Pearls Before Swine

In Matthew 7:6, Jesus makes the following well-known statements: "'Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs.  If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.'"  The context is one where Jesus is focusing on moral and spiritual issues in a theological sense, but plenty of what he acknowledges here applies to all sorts of philosophical truths.  Since it takes effort to become rationalistic (unless you were an omniscient, rationalistic being by default), it is always more likely that the general populace of Earth will be irrationalists, and since irrationalists refuse, deny, or ignore most logical truths, perhaps not even understanding the necessary truths they are already relying on, they will usually push back when confronted about their stupidity.

Some people choose to be slaves to assumptions, unconcerned with the very idea of morality until they are personally offended by something, and fixated on nothing but their own delusions and meaningless, subjective whims; they make themselves this way.  If only they sincerely tried, they could discover or dwell on logical axioms and a host of metaphysical and epistemological truths, the logical possibility of Christianity among them, without someone else bringing it up to them.  If someone else was to point out various philosophical truths or issues to them, however, they would just cling to their errors in anger, fear, or confusion.  They might sometimes pretend to be rational, but they are very thoroughly irrationalistic.

Of such people, Jesus affirms that they are more likely to become enraged at someone who is trying to push them in the right direction since they will not do it to themselves.  There is nothing wrong with showing mercy and continuing to converse with them, attempting to help them realize the truth about some issue.  That is not what Jesus is saying, and that would contradict core parts of Christian philosophy.  No, he is drawing attention to what tends to happen when someone concerned with only their preferences and assumptions is told of deeper, controversial truths.  Contrary to what some people pretend, even the most benevolent, calm discussions between a rationalist and a non-rationalist do not often have the pragmatic effect of persuading fools, and pragmatism is irrelevant to truth as it is.

Irrationalists will usually still leave this kind of conversation as irrationalists because with or without social prompting, they do not look to reason and have no interest in giving up whatever comforting, appealing ideas seem valid to them or are embedded in their family or general culture.  It is not irrational to hope for their change of worldview, as naturally improbable as it is, but it is irrational to expect the majority of people to come to rationalism on their own or with help.  What Jesus says certainly applies to more than just Christian doctrines, for it is only a very small minority that genuinely care about truth, about knowing what can be known, and about living in accordance with reality.  Swine, or pigs, is a fitting term for the majority of non-rationalists, who are quick to avoid the thought of anything deeper than trivial or practical matters.