Answer to Born Again Bash on Catholicism

[Gottle_of_Geer]

I feel frustrated and sickened. Here’s my “friends” response: "I know God by the Word which he gave us and we will be judged on. Not the Catholic church rules John. You love your tradition I think more than Jesus. He said follow me! Read your bible."

I gave him facts and scripture…and he tells me some rhetoric he;'s appearently trained to use. I told him his words in his e-mail there we’re quite judgemental, and thus not of Christ. I told him to step back and read what i gave him…

As he says:​

• “However, the honest and objective student of the Scriptures and history soon discovers that the foundation of the Roman church is none other than the pagan mystery religion of ancient Babylon”

• it seems not unreasonable to ask what his evidence for that is.

People cannot make accusations against others, & then not say what the accusations are founded on. This is basic ethics - it’s not even specifically Christian. Criminals can’t be tried without evidence - why should Christians be held to a lower standard of proof ? That would be a recipe for chaos

And Catholics are unlikely to be impressed by accusations against Catholicism for which no foundation is given; making unsupported assertions about people’s religion is not a good way to win them around.

 

[BennyBoy89]

I feel like I should defend my faith, but more (name removed by moderator)ortantly give him The Truth. Isn’t that our obligation, even in the face of misinfomation?

Jesus also tells us not to throw our pearls before swine. If this person is unwilling to accept the truth, there’s nothing you can do, except pray for them.

 

[The_Barbarian]

Jesus Christ is the center of my life, and I trust Him and His word, not the man-made traditions of Protestantism. So, thanks for directing me to your website links, but I’d prefer to just keep reading my Bible, because I prefer God’s word to man’s word.

There’s something to be said for communicating with his lingo.

Precisely. If he wants to talk about “sola fide,” ask him how he can believe it when in Matthew 25 Jesus says:

** 34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.**

Use the KJV as I did, so he won’t blather about the “corrupt Catholic Bible.”

Then show him James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

Point out to him that Luther wanted to remove James from the Bible, correctly arguing that it contradicted his new doctrine of Sola Fide.

If he wants to argue Sola Scriptura, ask him to show you where the Bible says only scripture is authoritative. Then show him in Romans that the Bible itself says that it is not the only authority:

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Here, the Lord is making it clear that creation itself is enough for men to know that there is a God, and that they have no excuse to ignore it.

Ask him how the Bible, compiled by a committee of Christians who relied on tradition, and faith, and inspiration, could be more authoritative than the means by which it was produced.

They are very unaccustomed to contending on their own turf, and generally will try to think up some excuses which are usually easy to refute.

Then, you will probably be told that you hate God and are doomed to hell, and that he will be praying for you. At that point, you know he’s been routed.