You were responding to a strawman to begin with so no matter how you answered it this was going to be seen through the lens of egalitarianis. Which is usually the worldview through which modern ideology sees equality and submission. Any submission is seen as bowing down according to relationships based on pwer.
Whereas Peter teaches and the Christian disposition in Christ is not about power in the first place. Or at least is not seen entirely through the lens of power. So its really a misrepresentation of the Christian position.
It also depends on the games people are playing. Like I said the misrepresentations, appeals to emotion, ect and in that sense a Christian has to play it by ear depending on the situation.
Technically I think the spirit of Peters teachings that Christians should submit to rulers and even servants to masters even if they are unjust is not about power or being a doormat.
Rather fundementally I think its the disposition of being Christlike that even though the person may be using falsehoods or being cruel and unjust that without a word being said the Christlike obedience and purity which is very hard to deny and argue against with any rationalisation. Is itself the powerful arguement.
But this never means that Peter was saying we must just allow that cruelty, misrepresentation or injustice go unsaid. It will depend on the situation because I think there are many situations where its best to actually say nothing. Or that this is their view or beliefs and disagree and leave the example and God to do the rest. That is premised on that you are trying to live the example of Christs submission which is not about power.
But Peter also says this in 1 Peter 2
15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorance of foolish men. So the example of Christ without words can alone silence or expose the ignorance and foolishness. Even if the arguements sound good.
Then Peter says
16 Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
So despite the Christlike servant like disposition Peter is saying this is actually freedom which would sound contradictory to egalitarianism. But he is also saying don't cover-up for evil. So it seems there is this balance between living the Christlike disposition and knowing when and what to say to not allow an evil or wrong to go unsaid,
I think generally debates and arguements fall into the first which is to say nothing or little. But its understandable and easy for Christians to get into arguements especially with non Christians like on this forum lol. But its really designed for that and I don't think reflects real life too much. Though it can sometimes and this seems to be increasing.
So I would say just knowing that in the end its not really the words but the example of quiet, humble, servant like disposition in Christ that is more powerful if we want to convince someone of truth. I would say then if we are living that disposition and really we transform and get wiser. But if we aim for this then our words even if little will have much more power.
That doesn't mean that this is the knock out words that will win a debate as opposing opinions are really beliefs as well which cannot be defeated by rationality.
But I don't think we should back down or allow an obvious misrepresentation to happen especially if its between Christians on the truth of scriptures. I think then the only reply is to use scripture as the basis and in that way it brings things back to Christs truth and we know that there is such a truth to be found in scripture as God is not one of confusion and disorder and that this is the only truth, As Paul said use Gods word and spirit like a sword, The Armor of God.
