[quote:1jreqnks]I try to stay away from the big stuff[/quote:1jreqnks]

Me too. I am careful to remember St Paul’s caution about milk and meat. Many people who like to trash the Church tend to ask the big questions: the sexuality, creation/evolution, Sola Fide, Sola Scriptura, and so on. I may or may not enter this kind of discussion, but I frequently remind the questioner that these are advanced topics which require quite a bit more background than the questioner is able to bring to bear. And then I refer them to some basic reading. They may or may not experience this as a put down. I intend it as a boundary requiring some respect and requiring a show of good faith. This show of good faith looks like actually doing the basic reading.