Christmastime with Iglesia ni Cristo relatives!

[pyro_alchemist]

***If you don’t understand the irony in the title go ahead and skip over this thread… Unless you happen to have J W relatives. In that case you may be able to help.

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The wife is really looking forward to spending time with relatives she hasn’t seen for thirty years. They are having a family reunion in California late December. Problem is, most of them have converted from Catholic to Iglesia ni Cristo. I put my foot down and said we wern’t going until after Christmas and she has (reluctantly) agreed but I just know there will be some friction. One of her niece’s hasn’t spoken to her since we sent them a Christmas Card twenty-five years ago.

Any suggestions? I would love to re-evangelize them but I will be vastly outnumbered as well as being at a linguistic disadvantage. The safe thing to do seems to get them to agree right up front that we will not be discussing religion. Is that a cop out?

 

[Eucharisted]

catholic.com/library/Iglesia_Ni_Cristo.asp

 

[ferdie]

***If you don’t understand the irony in the title go ahead and skip over this thread… Unless you happen to have J W relatives. In that case you may be able to help.

---

The wife is really looking forward to spending time with relatives she hasn’t seen for thirty years. They are having a family reunion in California late December. Problem is, most of them have converted from Catholic to Iglesia ni Cristo. I put my foot down and said we wern’t going until after Christmas and she has (reluctantly) agreed but I just know there will be some friction. One of her niece’s hasn’t spoken to her since we sent them a Christmas Card twenty-five years ago.

Any suggestions? I would love to re-evangelize them but I will be vastly outnumbered as well as being at a linguistic disadvantage. The safe thing to do seems to get them to agree right up front that we will not be discussing religion. Is that a cop out?

If you are a** patient, understanding and calm person**, and they are first one to bring religion on the table, then go for it. Experience it first hand how to talk with an Iglesia member, and have fun. In my experience, 9 out of 10, they tend to become personal especially whenever I have a good rebuttal on their arguments. I’m not saying all of them are like that, it is just my experience when taking with them about religion.
I wouldn’t suggest re-evangelizing them.

 

[4Squarebaby]

As I see it the extended family held out an olive branch and attempted a reunion after 25 years which you refused. Do you really think any doors for evangelism were left open?

The internal control of the INC is right up there with Islam and Jehovah’s Witness, by not showing family love your best opening was lost. I don’t believe you win with INC members on debate points because their instinct is to refer you to their Bible teacher and let the church elders debate with you.

 

[pyro_alchemist]

As I see it the extended family held out an olive branch and attempted a reunion after 25 years which you refused. Do you really think any doors for evangelism were left open?

The internal control of the INC is right up there with Islam and Jehovah’s Witness, by not showing family love your best opening was lost. I don’t believe you win with INC members on debate points because their instinct is to refer you to their Bible teacher and let the church elders debate with you.

Either you misunderstood my post or I do not understand yours. What “olive branch” that** I **refused are you speaking of?

 

[choy]

why not spend the Christmas with them? of course you’ll probably have to have your own vehicle if you need to attend Christmas mass, if the Church is not near the place you’ll be staying because i doubt they’ll offer to drive you to a Catholic Church. but who knows? some people in the INC are still very friendly to people they consider friends and relatives. perhaps they would respect you and your beliefs. if they do not discuss the topic of religion, then why bring it and cause friction?

i think conversion should not be your agenda, but spending time with the relatives and perhaps mending some fences. build your personal relationship with them first. INC brainwashes their members and if you do not have this deeper bond with them, you will not get through to them.

i’m Filipino too (i’m assuming you or at least your wife is as well) and i’ve moved here to Canada. my closest relatives are Protestants but they never try to convert me. when we’re together we’re family and never let religious issues get between us. maybe you’ll have the same atmosphere when you come for a visit. why not go? be there as family first. and always pray to Jesus for guidance and blessing and trust in Him always and trust in the will of The Father that everything will be alright during this visit and that if they become hostile to you and your wife being Catholics, believe that the Holy Spirit will be there to help you defend yourself and your faith

 

[ferdie]

Can you give us an update if religion pops up in one of your talks in your family reunion ? I’m interested to know what kind of experience will you get discussing religion with an INC member.

 

[pyro_alchemist]

Can you give us an update if religion pops up in one of your talks in your family reunion ? I’m interested to know what kind of experience will you get discussing religion with an INC member.

Will do. That is if I still can find this thread. Remember, the reunion won’t be until December and I won’t be able to report until the second week in January 2010…

 

[ferdie]

Will do. That is if I still can find this thread. Remember, the reunion won’t be until December and I won’t be able to report until the second week in January 2010…

Aside from the debate between Keating and Ventilacion, I haven’t heard or seen a debate between an Iglesia member and a non Filipino. I’m really interested if they will employ the same tactics I’ve always seen. I was not surprised they used the same tactics against Mr. Keating.