Defending our faith

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Schatzl

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I got into an argument today with one of the kids in my neighborhood. He started listing all of the things the Church has done wrong over the years, I mentioned that Bl. John Paul II formally apologized to each group harmed by the Church, but he went on to say that the Church hates women and healthcare because we don’t let women be priests and because we “don’t like abortion”. He went on to say that all priests are pedophiles, and said things about the Holy Trinity that made me literally feel sick to my stomach. Am I expected to just stand by while he says these things about God? What should I do when someone says things like this? I’m really lost. 😦
 
Know your faith and the issues well so that you can stand up for Christ and His bride.

Be tactful and self controlled…but remember…all it takes is for the taught and the good hearted to remain silent and that’s more than enough to let darkness and ignorance take over.
 
Schatzl said:
I got into an argument today with one of the kids in my neighborhood. He started listing all of the things the Church has done wrong over the years, I mentioned that Bl. John Paul II formally apologized to each group harmed by the Church, but he went on to say that the Church hates women and healthcare because we don’t let women be priests and because we “don’t like abortion”. He went on to say that all priests are pedophiles, and said things about the Holy Trinity that made me literally feel sick to my stomach. Am I expected to just stand by while he says these things about God? What should I do when someone says things like this? I’m really lost. 😦
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On one hand, knowing how to defend your faith is a great tool. On the other hand, it is important to know when you’d be throwing your pearls before swine (in which I think this might be a case). I was especially convinced of this with the whole “All priests are pedophiles” comment.
 
Matthew 5:11-12 (Knox Bible)
11 Blessed are you, when men revile you, and persecute you, and speak all manner of evil against you falsely, because of me. 12 Be glad and light-hearted, for a rich reward awaits you in heaven; so it was they persecuted the prophets who went before you.
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With a person like that it would of not mattered what you say because he wouldn’t of listened anyway. I think staying silent was the right thing you did.
 
I would of said maybe to him that "you say these things now but when you really need God you will call out to him so why dont you turn to him now and not when you desperately need him.
 
If you do not have the words to Defend the Church next time, I suggest telling him that you are Catholic, that you believe in all the truths of the Church because they have been revealed by God. Then inform them that you will not tolerate insults and lies about the Church in your presence, if he persists leave.

I also suggest you listen to this Homily, it is quite encouraging in these matters. Remember, we have a solemn duty to defend the Jesus Christ and his Church.
homily
 
You can try asking him to back up some of those claims with data and information. Sometimes the best way to answer a question is to pose another question.

“Catholic Church hates women” – Ask him to explain Mary’s elevated role in Catholicism and the huge number of saints who are women.

“Catholic Church hates healthcare” – Ask him to explain why so many hospitals are run by Catholic organizations.

“All priests are pedophiles” – If he bases that claim off the few cases of abuse, then by that logic all teachers must be pedophiles too.

Unfortunately, I think some of the other posters are correct – he’s not looking for an intelligent conversation. So what do you do? Pray for him!
 
To piggyback on “PrayHarder”'s post…

THe person you are talking with …dosen’t know what he’s talking about.

“Catholic church hates women” … the church is the foremost defender of what it is to be a woman by accepting the workings of her body and defending it and not trying to sterilize or distort it.

“Hates healthcare”… The church really molded (through charity, and scientific learning) helped form hospitals to what they are today opening the doors for all to recieve care. It is currently it’s greatest defender of its dignity! Medicine’s sole purpose is to make sick organs and such work better …since when do we give medicine to make perfectly well working systems break down such as in contraceptives, abo:ortion, sterilization etc et c??? It’s not medicine!

More than 25% of hospitals in the world are ran by the catholic church!

This guy is ignorant and angry. Treat them as such.
 
Yep. I read that 1/6 U.S. hospitals are run by the Church and 1/4 to 1/3 worldwide. Yes, they totally hate health care. :rolleyes:

There are many women Saints and the one honored above all others (male and female) is Mary. She is the Queen of Heaven and over all the angels. The King is God!

As for the stuff the Church has done, there have been formal apologies. And it’s people that did, individuals are sinners. You cannot blame an entire institution on the sins of a small percentage of individuals. Nobody is perfect. He is going to need to be more specific… because in many cases, it was considered treason (crime against the king/state) to go against the Church, and the judges from the Church were much more fair than the state ones. People would want to be tried by the Church! I think the friend has some sort of revisionist knowledge of history.

Calling all priest pedophiles is disgusting and unfair. Less than 2-4% of priests were accused of pedophilia. And not everyone accused actually did something (people mad at the Church), yet his reputation was forever ruined because of the accusation. People have a better chance of being molested in a public school or even a non-Catholic Church than they have by a Catholic priest. Also, to be specific, most cases were not pedophilia; they were homosexual ephebophilia. If I remember correctly, more than 90% of the victims were adolescent males within a few years of the local age of consent. A small percent were boys under 12 and 1% were girls.

I think silence was the best answer. This person is blinded by hatred and cannot be reasoned with. All you can do at this point is pray.
 
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