A friend's response to a FB link on the pope...sigh

[China123]

I am not sure where to put this so excuse me if it is in the wrong place.

I saw a FB link yesterday on a friend’s page regarding the pope. It, of course, was another “Pope says no heaven or hell, all religions are the same, etc” article on what he was supposed to say. It was a satire according to the source. This is the response I got

"then, he SHOULD…

because it is time the Catholic Church makes the leap to reality, stops trying to hold onto their “power”, and starts being what they were intended to be instead of landowning blasphemers.

The very CONCEPT of "Hell is sill, foolish, and contrary to the teachings of the Bible in every way. The notion of Adam and Eve is so easily disproven that a 12 year old an spot the huge continuity problem in the story.

The bok of Genesis was a great fable for a people who believed that the Earth was the center of everything and all there was in the universe was the ‘heavens and earth’.

But now, we see that there is SO much more…and to cling to a silly story designed to make sense of the world they didn’t understand, written by those who benefited from it’s contents, and perpetuated in the face of a far greater truth…is to belittle God and His creation.

The Bible says “God said this” or “God did that” and simplifies things to the point of insult. God breathed a multiuniverse…a series of infinite universes…trillions and trillions of stars and worlds…mind boggling realities including more species than we can count…evolving species…growng into ever changing new forms and adapting to their climates and enviornments…we have just discovered another entire layer under our DNA!

This isn’t some accident and it’s not some bearded grump-a that shouted out commands and made one planet…no…it’s far greater than that… and it’s time the Church recognizes it."

While I may say “preach it” to some of his points, I do not understand the trend to want to change the Church to fit into today’s society. The media has made it very difficult to evangalize with their misleading articles on what the pope has said. I always look at the sources but I fear most people do not. By seeing what is online, I think most people buy the “goods” as written and either think the Church is changing or it should.

I always try and correct people when they post these (in a loving way) and provide a link to a good source but there seems to be so many more of these articles with this pope. Does anyone ever get tired of defending these articles?

 

[crystal_waters]

If i was you i dont think i would post anything in reply to it…it will only bring a tide of catholic bashing posts…if you have sonething to say to your friend about it then its best to say it in person,

 

[SuperLuigi]

I do not understand the trend to want to change the Church to fit into today’s society.

I would say a lot of that comes from non-Catholics.

You’ll hear a lot of things like “Well, I would join the Church if it accepted so-called “gay marriage”, women priests/treated women better (because you know we treat women terribly…)” or “I left the Church XYZ years ago, but I might come back if they do ABC”.

This kind of discourse just means they expect an institution affiliated with over a billion people to change to accommodate their selfishness.

The media has made it very difficult to evangalize with their misleading articles on what the pope has said.

That’s kind of the idea on their end. The media, in particular the Western media, has this enormous left-wing agenda that primarily opposes Church teaching, but as someone once said, “you start talking about helping the poor, and they are more than happy to cast that positive light on the Church”----that is, when they aren’t criticizing the Vatican as some rich empire that owns anything and everything Catholic.

I always look at the sources but I fear most people do not. By seeing what is online,

A lot of people don’t even bother to read past the title or the headline.

Welcome to internet blogging.

I think most people buy the “goods” as written and either think the Church is changing or it should.

Then they are going to be disappointed and rightly so!

 

[Beryllos]

In this instance, I don’t know how to respond so that it would have a positive effect. It might be impossible for you or me. Let us pray that God may bless and guide the one who wrote it, leading him or her ultimately toward salvation.

 

[sousley]

If i was you i dont think i would post anything in reply to it…it will only bring a tide of catholic bashing posts…if you have sonething to say to your friend about it then its best to say it in person,

Exactly

 

[China123]

I haven’t responded yet. It’s the age old dilemma and story. Nothing new in catholic bashing Seems people really like to point out the “errors” of your thinking.

I just have to shake my head when I see all these things coming out.

I do pray about it because it makes me nervous that the media undermines the truth. But again, nothing new about that When I pray about my fears I am always lead to the “trust me” conclusion from the Holy Spirit. And I do. Then I am good with things for a bit and I see 2 or 3 more articles and peoples comments and it gets discouraging and I worry again. And then I pray again. Maybe I should pray unceasingly about this…lol.

Sometimes all we can do is pray for people

 

[dshix]

Hmm, what exactly was the reason I’ve never used Facebook?


Oh, yeah…

 

[Sheeniac]

Perhaps you should put that you agree with some of his points, but can’t reply to all of what he put since it would require at least one book. Ask if there’s one specific point that he’d want you to reply to.

The problem is that people throw everything but the kitchen sink at you, and if you address one thing, they find it difficult to NOT bring in additional points. I think it’s a problem with rational thinking (in that it’s difficult to think logically).

I wouldn’t post something like what you chose too. Satire is unappreciated.

 

[CAROLOFTHEBELLS]

I think the advances we have made in science and technology as well as psychology and thought have the effect of making human beings easily fall into the sin of pride, which satan can use to deceive people into false thoughts which challenge established order in our society and our church. It is ridiculous to think that we know how to run the Church better than the person the God put in charge or that we should “update” it.

Satan would be very happy if the Catholic Church was made more relevant to the world in which we live. There are many people who are not falling for that. Don’t pay any attention when someone goes into that kind of thinking and tirade. They are lost and to be pitied and prayed for. Ignore it. If it is heavy on your heart or mind, pray for the Church and Pope Francis. But don’t let it get to you. Just continue posting good things about the pope and the Church after a little break (so that that person doesn’t take another chance to do the same thing). Not satire.

 

[China123]

I agree CAROLOFTHEBELLS. I didn’t actually post the link, the freind did. I was just responding to tell him it was satire. I haven’t responded because I am just praying for him and for a whole lot of people…lol. He is intelligent and he knows it so I take his rants with a grain of salt. Just have never liked posting something “seemingly” true and then pretended it is true or SHOULD be true, as he wants. People are so lost these days and yet we are supposed to be more civilized.

 

[UppityAnn]

Sigh and DOUBLE SIGH!

The Internet is like that creature in Greek myth…cut off one head (lie) and seven more appear. Cut off those seven and seven more appear on each stem you cut.

Or more fittingly like a Biblical plague of locus.

Some saint said (I forget who) “We pray not to overcome evil but that evil does not overcome us.” We can let ourselves be tempted into spending so much time combating evil (and false notions) in others that we lose our focus on doing the positive good work which is our primary duty. Evil overcomes us by diverting our spiritual/psychic/emotional energy towards combating it rather than keeping them focused on our goals of living the truth as we know the truth.

Jesus told his disciples: “If a city doesn’t accept you, move on…” I don’t think that means that we must totally abandon people today; but there are some arguments we can never “win” with certain people and there are even certain people whom we can never convince of anything.

Pick your battles carefully, not only those you fight on the outside but even those you fight on the inside in your emotional concerns and prayers. I may be wrong, but I think that I have wasted a lot of precious time, energy and emotion praying TO God for certain things and people when God preferred that I would have spent more time WITH him in the Word and Prayer (and for you Catholics the sacraments too.)

Anyway, if God doesn’t feel that way I sure know that I do. I sure wish I had spent more time asking God to help me be a more productive Christian rather than have spent so much time trying to convince others of their errors. I have thrown a lot of pearls before swine.

By all means throw out a spare truth now and again when it is possible. And keep people in your prayers…but lightly. Ask God: “God is this a burden You want me to carry or should somebody else carry it?” I’ve always gotten very interesting answers whenever I have honestly prayed that!

 

[Kount_C]

Send him this in return. It is fake and a pro catholic satire Website full of articles.
I got a few laughs out of it. I hope it does not offend anyone reading it here.

eyeofthetiber.com/2013/07/29/pope-francis-declares-homosexuality-obligatory-for-all-catholics-new-york-times-reports/

 

[Listener]

The best response to an obtuse Facebook post is to totally ignore it. If you drag your mouse over the right spot, you can remove the post from your news feed.

On the other hand, be generous with your likes and positive comments when someone posts something nice.

The next time someone shares a positive story about the pope, you can always share.

That’s really all you need to do. It is very simple.

 

[janeway529]

I am not sure where to put this so excuse me if it is in the wrong place.

I saw a FB link yesterday on a friend’s page regarding the pope. It, of course, was another “Pope says no heaven or hell, all religions are the same, etc” article on what he was supposed to say. It was a satire according to the source. This is the response I got

"then, he SHOULD…

because it is time the Catholic Church makes the leap to reality, stops trying to hold onto their “power”, and starts being what they were intended to be instead of landowning blasphemers.

The very CONCEPT of "Hell is sill, foolish, and contrary to the teachings of the Bible in every way. The notion of Adam and Eve is so easily disproven that a 12 year old an spot the huge continuity problem in the story.

The bok of Genesis was a great fable for a people who believed that the Earth was the center of everything and all there was in the universe was the ‘heavens and earth’.

But now, we see that there is SO much more…and to cling to a silly story designed to make sense of the world they didn’t understand, written by those who benefited from it’s contents, and perpetuated in the face of a far greater truth…is to belittle God and His creation.

The Bible says “God said this” or “God did that” and simplifies things to the point of insult. God breathed a multiuniverse…a series of infinite universes…trillions and trillions of stars and worlds…mind boggling realities including more species than we can count…evolving species…growng into ever changing new forms and adapting to their climates and enviornments…we have just discovered another entire layer under our DNA!

This isn’t some accident and it’s not some bearded grump-a that shouted out commands and made one planet…no…it’s far greater than that… and it’s time the Church recognizes it."

While I may say “preach it” to some of his points, I do not understand the trend to want to change the Church to fit into today’s society. The media has made it very difficult to evangalize with their misleading articles on what the pope has said. I always look at the sources but I fear most people do not. By seeing what is online, I think most people buy the “goods” as written and either think the Church is changing or it should.

I always try and correct people when they post these (in a loving way) and provide a link to a good source but there seems to be so many more of these articles with this pope. Does anyone ever get tired of defending these articles?

Buy your friend this book: The Seven Big Myths about the Catholic Church: Distinguishing Fact from Fiction about Catholicism.