SUMMARY OF FALLACIES
This below list of informal fallacies is from “The Don Lindsey Archive”. We have added extra at the bottom. We encourage you to browse this archive and learn how to spot fallacies in sermons and online articles and discussions.
The list below is only here to educate people on the less common fallacies which are occasionally used by cunning deceivers that present themselves as caring, Godly men
Here is a summary of the ‘Fallacies of Clarity’:
| OTHER FALLACIES | ||
| 28. | Ambiguous Assertion | a statement is made, but it is sufficiently unclear that it leaves some sort of leeway. |
| 29. | Argument By Fast Talking | argument that relies on speed to go from one idea to the next so the audience won’t have time to think. |
| 30. | Failure to state | if you make enough attacks, and ask enough questions, you may never have to actually define your own position on the topic. |
| 31. | Appeal To Complexity | if the arguer doesn’t understand the topic, he concludes that nobody understands it. So, his opinions are as good as anybody’s. |
| 32. | Argument By Laziness (Argument By Uninformed Opinion) | the arguer hasn’t bothered to learn anything about the topic. He nevertheless has an opinion, and will be insulted if his opinion is not treated with respect. |
| 33. | Disproof By Fallacy | if a conclusion can be reached in an obviously fallacious way, then the conclusion is incorrectly declared wrong. |
| 34. | False Compromise | if one does not understand a debate, it must be “fair” to split the difference, and agree on a compromise between the opinions. |
| 35. | Pious Fraud | a fraud done to accomplish some good end, on the theory that the end justifies the means. |
| 36. | Downplay fallacy (Appeal to corruption) | appealling to a low standard or diminishing one’s office, nature, integrity, virtue orposition to win an argument. Eg. “The president may have lied – but all politicians lie.” |
| 37. | Antithesis backflip (Darkothesis) | a technique where someone reads the scripture (thesis); insists what the scripture does not say (antithesis); but smuggles the error into the antithesis which in turn flips the meaning of the original scripture to say something it doesn’t. |
| 38. | Time Will Tell Fallacy (Appeal to time) | if the arguer doesn’t want to deal with an issue, he concludes that only time can be the answer. This can be used to shut down valid conversation. |
| 39. | Curio-Fallacy (Appeal to curiosity) | if the arguer doesn’t want to deal with an issue, he asks enticing questions or airs his argument with mystical intrigue, thus appealing to his opponents curiosity. This can be used to shut down or mislead valid conversation. (Can be considered to be a type of red herring.) |
| 39. | Deflection tactic (Appeal to relationship) | Built on the assumption that an individual’s personal charisma and charm are more important than an evaluation of their teachings and actions, this fallacy deflects the criticism by deflecting the issues raised and asking if the arguer personally knows the individual in question. |
In Sydney Australia some years ago I heard one of the most vague sermons. The pastor read Genesis 28:20-22, then entitled his sermon “The wrong side of if” He sounded as if he was going around in circles and I prayed the pastor would be rescued from his sermon.
Next day, Monday, I rang the church to ask what the sermon was about. I was told. Pray and ask God. That pastor has since left the church…and moved to USA… they’ll love him there I’m sure.
I’ve still never figure out what he was talking about. At list he used one word from the verses “If” I honestly think he may have just deliberated decided to be stupid to see if anyone was awake or responded or maybe he just wanted to get out of his employment contract or not preach anymore. I think he was going through a crisis where his wife refused to attend church…with sermons like that who’d want to sit and listen