Just how loaded is the term "apologist" here?
Posted: 2011-01-11 03:30pm
(NOTE: if this isn't the right forum to put this topic in, I ask it to be moved to a more appropriate place)
According to the dictionary definition an "apologist" is any person defending a specific issue, person etc. from criticism. It might also refer to writers of early christian apologia, but this meaning is rather specific and shall not bother us today. Just going from that, the word appears to be value neutral. Good things, bad things, defending them is apologia and the defender an apologist.
I have been told me that on this board the term "apologist" carries an inherent derogatory meaning, that it's only used to demean the defenders of things commonly seen here as undesirable, like certain religious or political topics. My first question is, is that really so? While I have not seen anyone engaging in apologetics here actually calling himself an apologist, I have not seen anyone objecting to being called one either, but I have not scoured every single thread here so if there're examples I have overlooked, putting them up here would be appreciated.
Second, if it's indeed so that the term is loaded here, should it be so? What would you call people who defend issues that are not seen as inherently bad? Sure, "defenders" is an alternative but the term doesn't carry the specific meaning of "defending from criticism". "Defender" works both in a martial context as well as a non-martial one, "apologist" only works for the latter and that's why I think the term ought not to be reserved for the bad issues.
According to the dictionary definition an "apologist" is any person defending a specific issue, person etc. from criticism. It might also refer to writers of early christian apologia, but this meaning is rather specific and shall not bother us today. Just going from that, the word appears to be value neutral. Good things, bad things, defending them is apologia and the defender an apologist.
I have been told me that on this board the term "apologist" carries an inherent derogatory meaning, that it's only used to demean the defenders of things commonly seen here as undesirable, like certain religious or political topics. My first question is, is that really so? While I have not seen anyone engaging in apologetics here actually calling himself an apologist, I have not seen anyone objecting to being called one either, but I have not scoured every single thread here so if there're examples I have overlooked, putting them up here would be appreciated.
Second, if it's indeed so that the term is loaded here, should it be so? What would you call people who defend issues that are not seen as inherently bad? Sure, "defenders" is an alternative but the term doesn't carry the specific meaning of "defending from criticism". "Defender" works both in a martial context as well as a non-martial one, "apologist" only works for the latter and that's why I think the term ought not to be reserved for the bad issues.