Apologetics can be tiring, but fun

[catholicgamer]

So…in my effort to practice apologetics on gamers, I’ve gone out to one of my favorite sites to defend the faith as best I can. Of course, they had to start with the problem of evil…oy.

As I’m typing away, I notice a couple of things:

1. I’m clearly outnumbered. lol
2. There is a lot of anger out there regarding Christianity. Legitimate anger in some cases, but in others its an anger that is built on top of a very weak foundation. Most of the anger seems to have the usual straw men…you know…the fundamentalist straw man.
3. There is a HUGE thirst for spiritual knowledge out there…and some are getting from wherever they can and piecing it all together into a big pile of spiritual gumbo. These people are legitimately curious and are asking some very tough but honest questions about the faith…but again, that anger surfaces and shields go up. It’s like they’re doing it in an effort to protect themselves from getting hurt.
4. There is only a surface understanding of the bible, how to read it and how to interpret it. It’s kind of funny…they’re afraid of the fundamentalist Christian boogie man, and yet they insist on reading the Bible literally.
5. There is no understanding on the nature of God. Zero. I think most still believe that He is some bearded guy on the throne in the sky who. When you try to explain it, they reject it outright as impossible.
6. There is a deep disrespect of faith and too much faith in reason. This is a big one. It’s EITHER/OR and never AND. It must always be proven. Frustrating…as…heck. It really is a loss to tell you the truth.

I don’t know how much more I can do with the two forum threads that I’m monitoring on this gaming site. I leave for an hour and there are about 20-30 replies to something I say. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no slouch when it comes to apologetics, but man…I seriously don’t know how “the professionals” do it for a living.

Don’t know. Feel like a man alone in the desert sometimes, but I’ll keep on trucking, because practice makes perfect. But are some of you hitting the same, seemingly immense wall that I am hitting?

…just needed vent and just talk to “ma peeps” for a bit

 

[AlexPetrosPio]

Dude, I’m right there with ya. I try, but it seems when the Church is concerned, minds shut before I have the chance to be the vessal of the Holy Spirit to plant seeds.

 

[JackVk]

It seems to me that the only place I run into anti-Catholicism, be it from fundamentalists, atheists, or whoever, it’s on the internet. The only place in real life I have ever encountered it is on my college campus (surprise, surprise). I don’t get criticized for being Catholic 99% of the time. Heck, there’s even non-Catholics who come to my Catholic youth group.

I often feel like I overkill on apologetics. It must be because the only place have to seriously defend my faith is in cyber world. In reality, there is very little animosity to Catholics (at least for this guy living in the staunchly Christian Kansas).

 

[Defender1]

So…in my effort to practice apologetics on gamers, I’ve gone out to one of my favorite sites to defend the faith as best I can. Of course, they had to start with the problem of evil…oy.

As I’m typing away, I notice a couple of things:

1. I’m clearly outnumbered. lol
2. There is a lot of anger out there regarding Christianity. Legitimate anger in some cases, but in others its an anger that is built on top of a very weak foundation. Most of the anger seems to have the usual straw men…you know…the fundamentalist straw man.
3. There is a HUGE thirst for spiritual knowledge out there…and some are getting from wherever they can and piecing it all together into a big pile of spiritual gumbo. These people are legitimately curious and are asking some very tough but honest questions about the faith…but again, that anger surfaces and shields go up. It’s like they’re doing it in an effort to protect themselves from getting hurt.
4. There is only a surface understanding of the bible, how to read it and how to interpret it. It’s kind of funny…they’re afraid of the fundamentalist Christian boogie man, and yet they insist on reading the Bible literally.
5. There is no understanding on the nature of God. Zero. I think most still believe that He is some bearded guy on the throne in the sky who. When you try to explain it, they reject it outright as impossible.
6. There is a deep disrespect of faith and too much faith in reason. This is a big one. It’s EITHER/OR and never AND. It must always be proven. Frustrating…as…heck. It really is a loss to tell you the truth.

I don’t know how much more I can do with the two forum threads that I’m monitoring on this gaming site. I leave for an hour and there are about 20-30 replies to something I say. Don’t get me wrong, I’m no slouch when it comes to apologetics, but man…I seriously don’t know how “the professionals” do it for a living.

Don’t know. Feel like a man alone in the desert sometimes, but I’ll keep on trucking, because practice makes perfect. But are some of you hitting the same, seemingly immense wall that I am hitting?

…just needed vent and just talk to “ma peeps” for a bit

I have been doing that for the last 5 years on youtube . I have been to pro Islam, Atheist ,protestant sites and get out numbered alot . And often come to a 10-30 message inbox .I have friends on youtube that help debate these people with me . We work as a team sometimes .I enjoy it . Whenever I approach a protestant, they act as if they are telling me something I never heard before . I always let them know that I have been around and heard it all before .I use scripture . I show Pauls teachings lining up with the Churches teaching . My reason for showing Paul is that he is a protestant favorite .

 

[asd72]

I think it takes a lot of skill in forums, because it is not just between two people, loads of issues can get all mushed together and become confusing.

You are right defender that a lot of people have a very literal view of the bible, Richard Dawkins for one! And he has a load of little followers which sprout his views and think Christians are just very backward and unintelligent.

Keep it up and God bless you brother.

 

[Defender1]

I think it takes a lot of skill in forums, because it is not just between two people, loads of issues can get all mushed together and become confusing.

You are right defender that a lot of people have a very literal view of the bible, Richard Dawkins for one! And he has a load of little followers which sprout his views and think Christians are just very backward and unintelligent.

Keep it up and God bless you brother.

Thanks brother and if you ever want to check my channel out it is CAtholic29. I also have a blog if i did not put that out already .
www.defendingthefaith-frankie.blogspot.com (it might be a / instead of -)