Active apologetics idea

[montanaman]

I gots me an idea, boys and girls…

For the last few days many of us have ventured out of this safe little enclave to correct what the Protestants are saying about us. For the most part we’ve been shut down. Part of this due to the bare mention of our Catholicism. Another reason is the lack of a clear plan of “attack.”

My idea: if it’s within our time-frame, we could focus our outreach at specific websites at specific times. At first, while we have the advantage of anonymity, we could post questions or responses without the Catholic stigma. That is, before they shut down their minds and beat us with their prejudice sticks. Later, when it’s more obvious who we are, we can focus our efforts more coherently.

Do you understand? I’m talking about a concentrated, CHARITABLE, group of people working on certain sites at the same time. We don’t have to sit back here and agree with each other all day. Part of our responsibilities as Catholics is to spread the word, or at least defend the truth and dispell errors. I think a united front with a strong game-plan could go a long way.

As in all things, of course, humility is extremely important. I’m on a break from the PW forum for a while while I try to recover mine.

If anyone’s interested, let’s brainstorm here.

Pax,
Montanaman

 

[Andrew_11]

That PW sight has a bunch of crazy people on it, I havn’t joined yet, but I think it would be rough trying to get a message across on that sight, but if we get more people on board with us, lets go for it.

 

[montanaman]

Andrew_11:

That PW sight has a bunch of crazy people on it, I havn’t joined yet, but I think it would be rough trying to get a message across on that sight, but if we get more people on board with us, lets go for it.

I have about 6000 posts on that site. (Yes, proving I have no life). I’ve been there through thick and thin. It is most definitely brutal, but I think some good has come of it.

You want to develop a thick skin? Start posting there. Not everyone is a sociopath, but there ARE some folks who will make you work. If you want to stick to celebrating the faith and asking questions of fellow Catholics, CA is the site for you. If you want to test what you know, go somewhere like PW.

And in my opinion, PW is populated more by the “cafeteria Protestants” than anything else. Go to Baptist.org and you’ll be overwhelmed by people who know how to proof-text like cyborgs sent from the future with the single-minded purpose of Catholic destruction. PW is actually more balanced. So there’s the trade-off:

PW: More brutal un-modded rhetoric, but more Catholics to back you up.

All other Protestant sites: Overwhelming odds and tyrannical mods.

 

[katieq]

Kudo’s to you montanaman “Charitable” :clapping: . From my viewing of these sights, it appears the biggest problem is incorrect information on what Catholicism is and what our basis for these beliefs are. But I agree with you, we have to make sure we approach charitably, even when their ignorance (and I mean this as “lack of knowledge”, not as “idiots”) strikes at things so dear to our heart that our first response is horror and anger (especially when our beautiful faith is twisted to appear as evil). Let’s show them how beautiful and loving full communion with the Church is!

God bless,
k

 

[E.E.N.S]

Montana, give me your outlook on this short post I just did, is it charitable in your perspective? Sometimes it’s hard to tell when you are a bit irritated…
Centurionoflight:

What is the topic paul is addressing…

27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Disqualified from what?

25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to* receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.***

He is refering to crowns, and the honors that go with a crown, in that day games would be run and the winner would wear a wreath. This wreath mean honor, in some games it owuld mean a statue would be made of them, their kids would get free school, and places of honor would be tributed to them.

Paul is say if you run, then fall into reversionism, then your prize (the crown or wreath) maybe lost. Even HE could fall therefore like in a race when your body grows tired you whip it up to keep on going so you dont lose the prize. This is about rewards from growth. To EVEN be in the race you have to be saved. Therefore this is not aobut losing salvation, but about losing the growth/ reward from salvational growth.

Open your eyes brother! The race is our life here on earth, and the imperishable crown is everlasting life!

We could go back and forth and never make any headway at all…this is a reason why we have the Church as our guide…after all the pillar and foundation of truth is the Church.

I will continue to debate on any issue that you desire, but realize that you are fitting Scripture to what you want it to say - while I hold fast to the Church and Her Sacred Tradition handed on to us straight from the apostles themselves…I humbly submit my intellect over to Her, for Her soul is the Holy Spirit Himself. I am not wiser or more knowledgable than Our Lord, and I hold fast aslo to His promise that He would be with us always, and that the gates of hell would never prevail against His Church.

This is were I stand. To overcome my belief, you must first overcome the trunk of all issues; ‘by what authority?’ Did Christ keep His promise? did He lie? was He crazy? what does history show us? what is credible? why are [you] okay with the Church’s authority to codify the Bible (to say what is and is not inspired), yet not okay with Her interpretation?

Remember, we are all supposed to be united in Christ, so I apologize for any failings that I have in our interactions with each other…I am your brother in Christ. Peace.

 

[montanaman]

EENS,

I saw that over there earlier. I thought it was an extremely charitable post considering your opponent. Maybe you’re using the standard Christian trick of trying to “out-holy” him, I dunno, but in essence it was level and good.

However, don’t expect it to be returned.

If you stick around there for any length of time, you’ll see that Centurion is…rabid. I’ve never seen someone hold so firmly to so many contradictions. His motivation is NOT to be Christlike or bring people to Christ, but to win. Once designated as an oppenent (e.g. someone who disagrees with him), his aim is to counter anything and everything you say–no matter if he agrees with it or not. These aren’t my subjective opinions. I’ve been tangling with him for about a year now. He is worse than any fundamentalist stereotype we can imagine.

My only concern in dealing with him or any others is that the misinformation they spread might be taken as truth over there. As you can see in an earlier post in that thread, a guy named aerojarrod is somewhat taken with Cent. Aero is a falling-away Catholic, due in large part to his fundamentalist girlfriend. We had an e-mail exhange going for a while–a friendly, open discussion–but he just sort of faded away. Now he’s spouting fundy talking points and seems to have apostized.

Anyway, keep up the good work. I took a break so I could center again and find that Christ-like love and charity. Tomorrow I’m going to a much-needed Confession. I think I’m finally calming down and realizing what’s possible for one guy to do. I’ll be back by Sunday afternoon, though, ready to rock & roll.