Has anyone encountered this and been stunned by it?
"Ad hominem" argument: when someone attacks you personally instead of reasoning with you. Attacking the person instead of the problem.
This is also known as a deflection when someone refuses to engage in a discussion to solve a problem, then attacks your character instead of addressing the issue being discussed.
No logic, fact, or reason is involved in these "ad hominem" arguments, which are irrational and meaningless.
Someone who does this is really not very bright, they believe they're winning the argument but really all they are doing is expressing their immaturity.
Using "ad hominem" tactics to discredit and disrespect them. Those who use this tactic do not realize they are revealing something important about their maturity level, they actually think they are winning something by frustrating others.
Those who use this tactic are out of control themselves, they are frustrated and desperate because they feel an addiction to winning over others and they are aware they cannot win in a reasonable discussion so they distract their target with foolish nonsensical "ad hominem" arguments, with the hope of unnerving the one who only wants to resolve a problem.
Fear is what drives the immature characters who must win over learning something new in life. Admitting their flaw or need for correction would be unthinkable for those who use character assassination to control someone else.
This is abusive behavior without purpose or resolution of a problem. To attack someone's character in a false argument is the same as name-calling, merely to frustrate and anger the target.
Immature people must be the center of attention at all times. IF they cannot gain attention from their own accomplishments they will do it by starting a fight with someone.
If we do not praise the one who craves their attention, they will boast about themselves. If they do not get the attention they seek they likely will do something outrageous to bring the attention of the group back on themselves.
People who act like this are not in need of attention, they are addicted to it like a drug they cannot function as a normal person without it.
Immature people never think things through they operate almost entirely on an emotional level based on their temporary feelings.
Immature personalities will shut you down when you want to discuss a matter about something they are doing that is a problem. They often avoid any discussion to resolve matters.
They laugh at us for trying to resolve something, or completely ignore you. This is called emotional avoidance. When I encounter someone like this I either stay away from them or frame a story about a person I met who does certain things, hoping they will see themselves in the story.
Nathan did this with Kind David to show him the seriousness of his sin with Bathsheba. He told David a story about a man who stole his neighbor's lamb. At the end of the story, David was angry that the person in the story did this and wanted to know who it was. Then Nathan said to David; "you are that man."
In the case of King David, he was broken and repented that he had sinned so terribly. Sadly in our culture, people are not humble enough to be broken, they almost never repent and they even justify what they did knowing they had sinned.
There is little we can do in a culture such as ours that hates instruction, correction or the idea of repentance. When we have done what we should as led by the Holy Spirit, that is the time to walk away and leave that person to the Lord.
Those who run from their sins and flaws refusing to admit their need to change never grow until they do. Some people go into their elder years without ever growing emotionally, they are stuck in a six-year-old mentality.
Do not be one who remains emotionally and spiritually infants into old age.
1 Peter 2
As Newborn Babes
"1 Therefore, rid yourselves of all [a]malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 2 and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, 3 if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord."
