Anyone interested in debate?

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ServusChristi

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I am part of a mainly Protestant community called praize (www.praize.com). We are involved in many debates and it is largely myself and a man by the name of John defending Catholicism against the other people there. John is a good friend of mine who is converting to the Catholic faith from Methodism (through the grace of God I was able to play a role in this conversion).

Would anyone here be interested in joining us for some debate? I would also like to see more Catholics over there so that my friend will have other religious Catholic influences other than myself.
Peace,
Ryan
 
Do you want “debate?”

As if debating something actually proves any matter of faith?

For me, as a devout, orthodox, RAVING Roman Catholic, faith is a gift from God. Not something anybody can “prove.”

www.m-w.com

Main Entry: 2debate
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): de·bat·ed; de·bat·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French debatre, from Old French, from de- + batre to beat, from Latin battuere
intransitive senses
1 obsolete : FIGHT, CONTEND
2 a : to contend in words b : to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments
3 : to participate in a debate
transitive senses
1 a : to argue about b : to engage (an opponent) in debate
2 : to turn over in one’s mind

What about “apologetics” instead? In order to explain your faith.

Main Entry: apol·o·get·ics
Pronunciation: -tiks
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
1 : systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine)
2 : a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity
 
Veronica Anne:
Do you want “debate?”

As if debating something actually proves any matter of faith?

For me, as a devout, orthodox, RAVING Roman Catholic, faith is a gift from God. Not something anybody can “prove.”

www.m-w.com

Main Entry: 2debate
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): de·bat·ed; de·bat·ing
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French debatre, from Old French, from de- + batre to beat, from Latin battuere
intransitive senses
1 obsolete : FIGHT, CONTEND
2 a : to contend in words b : to discuss a question by considering opposed arguments
3 : to participate in a debate
transitive senses
1 a : to argue about b : to engage (an opponent) in debate
2 : to turn over in one’s mind

What about “apologetics” instead? In order to explain your faith.

Main Entry: apol·o·get·ics
Pronunciation: -tiks
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
1 : systematic argumentative discourse in defense (as of a doctrine)
2 : a branch of theology devoted to the defense of the divine origin and authority of Christianity
Click to expand...
And you are on the right track with this post. Apologetics is the discipline whereby one explains, defends, and thus shares his knowledge of the faith. Debate is commonly the name given to this effort, but is not the best way to spread the Gospel. Instead we must first learn, then explain the reasonableness of the Catholic position. Combined, they become the defense of the faith.
After that, God takes over. :love: It is His “job” to open one’s eyes in His time.

So perhaps discussion is a better word than debate. We should be doing that all the time… and should be inviting the other site to come here and browse. Discussions are often better when not “limited” to short posts, or subject to additions to the thread by any Tom, Dick, or Troll.
 
ServusChristi,
Great post. I defended the Catholic doctrine of the indossulibility of marriage with Protestants, and it is a Catholic winner! I also ejoyed it very much.

Paise to you for having a part in John’s conversion.

I am not particularly well versed but perhaps I could add a thought or two.
 
What about using right reason only, and dispensing with scriptural proofs for Catholicism.

With all due respect to the Almighty, let me just ask:

If God is sane and wishes his message to be spread, why would he want two, three or two hundred thousand competing Christian churches?

Logic dictates that He would want one to do so.

Logic dictates that if we exist here, with obvious free will and ample choice, then this sane creator has allowed us to sin and separate from each other.

Why would a logical God, and a compassionate one, want harm to befall his most advanced, most wondrous creatures?

And so why would he want us to choose schism - which must logically be a sin - the willful separation from the body of believers?

Protestantism has enough holes in it, but if you believe that there is a God, why would he want more than one way of worshipping Him and living on this earth?

No, the Church is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. It has apologized for its role in what caused these schisms. But that does not change the fact that schism is intrinsically wrong.

There is only one Church as there is only one Lord of it. It is not only a mystical church, but a hierarchical one as well - unless you believe that Jesus was preparing all his apostles and disciples to be organized and in communion for their lifetimes only.

I know who my authority is.
 
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ServusChristi:
I am part of a mainly Protestant community called praize (www.praize.com). We are involved in many debates and it is largely myself and a man by the name of John defending Catholicism against the other people there. John is a good friend of mine who is converting to the Catholic faith from Methodism (through the grace of God I was able to play a role in this conversion).

Would anyone here be interested in joining us for some debate? I would also like to see more Catholics over there so that my friend will have other religious Catholic influences other than myself.
Peace,
Ryan
Click to expand...

1. What sort of debate ?​

  1. On what subjects ?
  2. For what purpose ?
  3. Have you anything at all detailed in mind ? ##
 
The last time I was on a non-Catholic forum it left a very bad taste in my mouth. Someone in here asked for help to go to C********M**********. They booted Catholics out for any reason, intercepted private messages, and the admins refused to quote all the bad things Catholics allegedly said.

I don’t mind helping out, but not if they are ill mannered hateful bigots.
 
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kepha1:
I don’t mind helping out, but not if they are ill mannered hateful bigots.
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For sure. Why go elsewhere when you can get ill mannered hateful bigots right here? 😛

Along those lines, I guess I don’t always seem “orthodox” enough for some Catholics. Having a civil conversation about matters of faith with other Catholics has often been a greater challenge to me than having similar ones with Protestants. This board has taught me how to keep my true thoughts to myself and watch how I speak, which is something I apparently needed.

That said, I’m not claiming that this board is anything near as bad as what kepha1 is describing; there are really very few bad offenders. I thoroughly enjoy my participation on this board; sometimes too much. The real reason I probably won’t get involved in the Protestant board is I already spend so much time on this one my wife feels a bit abandoned. :o

Alan
 
iam new at apologetics so i need the practice. let me know what topics and where. :blessyou:
 
If only I had the luxury of time that some of you have, I would gladly participate in such a debate, but for now I cannot, since I’m presently writing my dissertation, so my time here is quite limited. In fact I’m planning to take time off from this forum any day soon.

Peace

Gerry 🙂
 
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