Blessed Sacrament just a Common Meal, ay?

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Cherub

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This is one of the milder things this man has said to me:

"You can not begin to understand the true concept of a sacrificing Mass until you’ve experienced one! Your NO people preach that it’s only a “meal,” and the priest merely “presides,” not actually being an alter Christus. You haven’t done your homework! "

He goes to this strange church (you have heard of the Society of St Pious X – AKA SSPX?) and what horrible, wrong, untrue things he says. He keeps on to say that “Novus Ordo” Mass is not real or true and that no consecration takes place in it, only in HIS Mass that he goes to to this schismatic organization (someone said they are really just “Protestant”, how true.)

I am sorry to be so upset about this, it is just I have explained very charitably (I think and hope) how his group is not valid and not really Catholic, because the very first sin was what: disobedience. They are disobeying Rome. It is very simple, yet he keeps persisting in this error all the time. He is brainwashed by this group.

Do I break all ties and quit responding to his rants, just to pray for him and hope maybe he works it out later? Have any of you dealt with this sort of people? Any effective ways to handle it?

Thanks from Cherub
 
P.S. – I hope this does not infringe on the Banned Topic notice. It is just that I am facing this sort of problem with this person and I really need some advice! If this is not an appropriate thing to ask, I am sorry. 🙂
 
In my experience, it is not useful to engage in debate with someone who won’t listen. If he would rather rant than participate in a rational conversation, there is little you can do in the way of straight apologetics. Is this a person you’ve been communicating with online, or do you know him personally? If you have contact with him outside cyberspace, perhaps you could back off from arguments and simply attempt to teach by example.
 
Dr. Colossus:
In my experience, it is not useful to engage in debate with someone who won’t listen. If he would rather rant than participate in a rational conversation, there is little you can do in the way of straight apologetics. Is this a person you’ve been communicating with online, or do you know him personally? If you have contact with him outside cyberspace, perhaps you could back off from arguments and simply attempt to teach by example.
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Probably true. Ask him about the Catechism of the Catholic Church and if he has read it. Suggest he does so.

(He sounds like he will blow you off when you say this, but you might plant a seed that later will blossom.)
 
Thanks to you both. Yes, I do know him in person, but I don’t actually see him in person but a few times a year. Most of this correspondence has been by phone (but more recently, email because I cannot really talk to him on the phone it is too stressful)

You are right that he would scoff my suggestion to read the Catechism. He would say “That monstrosity was composed by Protestants!” or something silly like that. My goodness!
 
Dr. Colossus:
In my experience, it is not useful to engage in debate with someone who won’t listen. If he would rather rant than participate in a rational conversation, there is little you can do in the way of straight apologetics. Is this a person you’ve been communicating with online, or do you know him personally? If you have contact with him outside cyberspace, perhaps you could back off from arguments and simply attempt to teach by example.
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I agree. And look at what happened to Cherub (he got all worked up and his attitude tipped over a little bit).

Larry (a non-Catholic Christian street evangelist who was my best friend for years – God rest his soul) told me:

You have two important assets:
  • Your time
  • Your attitude
Guard your assets.

So when you are talking with somebody about Christ (and for that purpose), when the conversation starts to get negative – just leave. This is especially true if you are physically present.

The few times I’ve ever seen anything happen, was because I didn’t leave fast enough. One time near a public housing project, both Larry and I were pelted with raw eggs. That’s nothing and it is very rare. Worse could happen if you stay with a negative person and argue.

And isn’t it a Proverb that says not to answer a fool according to his folly?

So Cherub, just quit altogether when rants begin. If needed, God can use somebody else at another time to talk with the rant-er. And at that time ranting might not be their likely reply.

Besides, there may be others who need your help – or some whose hearts God has prepared for your visit. If you don’t leave, you won’t get around to them. A lot of people in this world never hear a clear presentation of the Gospel in their whole lives.

Cherub, I am glad you are doing something.

I’m going into RCIA this year.
 
Thanks to you for your very sensible advice. You know, you are right about the attitude. He gets incensed about the issues, and then instead of me feeling helpful, I begin to feel defensive, and then angry with him for being so wrong and insistent. It is better to just not answer and avoid the topics that cause us to clash.

May your RCIA be blessed. 🙂

~Cherub
 
Besides, it is unfair to have a battle of wits with someone who is unarmed… :dancing:
 
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Cherub:
Thanks to you both. Yes, I do know him in person, but I don’t actually see him in person but a few times a year. Most of this correspondence has been by phone (but more recently, email because I cannot really talk to him on the phone it is too stressful)

You are right that he would scoff my suggestion to read the Catechism. He would say “That monstrosity was composed by Protestants!” or something silly like that. My goodness!
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I suggest he learn something about Protestantism. But seriously, he has caught the sectarian spirit. They are like Donatists who thought the whole world mistaken except them.
 
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