Debating non-Catholics

[Pax]

SusanL:

I
I have heard Jimmy Aiken, Scott Hahn and Karl Keating handle these people with calm as if they had asked a loving, caring, friendly Christian question when in fact, they had not. How do these guys do it???

These guys have great Christian love and sometimes display the patience of Job. They are so good about answering people calmly that I sometimes suspect that they take anti-adrenalin medication prior to going on the air. They are truly amazing.

 

[MrS]

Using the word debate might be a clue. Most of us are not in a position to debate, but we can discuss. Apologetics is not a form of argument, but rather a discipline whereby we explain with reason, share with love, and defend with charity.

A good source book is How NOT To Share Your Faith: The Seven Deadly Sins Of Apologetics And Evangelization
Mark Brumley.

It is not to long… read it twice, it is worth it.

MrS

 

[MrS]

Scott Waddell:

Susan,

Allow me to HIGHLY recommend you check out Dave Armstrong’s site: ic.net/~erasmus/RAZHOME.HTM

Dave made a decision long ago to engage only in written debates, and sounds like this may be a good route for you to go. Dave has taken lots of heat for this, but I think you will find this paper enlightening: Interacting With Sophists: Reflections on “Debates” With Anti-Catholic Polemicists

Scott

And his latest book is wonderful… The Catholic Verses…95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants. I bought it about a week ago, and have read it all at least twice. Very good, and it at LEAST ranks up her with Catholicism and Fundamentalism.

MrS

 

[SusanL]

MrS:

And his latest book is wonderful… The Catholic Verses…95 Bible Passages That Confound Protestants. I bought it about a week ago, and have read it all at least twice. Very good, and it at LEAST ranks up her with Catholicism and Fundamentalism.

MrS

In the words of Jimmy Aiken: Cool.

 

[stbruno]

I get more respect when debating with non-catholics than I do from my own fallen way Catholic relatives. But that doesn’t prevent me from praying for them and reminding them that God will find them when they least expect it. Whenever we come to almost blows, I usually will look them directly in the face and say…You know what I am going to do! I am going to pray for you today! That usually catches them so off guard, they don’t know how to respond. God is good! All the time!

 

[ANWK]

Hi everyone,

Allow me to relate my own personal experience. I have been engaged in an online “debate” with this friend of mine. He attends this non-denominational church and the debate has been ongoing for almost close to a year now. I have not come any closer to cracking this guy than when I first started.

I don’t get tongue-tied or stuff like that when formulating my replies, but everytime when I feel that the email that I sent has finally nailed his argument dead, he somehow manages to wriggle his way out of it with some fanciful theory of his which he supports (hopelessly out of context obviously) sometimes with scriptures and sometimes with “the Holy Spirit tells me so”.

What he sent recently really takes the cake, he claims to be the Watchman appointed by God ala Ezekiel 33:1-16. (yes, he even quotes this to support his “chosen” role by God!) He then proceeds to send out his document allegedly refuting the rock that is Peter and sends it to everyone in his mailing list.

As a Catholic, I feel that I’m compelled to reply to his email because he passes off many warped ideas of his as authentic Catholic beliefs and thus begins a new round of debate. But this time its worse. I suppose it was a calculated move on his part to send to Protestants as well and now I find myself pitted against not one but three (still counting) Protestants. Catholics on the mailing list are just keeping quiet and not helping.

His argument belongs to the “I-am-the-one-appointed-by-God-hence-I-am-right-and-you-are-wrong” type. Really frustrating.

Its a pain and a drain emailing when people are more content discrediting your faith than searching for the truth. Sometimes it gets to me a bit, sometimes, its good comic relief reading the ludicrous claims that he makes…

anyone with similar experience??

Regards

 

[mayra_hart]

i think that a book that can help is born fundamentalist born again catholic by david currie. i think he is very good. also scott hahn tapes also are a good help.

 

[Pax]

ANWK:

Hi everyone,…
…
Allow me to relate my own personal experience. Its a pain and a drain emailing when people are more content discrediting your faith than searching for the truth. Sometimes it gets to me a bit, sometimes, its good comic relief reading the ludicrous claims that he makes…

anyone with similar experience??

Regards

ANWK,

Yes, I share your experience. I have a non-Catholic acquaintance that is not affiliated with any church. He finds fault with all of them. He is also extremely anti-Catholic. It is difficult and frustrating to speak with him because some of his thinking is so far a field. The best we can do is operate with the utmost charity toward them and pray that they will have a change of heart.

If there were a quick answer and solution in these cases, it has eluded me and many others. We simply have to depend on the Holy Spirit and the power of God’s grace.

 

[RolandJS]

If so, hi! How are you doing in CA? I’m sure you’re doing aok!

If not, sorry for confusing you with somebody else

Roland

 

[RobedWithLight]

ANWK:

Hi everyone,

His argument belongs to the “I-am-the-one-appointed-by-God-hence-I-am-right-and-you-are-wrong” type. Really frustrating.

Its a pain and a drain emailing when people are more content discrediting your faith than searching for the truth. Sometimes it gets to me a bit, sometimes, its good comic relief reading the ludicrous claims that he makes…

anyone with similar experience??

Regards

I’ve had experiences with such people, especially in internet discussion sites. Such people are not interested in truth, but at every turn looks for opportunities to discredit what you hold to be true, like posting messages like “The Church supported Hitler !” and when they are refuted with historical / doctrinal /scriptural citations they immediately jump to another topic altogether without addressing the original topic they started.

Gerry

 

[Pax]

stollerusa:

If so, hi! How are you doing in CA? I’m sure you’re doing aok!

If not, sorry for confusing you with somebody else

Roland

stollerusa,

Although I live in California and I am doing well, I do believe that you have me confused with someone else. But that is of no consequence. We are now friends.

Pax

 

[RolandJS]

You are now the second Pax I’ve met and befriended!
Like the other DCF Pax, you appear level-headed - which is not unusual for folks here and in DCF

I hope you get a chance to see my Lewis Library, which tries to be fair to all of Christendom - unlike those who seek to criticize everyone and everything (a previous poster mentioned these folks).

Roland

 

[Greg_McPherran]

My suggestions:

The key is to always remain calm. We will never force anyone to accept Catholicism, ultimately it’s grace. There is no sense getting upset. I have found that some of the most obvious evidences from Scripture can seem to be insufficient for some Protestants. This requires staying calm. If you find it too frustrating just wish them well (maybe say a prayer for them). However, if you can, calmly and kindly stay with the logic of the conversation and go as deeply down the path as is necessary. The exception to this rule is if you can tell they are simply playing with you, then cease the discussion right away (unless you enjoy frustration).

Never lose your temper or say anything uncharitable as hard as this may be sometimes.

Hope helpful.

Greg