I just read a quote that said the Catholic Church killed 3 BILLION people! We sure have been busy. I doubt any organization can match that! We’re number one! We’re number one!
Catholic Answers has a great DVD on that subject. I can’t recall the name of it but I bet if you contact them, they’ll tell you. What amazes me is they seem to forget all the Indians slaughter by the non-Catholics that settled on the East coast. They taught the Indians how to scalp!!. God Bless, Memaw
Not really when it comes to false historical claims such as the one thrown at you. You will have to do some research and get the actual facts. There is material such as Catholic Bible cheat sheets out there that list the teachings and doctrines of Jesus Christ and His Church and the various Bible verses that relate to them. Stuff like that helps when coming up against a false doctrine like sola scriptura. Of course the Catholic Church also holds Tradition (which includes where we got the Bible) sacred so eventually it all comes down to authority.
Of course, there are a lot of great apologetics resources out there. And I would encourage being ready to discuss things.
However, I would caution against coming at this from the angle of “defending the Church against lies.” I understand the impulse. It is natural when one loves the Church so much. But I prefer to focus on getting at the underlying issues the other person has with regards to the Church. Oftentimes, these historical accusations are just the surface rationalization for the real reason the person rejects the Church. As soon as you counter it, the will have a dozen more similar arguments.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that the focus should be more on the conversion of the person you are talking to rather than defending the Church against slights. The Holy Spirit can take care of the defense.
CA has a number for very good articles and resources on this and here are some links.
Wow! Where did they claim that the bodies were hidden (and how did they explain the rest of the population being unaware of the destruction of half the world’s people)?I just read a quote that said the Catholic Church killed 3 BILLION people! We sure have been busy. I doubt any organization can match that! We’re number one! We’re number one!
“Preach the gospel at all times, and, when necessary, use words.”
According to Fr. Mitch Pacwa, that was never said by St. Francis. I haven’t the slightest idea where it came from!! I am thankful many of our Holy preachers, like St. Dominic, Arch. Fulton Sheen, Fr. Hardon, etc. never followed it. God Bless, Memaw
The burden of proof is always on the one making the accusation. Or does your friend not believe in “innocent until proven guilty”?
Good answer, and the best advice, IMHO.Of course, there are a lot of great apologetics resources out there. And I would encourage being ready to discuss things.
However, I would caution against coming at this from the angle of “defending the Church against lies.” I understand the impulse. It is natural when one loves the Church so much. But I prefer to focus on getting at the underlying issues the other person has with regards to the Church. Oftentimes, these historical accusations are just the surface rationalization for the real reason the person rejects the Church. As soon as you counter it, the will have a dozen more similar arguments.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that the focus should be more on the conversion of the person you are talking to rather than defending the Church against slights. The Holy Spirit can take care of the defense.
In my view you should never try to defend the Church against any unsubstantiated claim. The onus is on the person making the claim to provide you with supporting documents to back up their claim then it can be discussed and any false claim refuted. They are either too lazy or they realise they are just blowing hot air.
That needs to work both ways. Most of the time those confronting me have been confrontational in their accusations. And not willing to even consider they may be wrong. I usually just ask them if they believe in the 8th Commandment. Tho shalt not bear FALSE witness against they neighbor! God Bless, Memaw
I understand the feeling. I debate with atheists often, and I normally hear a lot about an evil God who loves to see humans suffer. The best we can do is to politely explain what the Truth is and hope that the other person listens. I personally find it easier to be polite when I focus on explaining my views instead of focusing on trying to convert the other person.
Wise approach.
Very good point … as one of my favorite saints wrote, having all knowledge is valueless without love (paraphrasing). It’s very easy to get caught up with the arguments and the 'aha, I will hammer you to dust" and find that you’re not listening to the other person, only planning your next jab, and in the end you might win the argument and see the loss of a soul (and a friend).Of course, there are a lot of great apologetics resources out there. And I would encourage being ready to discuss things.
However, I would caution against coming at this from the angle of “defending the Church against lies.” I understand the impulse. It is natural when one loves the Church so much. But I prefer to focus on getting at the underlying issues the other person has with regards to the Church. Oftentimes, these historical accusations are just the surface rationalization for the real reason the person rejects the Church. As soon as you counter it, the will have a dozen more similar arguments.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that the focus should be more on the conversion of the person you are talking to rather than defending the Church against slights. The Holy Spirit can take care of the defense.