My Daily Struggle to Stop Arguing, Forgive and Pray for Annoying Trolls By God's Grace

-
I admit that I do have a lot of yesterday's junk. I do have some old research and articles that I've dumped because of how hateful they are. I was thinking about a lot of past dealings. I remembered starting a ministry with the desire to win people but I ended up in long-winded arguments. I was thinking about a lot of trolls who preach false doctrines. There are too many to mention. Times came when I even took pictures of their statements because I wanted to get even with them. I wanted to really beat them up in the face to tell them they're wrong. Many of these guys taught false doctrines and I felt it was my responsibility to shove the truths to their faces. What I didn't realize was that my pride was already getting the best of me.

I remembered the times I would argue with them a lot in a battle of who's right and who's wrong. However, Mark Twain had warned that arguing with fools is a useless exercise. Many times, these fools argued and acted like they've won even if nobody announced it. I remembered challenging some amateur Roman Catholic apologists and they did that a lot. I remembered being called an Antinomian because I defended eternal security. I remembered being called a works salvationist because I insisted that good works will always follow true saving faith. Atheists would say I'm just a very stupid person because I believe God created the Universe. The false accusations always go on and on. I just wanted to give those trolls a physical confrontation rather than to show gentleness and mercy. I could accuse anybody of not being Christlike about their attitude but did I respond like Jesus to such people?

The Bible's practical advice against trolls can be found in 2 Timothy 2:16-17 which says:
16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 17 And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; (KJV) 
16 But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, 17 and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, (ESV) 
16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, (NIV)

Just considering the translations in later languages would reveal something. The KJV uses the word canker. Later translations would use gangrene. Babbling is kenophia which means empty discussions. Isn't that what heretic trolls just want to do? They don't want a real discussion. They just want to irritate people. It's not like professional Roman Catholic apologists who discuss rather professionally. It's not like the Jesuit priest Mitch Pacwa or Roman Catholic apologist Trent Horn who display maturity in defending their falsehood. Instead, they are just there to call names and to irritate people. Most of it just ends up fruitless because their only intention is to irritate not to discuss differences.

The NIV (which is commonly used by other cults) blasts them with the term godless chatter. Dan Corner of Evangelical Outreach uses the NIV a lot yet his own translation blasts him off. Corner has been challenging people to debates yet he uses strawman fallacies to win. It's a good thing Paul David Washer of Heartcry Missionary never responded to the fool. The NIV's use of the term godless chatter makes you see where it goes. Engaging in arguments with those heretical trolls on the Internet made me stoop down to their level. In their world, you've got to be as dirty and unprofessional as they are. However, Christians are commanded to never stoop down to their level but rise above them with humility and dignity. 

Proverbs 26:4-5 gives two situations. Should I answer the fool or not? Verse 4 gives the statement which I'll paraphrase as "or you will be like him". The other says "or he will be wise in his own eyes". Here's what Got Questions' has to say about when to respond and not to respond says the following:
Whether we use the principle of verse 4 and deal with a fool by ignoring him, or obey verse 5 and reprove a fool depends on the situation. In matters of insignificance, it’s probably better to disregard him. In more important areas, such as when a fool denies the existence of God (Psalm 14:1), verse 5 tells us to respond to his foolishness with words of rebuke and instruction. To let a fool speak his nonsense without reproof encourages him to remain wise in his own eyes and possibly gives credibility to his folly in the eyes of others. 
In short, in negligible issues we should just ignore fools, but in issues that matter, they must be dealt with so that credence will not be given to what they say.

This would be that if the troll has been told the truth then I've done my job. Why bother to argue for longwinded hours and hours if the person doesn't listen. I was told, "You've done your job now shut up!" I didn't want to take the advice because I wanted to prove myself right over the other person. I would pursue people relentlessly because my pride has been injured. Worse, I fail to show a forgiving spirit when trolls insult me to no end. I wanted to really do something stupid at them because my pride was injured. Then I realize that I'm already stooping down to their level or that they are also very good victim players. They can go ahead and cry to the world that they've done nothing, deny that they are wrong, and laugh at me when they finally put me in a pickle. I was even told to ask myself if it would be worth it to really get into trouble by stooping down to their level. If I hit somebody for being so mean then am I any different from the person at that time? If they've been rebuked and they never listen then shouldn't it be their problem?

It's pretty much like the order Ezekiel got as a watchman. Ezekiel was told that all he could do was warn people. Today, all people can do is warn but not force them to believe. Ezekiel was told to sound the trumpet and warn the people about their upcoming attack. It was the time when the destruction of Jerusalem was imminent. What was Ezekiel told? He was told all he could do was warn. If people don't want to believe him then it's their problem. If people don't want the truth and they insist on their lies then why bother? Doctors aren't allowed to treat uncooperative patients. Rescuers can't force people who don't want to cooperate to be rescued. If they don't want to listen then move on. Why should doctors fail to help other patients who don't believe their warnings? Why should rescuers fail to rescue other people who don't want to be rescued?

The bigger struggle is now am I really forgiving them or am I still holding to grudges? I admit that I do have my temptations to revive old grudges. I still have the temptation to deliver a well-deserved very hard slap to their faces because my pride was hurt by them. I still have the temptation to physically hurt them as a warning not to mess with me. Again, it's the sin of pride that is causing me to have my struggle to forgive trolls. Shouldn't I be praying for them instead like I'm instructed to love my enemies, learning to turn the other cheek when insulted rather than continue living a life of hatred against them? Besides the enemy is really Satan and his demons (Ephesians 6:10-18) - not the unsaved trolls who are doing what they do because they don't know what they're doing.

See also: