Apologetics is a word which combines the Greek prefix apo- (meaning "away from" in a spatial sense, as in to "propel something away") and the Greek word logos (meaning "word" or "speech" or "plea" or "principle"): thus, a "word" or "speech" which "pushes away" -- a "defense."
The word apologetics is most frequently used to mean a defense of Literalist Christianity using reason, or a "reasoning in defense" of Literalist Christianity.
In other words, it is an argument or series of arguments in defense of a literalistic reading of the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments (so-called) -- arguing in defense of a series of doctrines and dogmas derived from a literalistic interpretation of those ancient texts.
However, because these scriptures are not in fact literal, and can be shown with overwhelming evidence to be based on celestial metaphor (rather than on literal and terrestrial history), these literalist "arguments in defense," as well as the doctrines and dogmas derived from literalistic hermeneutics, often distort and even invert the esoteric meaning of the ancient texts themselves.
Present-day Literalist Christian apologists such as Dr. Frank Turek, a video clip of whose arguments is discussed in the above video, travel to university campuses and high schools in order to argue in defense of Literalist Christianity, to teach seminars on literalistic apologetics, and to convert others to their literalist interpretation of the ancient scriptures of the Bible, without realizing that the characters and episodes described in those biblical scriptures are based on the very same ancient system of celestial metaphor which underlies the myths and sacred stories of virtually every other culture on our planet.
And, despite the etymology of the word apologetics described above, which implies the use of speech to "push back" or "stave off" attacks (in other words, a defense), Literalist Christianity and Christian apologetics are inherently offensive in nature, actively seeking to convert those outside of Literalist Christianity to their literalist dogmas, including those still following the original or Indigenous traditions of their ancestors (such as those raised in the Hindu traditions of present-day India).
Dr. Turek's website's own definition of the concept of apologetics indicates that it is not only defensive but offensive in nature, defining the word as "the communication that Christianity is true, and should be believed" -- a statement that goes on the offensive and argues that if you are not presently assenting to the interpretations of Literalist Christianity, then you should change your beliefs in order to assent to them (you should believe them, implying moral obligation, and if you do not then you are doing something you should not do).
In the above video, I argue that the overwhelming evidence which shows that the world's ancient traditions are based on a common system of celestial metaphor indicates that Literalist Christianity is built upon a misguided attempt to interpret that which is esoteric as if it were literal, historical, and terrestrial. Based on this, the 1700-year campaign to convert people to acceptance of the doctrines and dogma of Literalist Christianity is itself misguided -- as are aggressive forms of Literalist Christian apologetics which continue to the present day.
Personally, I am not on a campaign to go around and argue with those who accept various literalistic interpretations of the biblical scriptures, and try to convert them away from their literalist beliefs -- but if someone chooses to aggressively start trying to argue me into acceptance of literalist dogma, then I believe it is completely appropriate to counter those arguments with the abundant evidence which points to the conclusion that the biblical scriptures, in common with virtually all the other ancient myths and sacred stories around the world, are based on an ancient system of celestial metaphor designed to convey profound truths (with all of them pointing towards the same truths around the world, including the stories in the Bible, although Literalist Christianity has arrived at a completely different and diametrically opposed set of teachings, due to the fact that it is founded upon a misguided attempt to interpret metaphorical and esoteric texts as if they are literal, historical, and terrestrial).
Therefore, if you or someone you love (such as one of your children who is now in college or high school) is being subjected to aggressive forms of literalistic apologetics, please feel free to share the above video and the material in this blog and in my website Star Myths of the World with them, if you feel it would be helpful to them.
