "it would be scary if that was in the Bible", but "I don't think it means what you think it means". But as Mike pointed out, he didn't even tell his friend what he thought it meant. The Catholic did his own interpretation of the words, changing his interpretation only when he found out the source, because that specific source should not say what it says in his Catholic worldview.


So you see just how lethal this strategy of the silent quote is. It disarms all accusations of ignorance and forces heathens and heretics alike to either deal with the arguments on their own merits, or just drop the argument. In both cases, the silent quote utterly destroys any accusations of ignorance, instead revealing knowledge that even your opponent cannot (easily) deny.


The silent quote strategy divides many houses against themselves, but there is a solid foundation upon which it is wise to build. I do not need to silently quote this fact: that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9). Given that He rose from the grave, I think it's fair to say He has the power to raise you up on the last day, too.

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