Am I in error by presenting the truth?

[PeterJohn]

I posted a photo on Facebook comparing the start dates and founders of the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian church. My Protestant Facebook friends got kinda irritated at this and made comments about dividing Christians.
Q#1. Was I in the wrong to post this picture?
Q#2. Is it wrong to present the truth in such a way that leads to people to get angry?
Q#2. If the truth hurts, should we not present it?

I’m a bit torn here.
Thanks.

 

[Robertanthony]

I posted a photo on Facebook comparing the start dates and founders of the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian church. My Protestant Facebook friends got kinda irritated at this and made comments about dividing Christians.
Q#1. Was I in the wrong to post this picture?
Q#2. Is it wrong to present the truth in such a way that leads to people to get angry?
Q#2. If the truth hurts, should we not present it?

I’m a bit torn here.
Thanks.

Who started dividing Christians in the first place?

 

[ProdglArchitect]

#1: You were not in the wrong to present the truth of the situation.

#2: People are going to get angry when you point out that they’re wrong; no one likes finding out they’re wrong because it requires them to rethink how hey’re living.

#3: As Catholics, we are called to live by the Truth, period. There are instances (such as with immediate family) where we should be conscientious about how we are affecting them; but that is not he same thing as watering down the Truth so it doesn’t hurt someone’s feelings. Always practice the Truth, and always be willing to proclaim it.

 

[Allegra]

It depends on the context. Did you do it to “stick it to them” or did you do it to present the information for people’s consideration. At any rate, it is clear that Christians are already divided. You didn’t make that happen, you are only acknowlegeing what already is.

 

[1ke]

So (rhetorical) questions for you to think about?

So, what is it you hope to accomplish by posting this type of thing on Facebook? Do you see Facebook as the best means for personal evangelization, ecumenical dialog, and charitable discussion? How do you advance the Church’s directives related to ecumenism through such a post? How do you connect personally with people through such a post? Is such a post exhibiting the virtue of Charity? Prudence? Other virtues?

Personally, I fail to see how this sort of post advances the goals of ecumenism or evangelization.

 

[Spencerian]

I posted a photo on Facebook comparing the start dates and founders of the Catholic Church and the Presbyterian church. My Protestant Facebook friends got kinda irritated at this and made comments about dividing Christians.
Q#1. Was I in the wrong to post this picture?
Q#2. Is it wrong to present the truth in such a way that leads to people to get angry?
Q#2. If the truth hurts, should we not present it?

I’m a bit torn here.
Thanks.

I don’t think you did anything wrong, per se. However, *charitable *sharing of information is key here.

Many people (Catholics included) are ignorant of the history of their faith and the significance it plays. This is the key to our faith: Christianity is rooted in history, in real people, events and time, not from myth. Scriptures tell not only a supernatural story but a very human story with very natural human reactions to things people don’t understand.

Some people may not want to know the gritty details of their faith. A timeline of human founders of Christian denominations does emphasize how their faith tradition differs from something that existed before it. That implies (correctly) that something is amiss in their theology, but antagonizes rather than posits questions for others to study later.

A popular quote from Cardinal Neumann: “To be deep in history is to cease being Protestant.” When posting such information, which otherwise may be regarded as a “neener-neener” jab that encourages others to respond angrily, add a suggestion of encouragement. While saying that your faith in Christ is never in question as a Christian of any stripe, ask readers if their faith tradition changes with the times or has many founders.

Then ask them to compare this to the Catholic Church’s teachings. While some of our teachings have developed over time, the essentials haven’t changed, nor have new, important items been added to our doctrines to conform with modernity.

“The Catholic Church: Stubbornly Out of Touch with the Times for over 2,000 Years.”

 

[mountee]

So (rhetorical) questions for you to think about?

So, what is it you hope to accomplish by posting this type of thing on Facebook? Do you see Facebook as the best means for personal evangelization, ecumenical dialog, and charitable discussion? How do you advance the Church’s directives related to ecumenism through such a post? How do you connect personally with people through such a post? Is such a post exhibiting the virtue of Charity? Prudence? Other virtues?

Personally, I fail to see how this sort of post advances the goals of ecumenism or evangelization.

I agree and would urge PeterJohn to reconsider what he was hoping to accomplish with the post. In the absence of a conversation where there can be opportunities to restate and explain reasonings these type of posts can come across quite blunt and they are left to the reader to place whatever meaning they wish on your intent.

 

[Robertanthony]

Here goes nothing