God calls us to be concerned about truth and to think logically (1 Thessalonians 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:15). That means recognizing faulty reasoning in everyday life and in religious discussions. There are several mistakes in reasoning that people often make.

Common Reasoning Mistakes:

• Correlation ≠ Causation

Just because two things happen together doesn’t mean one caused the other. For example, a congregation might introduce a new style of worship—and then see attendance increase. From this some might conclude, “God is clearly blessing this change because more people are coming.” But that doesn’t necessarily follow—bigger numbers don’t automatically mean something is approved by God

• Slippery Slope

A slippery slope argument assumes that one action will automatically trigger a chain of negative consequences. For example, someone might argue, “If a church begins projecting song lyrics during worship, it will inevitably lead to other changes that make worship unscriptural.” However, the real issue is whether the practice itself is consistent with Scripture and helps the congregation to worship God faithfully.

• False Dichotomy (Only Two Choices)

This fallacy presents a situation as if only two options exist when more options are actually available. For example, some might say, “If you condemn someone’s sin, you are not loving.” However, it is possible to love people while still not affirming or agreeing with their beliefs or actions.

• Circular Reasoning

This fallacy occurs when the conclusion is used as its own support, rather than being independently proven. For example, saying something is right because it “feels right” does not actually provide evidence for it being right—it only repeats the conclusion in a different form.

• Red Herring (Distraction)

This fallacy occurs when someone distracts from the main issue by introducing an unrelated topic. However, bringing up irrelevant points does not address whether the original issue is right or wrong. For example, if someone raises concerns about a doctrinal teaching and another person responds by pointing out how weak the church is in its community service, the original question is not actually being answered. The discussion has been shifted away from the main issue, rather than being addressed directly.

• Appeals to Popularity, Authority, or Pity
  • Popularity: "Everyone accepts it, so it must be right."
  • Authority: "A famous person/preacher says so, therefore it is true."
  • Pity: "We must accept people's sins to show compassion."

We should understand, that truth is not decided by majority, status, or feelings—Scripture is always the only standard.

• Ad Hominem (Personal Attack)

This occurs when someone attacks the person instead of the argument. Labels like “stubborn, foolish, heartless, etc.” don’t address the actual issue.

• Straw Man (Misrepresentation)

This fallacy occurs when someone misrepresents another person’s position in order to make it easier to attack. For example, biblical teaching is sometimes mischaracterized as being hateful, harsh, or controlling, rather than being understood in its actual context and intent. For example, if a Christian says that Scripture teaches believers to be careful about what influences they allow into their lives, someone might respond, “So you're saying it's a sin to watch movies or listen to music on the radio.” This twists the original point into an extreme position that was not actually stated, making it easier to criticize instead of addressing the real argument.

Final Thought:

Clear thinking helps Christians stay grounded in truth. We should seek to understand and live by God’s word, speaking with honesty and love—not being swayed by culture, emotion, or pressure.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to upgrade your enrollment from Auditing to Informal or Formal Student status. I want to thank you for making use of the videos provided by the school, but I encourage you to consider the advantages of upgrading your enrollment. If you upgrade your enrollment you will not only have access to the video Bible lessons, but you will also have free online access to the exams

Like all students, Informal Students have full online access to all course video lessons and course notes. They also have access to course exams. Their assignments include watching all video lessons, reading the course notes, and completing the exams. They are not required to submit term papers and may take the courses in any order they choose. Informal Students receive a certificate of completion for each course they finish and are awarded an Associate Diploma upon the successful completion of all required courses.

Formal Students have the same course requirements as Informal Students but must also submit a term paper for each course and follow a designated course schedule. This schedule is designed to support a structured progression through the Bible. Formal Students receive a certificate of completion after finishing all course requirements and are awarded an Advanced Studies Diploma upon the successful completion of all required courses.

If you would like to change your status you will need to login to your account and then click on ENROLLMENT (https://agency-schoolwvbs.hz2.developbb.dev/enrollment/) which is on the blue menu bar at the school website. When you have reached the enrollment page please select either the Informal or Formal Student Registration button. This will provide you with the form to fill out to change your status.

I completely understand if you have no interest in upgrading your enrollment. I commend you on your hard work and devotion to learning more about the Bible. God bless you as you continue in your studies. If I can answer any questions for you about the school please let me know (https://agency-schoolwvbs.hz2.developbb.dev/about/contact-us/).