Can somebody help me with this?

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BVMFatima

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Hello,

I was discussing with a friend on how to deepen our Roman Catholic faith and a Jehovah Witness from my class came to us with a evil grin on his face because he was looking for trouble and said that we Roman Catholics killed Jesus because we are Roman. I told him that is not true because we were not yet in existance and plus the Church started in Rome. I even explained the Romans would persecute us. He came to the conclusion that Catholics and Roman Catholics are two different things, I told him that was also not true. He just kept his grin and sometimes every day he will insult the Church. I always defend her, but sometimes after I am persecuted I feel weak and sometimes I feel that my Catholic faith is false, but I know it isn’t. Can anyone give me advice on how to grow a thicker skin in apologetics so that I am not offended from the claims? ( I know how to defend the Church, I just need advice on how not to be offended when attacked). I also need advice on how to have a charitable debate. Especially with Heretics like the Jehovah Witnesses.

God Bless!,
BVMFatima
 
Is this person acting the way you understand a Christian should act? Know them by their fruits. The “evil grin” is certainly a telling touch.

Here is what John Henry Newman (later Cardinal Newman) said about this 150 years ago:
If you would have some direct downright proof that Catholicism is what Protestants make it to be, something which will come up to the mark, you must lie; else you will not get beyond feeble suspicions, which may be right, but may be wrong. Hence Protestants are obliged to cut their ninth commandment out of their Decalogue. “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” must go, must disappear; their position requires the sacrifice. The substance, the force, the edge of their Tradition is slander…To Protestantism False Witness is the principle of propagation…Taking things as they are, and judging of them by the long run, one may securely say, that the anti-Catholic Tradition could not be kept alive, would die of exhaustion, without a continual supply of fable.
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“Lectures on the Present Position of Catholics in England” – John Henry Newman
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Don’t doubt your faith over malicious lies invented to discredit the Church.
 
A charitable debate to me that both persons participate in defending their Faith.
I answer questions about the Catholic Faith and sometimes I state I will do so
if they answer my questions about theirs. If they refuse and have an evil anti Catholic
grin on their face I’d refuse to dialogue.

It amazes me how well that works. I have no clue why some people think Catholics will just stand there hour after hour and defend the Church without thinking maybe we don’t agree with the tenants of their Faith.

I always say 'I see you have issues and disagree with the teachings of the Catholic Church" can you share with me what your Church teaches and
Where in the Bible is that Chapter and Verse?
 
I heard something last week on here. The poster said that when she is confronted she responds in an explanation, if the other “debaters” continue to pester or become irate and they don’t engage in a conversation on faith then she simply states

“Matthew 16:18
And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,
and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

and then she will walk off.

I might put that in my tool box for later.
 
BVMFatima said:
Hello,

I was discussing with a friend on how to deepen our Roman Catholic faith and a Jehovah Witness from my class came to us with a evil grin on his face because he was looking for trouble and said that we Roman Catholics killed Jesus because we are Roman. I told him that is not true because we were not yet in existance and plus the Church started in Rome. I even explained the Romans would persecute us. He came to the conclusion that Catholics and Roman Catholics are two different things, I told him that was also not true. He just kept his grin and sometimes every day he will insult the Church. I always defend her, but sometimes after I am persecuted I feel weak and sometimes I feel that my Catholic faith is false, but I know it isn’t. Can anyone give me advice on how to grow a thicker skin in apologetics so that I am not offended from the claims? ( I know how to defend the Church, I just need advice on how not to be offended when attacked). I also need advice on how to have a charitable debate. Especially with Heretics like the Jehovah Witnesses.

God Bless!,
BVMFatima
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Ask him about 1914 :yup:
 
BVMFatima said:
Hello,

I was discussing with a friend on how to deepen our Roman Catholic faith and a Jehovah Witness from my class came to us with a evil grin on his face because he was looking for trouble and said that we Roman Catholics killed Jesus because we are Roman. I told him that is not true because we were not yet in existance and plus the Church started in Rome. I even explained the Romans would persecute us. He came to the conclusion that Catholics and Roman Catholics are two different things, I told him that was also not true. He just kept his grin and sometimes every day he will insult the Church. I always defend her, but sometimes after I am persecuted I feel weak and sometimes I feel that my Catholic faith is false, but I know it isn’t. Can anyone give me advice on how to grow a thicker skin in apologetics so that I am not offended from the claims? ( I know how to defend the Church, I just need advice on how not to be offended when attacked). I also need advice on how to have a charitable debate. Especially with Heretics like the Jehovah Witnesses.

God Bless!,
BVMFatima
Click to expand...
Hi,
You know they are Heretics, so there is no reason to be bother by them. It is the most false religion that exist. Their teaching are all wrong. My best friend is a JW, she knows to never talk to me about her religion.
 
Ask him how his church is doing on figuring out the day of rapture.
 
BVMFatima said:
Hello,

I was discussing with a friend on how to deepen our Roman Catholic faith and a Jehovah Witness from my class came to us with a evil grin on his face because he was looking for trouble and said that we Roman Catholics killed Jesus because we are Roman. I told him that is not true because we were not yet in existance and plus the Church started in Rome. I even explained the Romans would persecute us. He came to the conclusion that Catholics and Roman Catholics are two different things, I told him that was also not true. He just kept his grin and sometimes every day he will insult the Church. I always defend her, but sometimes after I am persecuted I feel weak and sometimes I feel that my Catholic faith is false, but I know it isn’t. Can anyone give me advice on how to grow a thicker skin in apologetics so that I am not offended from the claims? ( I know how to defend the Church, I just need advice on how not to be offended when attacked). I also need advice on how to have a charitable debate. Especially with Heretics like the Jehovah Witnesses.

God Bless!,
BVMFatima
Click to expand...
This is not persecution–it is harassment and you are under no obligation to respond to it. In fact, if you really want it to stop, report it to the school authorities. Otherwise, tell the person that you are not interested in engaging him in a debate, because he is only trying to annoy you, and it serves no purpose. As long as you permit it, it will continue. Do not feel that you must respond to every attack against the Church–even Jesus told his disciples to shake the dust from their sandals when a town would not accept them. You must discern what will be of benefit and what will amount to “casting your pearls”. Tell the person you will pray for them.

We will always be offended when someone attacks our Lord or His Church, but the Lord is perfectly able to take care of Himself, so we need to discern when it is profitable to charitably debate and when the other person is sincere and not just out to annoy us–that can just lead us to frustration and accomplish no understanding of our faith on their part.

In my experience, (and I do have some experience in this), if you are going to engage in a debate with a Jehovah’s Witness, you need to be very familiar with Scripture, and be aware of their translation of it, which changes key doctrines to justify their beliefs. For instance, their scriptures do not say Christ was crucified–they say he was put to death on a “torture stake”. They do not believe Jesus is God. It is wise to do a bit of research and know their beliefs. Also, they are a cult, and their members have been “brainwashed” in a sense into their beliefs, and they closely monitor each other’s activities. They are very difficult to evangelize to Christianity because of the cultish behavior and the isolation that can be imposed on the member who may seem to be diverting from the religion and the pressure from the rest of the members. I have seen this firsthand where a friend of mine was the only one in her family who was not a JW. Do not, ever, engage in any lengthy debate with them in their homes or yours alone. They really are masters of persuasion and have been trained in proselytization.

Yet rather than approach them as “heretics” and with some rancor, realize they are victims of a deception, most have been raised in their belief system and sincerely believe what they teach, and they sincerely need our prayers.
 
I have dealt with JWs several times throughout my life. Since I live in town, they are always knocking on my door. These adults are much nicer than the ones I dealt with when I was in highschool years ago, but they can and do get pushy. They state that all of their beliefs are based on the bible, but if you read their booklet “What does the bible really teach?” and then compare the quoted scriptures to your Catholic bible, you will see that their bible verse translations, and therefore their interpretations of the bible, are incorrect. They do not believe that people have souls, or that anyone will go to heaven unless they are one of 144,000 people who will be chosen to be governmental rulers in heaven. They think that everyone else will be resurrected and live on the earth under God’s government. there is more to it than that, but you can see how far away they are from our beliefs. They also do not believe in the holy trinity. The previous poster is correct in that JW church deliberately skewed certain parts of bible translations to change key doctrine.

I just tell them that I appreciate their concern, however, the translations in the Catholic bible are directly translated by scholars from the oldest available documents, and are therefore more accurate than any translation out there in existence. It is also the only complete bible, as it includes Maccabees 1 and 2, which even the King James version doesn’t include. I also state that our beliefs are based not only on the bible but also on what has been passed directly down from Peter, the Rock and first pope, through all of the popes to the present day. We can claim a direct link through the pope to the apostles and Jesus. NO other church can do that.

I have a master’s degree in literature, so I can keep up with JW debating on more than one level; but I’ll tell you, they are skilled at trying to manipulate things. Your best bet may be to just say, “I am not interested.” You could also pray to the Holy Spirit (which I think they don’t believe in, either) and ask for help. The previous poster is also correct in stating that they need our prayers because they have been deceived.

As for the person you are dealing with, he/she just sounds young and naive, and trouble making. If you continue having problems with this person, I would ask someone at the school to put a stop to it. good luck to you; and never let them make you doubt the Church or your faith.
 
BVMFatima said:
Hello,

I was discussing with a friend on how to deepen our Roman Catholic faith and a Jehovah Witness from my class came to us with a evil grin on his face because he was looking for trouble and said that we Roman Catholics killed Jesus because we are Roman. I told him that is not true because we were not yet in existance and plus the Church started in Rome. I even explained the Romans would persecute us. He came to the conclusion that Catholics and Roman Catholics are two different things, I told him that was also not true. He just kept his grin and sometimes every day he will insult the Church. I always defend her, but sometimes after I am persecuted I feel weak and sometimes I feel that my Catholic faith is false, but I know it isn’t. Can anyone give me advice on how to grow a thicker skin in apologetics so that I am not offended from the claims? ( I know how to defend the Church, I just need advice on how not to be offended when attacked). I also need advice on how to have a charitable debate. Especially with Heretics like the Jehovah Witnesses.

God Bless!,
BVMFatima
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You tire intellectually as well as weary from the nonsense. When you understand that, you’ll feel ‘better’ about your weakness and accept it! Study more and learn more - about Catholicism, JW theology and the differences.

The position he offers is superficial and based on IGNORANCE of ‘Roman’ that it shouldn’t have been an issue to effect you. (What is he, a child that thinks Roman means based in Rome, from Rome and of Rome?!) It’s actually stupid!

Does he not know that The Church is JEWISH in origin??..within Rome? Aarggh…too juvenile and stupid to even correct!
:cool:
 
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