4 ms·

> First, he never refers to anyone with a contrary opinion in any way other than "apologist". What's wrong with the term "apologist"? It simply means one who d

> First, he never refers to anyone with a contrary opinion in any way other than "apologist". What's wrong with the term "apologist"? It simply means one who defends a particular viewpoint or belief. (It comes from the Greek ἀπολογία, which means a "formal oratory defense" of a position.)

gipp 8y ago
That's just being deliberately obtuse. I don't believe I've ever in my life heard "apologist" used in a non-pejorative sense. Etymology is irrelevant here.
- TimTheTinker 8y ago
  > That's just being deliberately obtuse. What? That's rather insulting to assume; I'm being absolutely serious. > I don't believe I've ever in my life heard "apologist" used in a non-pejorative sense. That's genuinely interesting. I've always heard it used in a respectful sense. We must run in different circles. (I've always heard it used of Christian apologetics.)
- LyndsySimon 8y ago
  Christian Apologists immediately come to mind for me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics I wouldn't consider the term "apologist" to be pejorative at all.
- microcolonel 8y ago
  Maybe the term "apologist" is uncollegial out of context, but apologia without stake is worthy of a ribbing when the apology matures into a confirmed failure. Also why can't people have fun battling with words and bets? It seems better than revolution or fistfights to me.
  - ergothus 8y ago
    > Also why can't people have fun battling with words and bets? They can, and it is definitely better than violence, but I don't conflate "fun" with "belittling and demeaning" . (not to imply that you do, just showing the distinction I am making). I can think of a few other "I won a bet" posts I've seen over the years and they didn't have this negativity associated with it, despite their authors clearly feeling proven justified.
    - microcolonel 8y ago
      > They can, and it is definitely better than violence, but I don't conflate "fun" with "belittling and demeaning". I'll let the targets... no... the victims of the world's gentlest ribbing speak for themselves.
- sbuttgereit 8y ago
  You mean like this... https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-65/apologetics-cs-lewis.html https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-65/ap... The person you are responding to is correct. "Apologist" may be used as you say often in "modern" vernacular English, but it still is properly used as suggested.
- nemo1618 8y ago
  To be fair, people such as GK Chesterton and CS Lewis are referred to as "Christian apologists" with no slight intended. But I would tend to agree that in modern times it carries a negative connotation, implying that the person is defending an incorrect or offensive belief.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
ergothus 8y ago
I dug around a bit when you posted...and was surprised to find that "apologist" isn't generally considered rude. Then I return to the comments here and see at least one person also thought that it was. I suppose it has to do with usage in different communities? Now I'll have to re-read this article to see if it changes the tone I read into it. (which will not be easy, because I'm definitely biased to view the author as mean/arrogant/dismissive now)
happytoexplain 8y ago
This is quite a coincidence. After many years of hearing the term "apologist" used exclusively as an insult, just today I looked into the etymology and found that its dictionary definition has no explicitly negative connotation. But of course, usage in practice is what defines words. The dictionary catches up later.

gipp 8y ago

That's just being deliberately obtuse. I don't believe I've ever in my life heard "apologist" used in a non-pejorative sense. Etymology is irrelevant here.

TimTheTinker 8y ago
> That's just being deliberately obtuse. What? That's rather insulting to assume; I'm being absolutely serious. > I don't believe I've ever in my life heard "apologist" used in a non-pejorative sense. That's genuinely interesting. I've always heard it used in a respectful sense. We must run in different circles. (I've always heard it used of Christian apologetics.)
LyndsySimon 8y ago
Christian Apologists immediately come to mind for me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_apologetics I wouldn't consider the term "apologist" to be pejorative at all.
microcolonel 8y ago
Maybe the term "apologist" is uncollegial out of context, but apologia without stake is worthy of a ribbing when the apology matures into a confirmed failure. Also why can't people have fun battling with words and bets? It seems better than revolution or fistfights to me.
- ergothus 8y ago
  > Also why can't people have fun battling with words and bets? They can, and it is definitely better than violence, but I don't conflate "fun" with "belittling and demeaning" . (not to imply that you do, just showing the distinction I am making). I can think of a few other "I won a bet" posts I've seen over the years and they didn't have this negativity associated with it, despite their authors clearly feeling proven justified.
  - microcolonel 8y ago
    > They can, and it is definitely better than violence, but I don't conflate "fun" with "belittling and demeaning". I'll let the targets... no... the victims of the world's gentlest ribbing speak for themselves.
sbuttgereit 8y ago
You mean like this... https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-65/apologetics-cs-lewis.html https://www.christianitytoday.com/history/issues/issue-65/ap... The person you are responding to is correct. "Apologist" may be used as you say often in "modern" vernacular English, but it still is properly used as suggested.
nemo1618 8y ago
To be fair, people such as GK Chesterton and CS Lewis are referred to as "Christian apologists" with no slight intended. But I would tend to agree that in modern times it carries a negative connotation, implying that the person is defending an incorrect or offensive belief.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

ergothus 8y ago

I dug around a bit when you posted...and was surprised to find that "apologist" isn't generally considered rude. Then I return to the comments here and see at least one person also thought that it was. I suppose it has to do with usage in different communities? Now I'll have to re-read this article to see if it changes the tone I read into it. (which will not be easy, because I'm definitely biased to view the author as mean/arrogant/dismissive now)

happytoexplain 8y ago

This is quite a coincidence. After many years of hearing the term "apologist" used exclusively as an insult, just today I looked into the etymology and found that its dictionary definition has no explicitly negative connotation. But of course, usage in practice is what defines words. The dictionary catches up later.