defending our faith

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passivesquid

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asa student on a community college campus im frequenlty asked “how could you stand being a catholic? isnt it so corrupt?” and the various examples taht are given to me are the purcahsing of indulgences in the middle ages, the child molestation cases,and one ki told me about his uncle having to pay an exorbitent amount of money to get married. or the numerous crusades

my responce is "you cant blame an entire faith and religion for the sinns nd mistakes of a few’ but een to me now that sounds hollow how do you defend our faith against such attacks?
 
passivesquid said:
asa student on a community college campus im frequenlty asked “how could you stand being a catholic? isnt it so corrupt?” and the various examples taht are given to me are the purcahsing of indulgences in the middle ages, the child molestation cases,and one ki told me about his uncle having to pay an exorbitent amount of money to get married. or the numerous crusades

my responce is "you cant blame an entire faith and religion for the sinns nd mistakes of a few’ but een to me now that sounds hollow how do you defend our faith against such attacks?
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The only way is to look at them one at a time and explain them. We don’t close all the schools because one Coach is arrested for molesting a child. We don’t close down the police force because two detectives were caught taking bribes.
 
Explain to your fellow student that you are Catholic because it is true. Judging the truthiness of a belief not on the belief, but rather on the followers of that belief is an ad hominem (argument directed at the man) fallacy. You can take any belief and find a people who follow it that have acted unethical or contrary to that belief and this does not negate that belief. Unless it is in that belief that ones with that belief will follow it precisely or act according to a specific set of ethics, and in the case of Catholicism, that is not the case because the Church is a hospital for sinners, not a social club for the saved.

In the charge of the child molestation cases:

Corporate news media has an agenda, and that is to sell news. I think that people do not take time to study contemporary social problems properly, so that when someone only watches the news, they get a skewed picture of things. An example of this is when the news says that there are Muslim terrorists so some people get the idea that Islam is terroristic, which is not true since there are many Muslims that reject terrorism and belong to different sects of Islam. Another example is when some groups of Muslims protested the pope for his speech. If there was widespread understanding of what the pope said, then I seriously doubt that such deal would have been made of it. Linking priests to pedophiles is like linking Muslims to terrorists. In fact worst because the population of priests do not abuse children any more likely than non-catholic minister population or the non-priest population (see the linked article below for more details on this statement) but in Islam, there are whole terroristic sects and organizations (Note: I am not calling Islam terroristic, I am showing here parallel logic that demonstrates the irrationally of judgment based on stereotypes). Mentioning child abuse in the Catholic Church is pointless as mentioning child abuse in any other group/profession/people/whatever.

post-gazette.com/forum/comm/20020303edjenk03p6.asp

I highly recommend you study Church history in your spare time if you do not do so already; because it is not only spiritually rewarding, but will allow you to accurately dispel historical attacks on the Church that are often over exaggerated or urban legends.
 
Many of us don’t condemn the institution of marriage as a whole just because of all the husbands/wives that beat their spouses. People still get married.
Many of us don’t condemn the instituion of family life because of all the disfunt parents who neglect and harm their children. People still have children.
Comparitively, the Catholic church’s problems are a small percentage when looking at other “groupings” such as these and the problems that can arise with them.
Besides is the Catholic church the only one stricken with scandal? No, we just get more attention for it when it does happen because we have been around so long and the faith is the most commonly “recognizable” faith around.
 
on the topic: today m western civilzatin2 proffessor claimed that all catholic clergy men were and are child moleseters. i walked out of the classi mean i dont agree with anything he says but thats taking an open shot at the church.
 
passivesquid said:
on the topic: today m western civilzatin2 proffessor claimed that all catholic clergy men were and are child moleseters. i walked out of the classi mean i dont agree with anything he says but thats taking an open shot at the church.
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If he said it that bluntly, he should be reported to the school officials. Coming from an instructor, that is unmitigated hate-speech.
 
First, read up on the Catholic urban legends. These are the whoppers that are often repeated. They always seem to have happened to someone else, say, an uncle 👍 Most of the questions you will hear are variations of these old fables about Catholicism. The CA site library has some info on this:
catholic.com/library/Anti_Catholic_Whoppers.asp

There is also at least one book on the subject (of course, I can’t locate it! 😦 ). A book on apologetics will help a lot. There are quite a few of them on CA and other sites.

Christ’s peace.
 
on the topic: today m western civilzatin2 proffessor claimed that all catholic clergy men were and are child moleseters. i walked out of the classi mean i dont agree with anything he says but thats taking an open shot at the church.
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What his PHD in. Hatred?
Well you are gonna get ignorant people especially professors who hate the Catholic Church. 10-1 he’s probably a hard core lib too. Pray for him and maybe report him if you can. See you’re at his mercy too. If you even stand up he might give you a bad grade.
 
passivesquid said:
my responce is "you cant blame an entire faith and religion for the sinns nd mistakes of a few’ but een to me now that sounds hollow how do you defend our faith against such attacks?
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I came back to the Church in the mist of the scandals. One of the reasons is that I’d rather stand with the sinners in the Church than stand with the ones too holy to enter. I had to recognize my own failings before I could accept the failings of people in the Church, including leaders. We’ll probably be an increasingly persecuted minority in any case-just like the old days!
 
passivesquid said:
on the topic: today m western civilzatin2 proffessor claimed that all catholic clergy men were and are child moleseters. i walked out of the classi mean i dont agree with anything he says but thats taking an open shot at the church.
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Wow. I’m late in the ballgame for this thread, but this struck a nerve with me. In today’s times, where we are suppose to be religious tolerant and he said this…what, tolerant of every religion BUT the Catholic Church.

I’d start recording him…get one of those cheap digital recorders and I’d double dog dare him to say that again…then I would turn him in.

You really should tell school authorities.

I, personally, know of three cases of child molestation and sex scandal of Protestant ministers, that I had direct contact with in the past…even their association knew about it and allowed them to keep ministering. I only know of the national cases in the Catholic Church…so…

Ugh! :mad:
 
DJgang said:
Wow. I’m late in the ballgame for this thread, but this struck a nerve with me. In today’s times, where we are suppose to be religious tolerant and he said this…what, tolerant of every religion BUT the Catholic Church.

I’d start recording him…get one of those cheap digital recorders and I’d double dog dare him to say that again…then I would turn him in.

You really should tell school authorities.

I, personally, know of three cases of child molestation and sex scandal of Protestant ministers, that I had direct contact with in the past…even their association knew about it and allowed them to keep ministering. I only know of the national cases in the Catholic Church…so…

Ugh! :mad:
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Maybe this has been touched on by our wonderful unbiased:rolleyes: media, but I have never once heard publicly that any protestant clergy had been guilty or accused of child molestation. Yet when a catholic priest is involved it makes national news.:rolleyes: What does that tell you?
 
passivesquid said:
on the topic: today m western civilzatin2 proffessor claimed that all catholic clergy men were and are child moleseters.
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How very sad and ignorant of him to say such a hateful thing. That must have hurt you terribly to hear such a lie spoken about your Faith in class. I can only imagine he is a very wounded man. I wonder if he was abused as a child to make such an obviously false blanket accusation. For this to come out in his class with you listening must mean God wants you (and us) to pray for this seriously wounded man, and for wisdom to respond according to God’s will. Our Father…Hail Mary…Glory be…
 
^^^^^^^ Good advice!

The first thing i always do when i overhear absolutely horrid things is i say a quick prayer in my head.

“oh blood and water which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, i trust in You.”

Then, don’t take it so personally. I am a fellow university student, at a university with a fairly arrogant, diverse, and liberal student base. I could never understand why people have so much hatred and dissent towards an institution that they have no part in, that doesn’t impose on them in any way, and that at the end of the day is plagued by the same problems as any other institution.

As for your professor, if he does it again report him to his boss, but that won’t change his heart. It will only muzzle his mouth. The only thing that can change people’s hearts has a name, and that name is Jesus Christ. Prayer, unceasing merciful prayer for all the poor misguided souls. It’s so sad for me every day to hear people talk about “nailing catholic virgins”, “the evil pope who is causing aids in africa”, “the catholic real estate multi-billion dollar business is taking over america”, “the child molesters paradise”, “the intolerant catholic church and its ‘hatred’ against gay people” and on and on.

OP, we both know of the beauty of the catholic faith, and how close it brings us to God. We both know that even the most vile, horrid murderer rapist liar thief can find solace in the vast mercy of God and find forgiveness. We as humans unfortunately, are so quick to condemn.

I’ve since taken up the divine mercy devotion, and it is making a difference in my daily interactions. Praying for people is a little act of mercy in itself, and I’ve seen changes in some of my friends.

But the major part is don’t take their comments personally.
 
revelations said:
^^^^^^^ Good advice!

The first thing i always do when i overhear absolutely horrid things is i say a quick prayer in my head.

“oh blood and water which gushed forth from the heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, i trust in You.”
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Good idea…

I find myself saying “O my Jesus forgive us our SINS save us from the fires of HELL lead all souls to HEAVEN especially those in most need of thy MERCY” (in this case, the professor! ugh)
 
DJgang said:
Wow. I’m late in the ballgame for this thread, but this struck a nerve with me. In today’s times, where we are suppose to be religious tolerant and he said this…what, tolerant of every religion BUT the Catholic Church.

I’d start recording him…get one of those cheap digital recorders and I’d double dog dare him to say that again…then I would turn him in.

You really should tell school authorities.

I, personally, know of three cases of child molestation and sex scandal of Protestant ministers, that I had direct contact with in the past…even their association knew about it and allowed them to keep ministering. I only know of the national cases in the Catholic Church…so…

Ugh! :mad:
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Better yet. I’ll give anyone in your class $100 if they give you a copy of it. Some of them probably already have it taped. I’d turn him in to the Dean and the President of the University. I’d also consider taking it to the Board. At the same time I’d sent it to the Bishop and anyone political in your city, County, state, etc. Make a poster and nail it up if he doesn’t retract it. This is a public University and he has publicly come out fighting. It is your duty to get the word out so that others will know about this.
 
passivesquid said:
asa student on a community college campus im frequenlty asked “how could you stand being a catholic? isnt it so corrupt?” and the various examples taht are given to me are the purcahsing of indulgences in the middle ages, the child molestation cases,and one ki told me about his uncle having to pay an exorbitent amount of money to get married. or the numerous crusades

my responce is "you cant blame an entire faith and religion for the sinns nd mistakes of a few’ but een to me now that sounds hollow how do you defend our faith against such attacks?
Click to expand...
Just learn and quote some of the many litanies of Protestants that are at least as guilty of child molesting, murder, infidelity, theft, etc.

I can’t think of many and the many different Christian denomination in sum are equal to the size of the Catholic Church in this country alone. There are 1.2 Billion Catholic world wide. What about the 250 million Orthodox world wide? With numbers that high, I’m sure there will be some weeds. Remember the parabol of the good wheat and the weeds? That’s a good passage to look up and memorize. The acts of a few do not justify rejecting the religion they represent. But that won’t matter. You need to find a resource that is quick and brief for yourself, commit it to memory and then hand it to the person. If they want to learn then you have something to discuss openly in good charity. But if they continue to bash the Catholic Church then they are not open. All you can do is learn your scriptures and history. Indure.

Praying always for you.
 
OK, so if Catholic clergy are child molesters (the usual reason given being their celibacy), how do you explain the married Protestant clergy that offend, and secular child molesters? None of them are celibate.

Hey, how about doing a Google search on pedophile professors???

Hmmmmmmm…

Christ’s peace.
 
Oh, ask him if he knows anything about Granada. And then ask him if we should have left it alone. Ask him if we should have never gotten involved in WWII. If the answer is no, then you have your answer. If he says yes, then ask him then why does he reject the Catholic Church of sending in troops to protect the Christians located in the Middle East where soldiers were sent to protect them and push back the encroaching Muslims determined to root out all Christianity. Islam was spread not by peace but by force. Learn the History. It was a frightening thing of the time. And after Europe pushed it back, remnants remained even to this day. Remember the train in Spain that was blown up. That’s indigent muslims that were against Spanish support of the Iriaq war. Another story, but they do not do things peaceful all the time. That is what was happening during the Crusades. Did you know that the half of the Iraq citizens in exile are Christian? Did you know about the Syrian banoshing of Christians. Convert or die. That is and was the policy of the time. There is a deep jealosy of Chrisitian prosperity and they want all their possessions. Converting from Islam to Christianity is illegal.

When he can solve those problems then his opinion about what he doesn’t know now will make a difference. But by the time he does the study he will learn more truth.
 
po18guy said:
OK, so if Catholic clergy are child molesters (the usual reason given being their celibacy), how do you explain the married Protestant clergy that offend, and secular child molesters? None of them are celibate.

Hey, how about doing a Google search on pedophile professors???

Hmmmmmmm…

Christ’s peace.
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👍
EXACTLY my point. We came from an evangelical group that had a famous child molester and the church bent over backwards to keep it under hat. Ironically, that ecclesial community is one of the biggest anti-groups out there that calls all priests child molesters.
 
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