Scholarly Reflections
Koukl, Gregory. (2019). "Chapter Nine: Turnabout: Defending against Columbo." In Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions (updated and expanded). pp. 126-139. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
Koukl observes that there are others who know how to use questions to navigate an issue skillfully. When another person uses questions and you think there is an effort to trap or humiliate you, Koukl notes that we should welcome the first two uses of the Columbo tactic, which seek to clarify and give reasons for beliefs (Koukl 2019, p. 127). However, leading questions which attempt to push us into a trap are different. Koukl suggests asking the questioner if he is trying to make a point and whether he would mind just stating it so we can consider it. Koukl further notes that some people are verbal bullies who will not cooperate. He describes two types.
First, Koukl describes an encounter on a television debate with Deepak Chopra, who asked him whether "people who don't believe just like you are going to hell" (Koukl 2019, p. 128). This was a carefully worded question, to which the simple affirmative would have led to offense and distorted interpretations. Koukl, rather than answer in a way which could be misinterpreted, answered that he was making a different point than that (Koukl 2019, p. 128). This was a step away from the trap and served to allow Koukl to state his real point.
A second type of deceptive questioning is "more subtle and therefore much more dangerous" (Koukl 2019, p. 129). Koukl refers to a book by Peter Boghossian, A Manual for Creating Atheists, which coaches readers in ways to plant doubt in the mind of Christians. The questioner is very friendly and noncombative, but asks questions intended to stupefy the other person. There is regularly a logical fallacy embedded in a premise of a question. If the respondent accepts the fallacy, the questioner wins (Koukl 2019, p. 130). Koukl again recommends that when questioning seems like a means to manipulation the questioner should be asked to clarify. Koukl illustrates turning the conversation around, using questioning examples from Boghossian's book (Koukl 2019, p. 131-132).
Koukl observes that some questions are not questions, but rather serve as challenges (Koukl 2019, p. 133). Again, Koukl suggests deflecting these questions. REsponding by asking for clarification will force the questioner to make a clear statement (Koukl 2019, p. 134). This can allow the true issue to come to the surface.
A questioner, when confronted with a person who gently refuses to fall into a trap, may quickly change to a different tack. Koukl suggests continuing to challenge a person for clarification in a straightforward and charitable manner, even if the questioner changes tacks, abandons some questions, and makes contradictory claims (Koukl 2019, pp. 136-139). Asking a critic for an explanation often points out deep flaws in the critic's understanding.