Evangelical Relatives

[Seamus_L]

Does anyone else have problems with them ? It might sound pretty cold, but I’m having less and less to do with mine. This Christmas season I had to hear all over again (we already had this argument in the previous century) “Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children”, or I’ve been asked “Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one”. It’s not that I don’t mind answering questions, it’s just that these arguments never lead anywhere, and I’ve been told in so many words that the objective is to get me away from the Catholic Church. And sometimes I’ve snapped back with comments like “and the man who founded your sect in such and such century”, etc.

 

[getysbg]

Well, you could always say, “Come with me to the early Mass and then we’ll attend yours.”. As long as you don’t receive communion or answer an ‘alter call’ you are fine!

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

Does anyone else have problems with them ? It might sound pretty cold, but I’m having less and less to do with mine. This Christmas season I had to hear all over again (we already had this argument in the previous century) “Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children”, or I’ve been asked “Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one”. It’s not that I don’t mind answering questions, it’s just that these arguments never lead anywhere, and I’ve been told in so many words that the objective is to get me away from the Catholic Church. And sometimes I’ve snapped back with comments like “and the man who founded your sect in such and such century”, etc.

Here is an interesting read for you, so you could quote.

How Old is Your Church?
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1608.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.

If you are a member of the Churches of Christ your church began near the beginning of the 19th century in New England. Abner Jones, Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell were some of the most well known originators of your religion.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as “Church of the Nazarene,” “Pentecostal Gospel,” “Holiness Church,” “Pilgrim Holiness Church,” “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past century.

If you are Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.

 

[Della]

Another approach is to firmly declare that you will no longer discuss your faith with them at family gatherings, but if they wish to sincerely, and with open minds, discuss the Catholic faith with you, then you will be happy to set a time and place to do so. I pretty much guarantee that they will demure and stop taunting you at family gatherings. If not, you don’t have to meet with them since they have decided to show no respect for you or your beliefs.

 

[robwar]

Does anyone else have problems with them ? It might sound pretty cold, but I’m having less and less to do with mine. This Christmas season I had to hear all over again (we already had this argument in the previous century) “Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children”, or I’ve been asked “Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one”. It’s not that I don’t mind answering questions, it’s just that these arguments never lead anywhere, and I’ve been told in so many words that the objective is to get me away from the Catholic Church. And sometimes I’ve snapped back with comments like “and the man who founded your sect in such and such century”, etc.

you might have to tell them that they have used these arguments before and they need to leave you alone and stop harassing you about being Catholic. Bothering you at family get togethers will not result in anything but strain relationships in the family and for future get, they need to stop bothering you. Draw this line in the sand and see if they can behave the next time or as you pointed out, there will end up being less and less time spent together.

 

[Celtic_Maiden]

Well, you could always say, “Come with me to the early Mass and then we’ll attend yours.”. As long as you don’t receive communion or answer an ‘alter call’ you are fine!

I always find that funny they have an altar call, but don’t have an Altar I wonder what gives with that one.

 

[RPRPsych]

Does anyone else have problems with them ? It might sound pretty cold, but I’m having less and less to do with mine. This Christmas season I had to hear all over again (we already had this argument in the previous century) “Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children”, or I’ve been asked “Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one”. It’s not that I don’t mind answering questions, it’s just that these arguments never lead anywhere, and I’ve been told in so many words that the objective is to get me away from the Catholic Church. And sometimes I’ve snapped back with comments like “and the man who founded your sect in such and such century”, etc.

I have relatives who aren’t exactly Evangelical, but sit on the fence.

They’re Catholic for social reasons, but skip mass on Sundays in a heartbeat.

And they have quotes and writings from Benny Hinn plastered all over their walls.

Honestly, I’d respect them a whole lot more if they actually went Evangelical rather than pretended to be something they obviously weren’t. (And they’re much older than me, so I just keep my mouth shut…)

 

[shauny77890]

Do the most loving thing!

If you love her/him then just attend to the evangelical mass. You will be still worshiping the same God just in different ways.

Remember what its about. Celebrating the birth of christ! Not quarelling on which mass to go to

heck! you dont even need to attend mass if it causes this much trouble just stay at home and say a prayer you can talk to God anywhere you like

 

[DelsonJacobs]

Sometimes the best witness to give is a smart and silent one.

Having been a Jehovah’s Witness in my youth before returning to the Catholic Church where I was baptized and confirmed as a child, I can attest that many evangelical movements see it as their mission to get you to conversation at all costs.

“Keep the conversation going” was the instruction we received from the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. They even provided repeated weekly indoctrination sessions that taught us how to respond to “conversation stoppers.” If you could make a comment that would get them involved in a discussion with you, then you were doing God’s work…if not converting them, you would be warning them.

The idea was to force the other person to hear at least a little of what you had to say to them.

And it was and is a trap meant to get you to fall into it.

When they set such a trap it isn’t a good time to respond to their questions. Remember they are initiating the conversation (which means they are prepared with a practiced outline). They are hoping to get you to respond with emotion instead of react with reason (and heated emotion. especially anger, can make it difficult to see matters as straight as you need to at this moment). And if they are baiting you this mean*** they have no intention to be open to listening to what you have to say*** (and you need a person to be this way if your testimony to the truth is to be effective).

So sometimes, when you see it is this type of trap, ignore it. Or play with their baiting questions…have a sense of humor about it all!

Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children?
Really? What were their names? Who are their descendants today? Do you think it could be the Kardashians?

Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one?
I can but I won’t because I don’t like your church. (And wink or play it straight.)

Either way you know the truth, that these are just attempts to get you into arguments that go nowhere. Who wants to go nowhere?

 

[agnes_therese]

heck! you dont even need to attend mass if it causes this much trouble just stay at home and say a prayer . . .

Um, no.

 

[CalCatholic]

The next time they start on their evangelical rant, you could recite a Hail Mary, that will scare the heck out of them!!! Just kidding (I think).

 

[SuperLuigi]

Does anyone else have problems with them ? It might sound pretty cold, but I’m having less and less to do with mine. This Christmas season I had to hear all over again (we already had this argument in the previous century) “Oh, didn’t you know, Mary had other children”, or I’ve been asked “Why can’t you come to our church just one Sunday instead of your Catholic one”. It’s not that I don’t mind answering questions, it’s just that these arguments never lead anywhere, and I’ve been told in so many words that the objective is to get me away from the Catholic Church. And sometimes I’ve snapped back with comments like “and the man who founded your sect in such and such century”, etc.

All of them should convert to Catholicism.

I tend to avoid extended family who act like that too. In my view it’s not worth the travel expense or frankly the company, and I know of no obligation on my part to accommodate them.

A lot of these Catholic offshoot religions were founded largely on personal selfishness.

 

[Della]

Do the most loving thing!

If you love her/him then just attend to the evangelical mass. You will be still worshiping the same God just in different ways.

And how is it loving to give in to listening to sermons in which preachers rant against the Catholic Church? I have no doubt that the instant the minister of such a church hears there’s a Catholic in attendance, that’s just what the OP would be forced to sit through. And no, not all worship of God is of equal value. There is no higher worship that the Sacrifice of the Altar, which no Evangelical church has or could have.

Remember what its about. Celebrating the birth of christ! Not quarelling on which mass to go to

Evangelicals would not be celebrating the birth of Christ if the Catholic Church hadn’t set a date for celebrating the Mass in honor of it. And many Evangelical churches don’t even have a service (not a Mass–they have no celebration of the Mass) on Christmas Day because they see it as a family holiday, not a religious one, oddly enough.

heck! you dont even need to attend mass if it causes this much trouble just stay at home and say a prayer you can talk to God anywhere you like

Christmas, and all Sundays, are holy days of obligation that no Catholic may be excused from to merely to please the anti-Catholic sentiments of non-Catholic family members. This would be the very worst thing he could do because it would give his relatives two very wrong ideas: that the Mass means nothing and that all they have to do is bully him to get him to not go. Worst of all, that he will renounce his Catholic faith if they only keep on pushing him. Where is the love in that?

Real love does not compromise truth in order to make appeasement to those who are determined to destroy one’s faith. As Catholics are always to speak the truth in love, and if that doesn’t work, then we are perfectly within our rights to ignore and avoid anyone who persists in trying to proselytize us away from our Catholic faith.

 

[sousley]

The next time they start on their evangelical rant, you could recite a Hail Mary, that will scare the heck out of them!!! Just kidding (I think).

You’ll get more bang for your buck if you pray it in latin..

 

[PietroPaolo]

Here is an interesting read for you, so you could quote.

How Old is Your Church?
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1608.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.

If you are a member of the Churches of Christ your church began near the beginning of the 19th century in New England. Abner Jones, Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell were some of the most well known originators of your religion.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as “Church of the Nazarene,” “Pentecostal Gospel,” “Holiness Church,” “Pilgrim Holiness Church,” “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past century.

If you are Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.

 

[getysbg]

Do the most loving thing!

If you love her/him then just attend to the evangelical mass. You will be still worshiping the same God just in different ways.

Remember what its about. Celebrating the birth of christ! Not quarelling on which mass to go to

heck! you dont even need to attend mass if it causes this much trouble just stay at home and say a prayer you can talk to God anywhere you like

SORRY, but that is wrong and you should know it. We ALL have an obligation to attend Mass on Sunday. We can pray anywhere but Mass is an obligation.

 

[Erich]

In a similar vein, I was talking to someone just this past weekend, who had been on the receiving end of claims along the lines of “Catholics aren’t Christians”, “you’re not Christian until you’ve been ‘born again’”, etc. Her response was, “I was born right the first time.”

 

[Della]

You’ll get more bang for your buck if you pray it in latin..

 

[EmeraldOak]

To which I would like to add:

If your church is non-denominational, your religion was founded by your pastor.

(sorry, had to get that off my chest-lots of evangelical non-denominational churches popping up on every corner where I live)

To the OP, my in-laws are Lutheran and incapable of being tactful or kind when inquiring about my Catholicism. I have never once questioned them or attacked their beliefs yet was made to feel as though I had to defend myself for many years. It is for these reasons that last year my husband had to straight out tell them that questions or comments regarding our religious choices are no longer welcome, that this is one subject that we’ll just all have to agree to disagree. If they bring it up again with a snide comment or whatever I will plainly ignore them, I don’t care anymore if that’s rude or not. They are not going to change their beliefs and we are not going to change ours. Nothing will be accomplished by more discussion except more hurt feelings. I will not be a part of that. I used to think that by answering their questions and accusations of idolatry, etc. that the more I would explain, the more it would clear up their misconceptions, but they don’t want to learn or understand why I believe what I believe. They just want to tell me how & why I’m wrong. So I’m done talking about it.

 

[EmeraldOak]

Here is an interesting read for you, so you could quote.

How Old is Your Church?
AUTHOR UNKNOWN

If you are a Lutheran, your religion was founded by Martin Luther, an ex-monk of the Catholic Church, in the year 1517.

If you belong to the Church of England, your religion was founded by King Henry VIII in the year 1534 because the Pope would not grant him a divorce with the right to remarry.

If you are a Presbyterian, your religion was founded by John Knox in Scotland in the year 1560.

If you are a Protestant Episcopalian, your religion was an offshoot of the Church of England founded by Samuel Seabury in the American colonies in the 17th century.

If you are a Congregationalist, your religion was originated by Robert Brown in Holland in 1582.

If you are a Methodist, your religion was launched by John and Charles Wesley in England in 1744.

If you are a Unitarian, Theophilus Lindley founded your church in London in 1774.

If you are a Mormon (Latter Day Saints), Joseph Smith started your religion in Palmyra, N.Y., in 1829.

If you are a Baptist, you owe the tenets of your religion to John Smyth, who launched it in Amsterdam in 1608.

If you are of the Dutch Reformed church, you recognize Michaelis Jones as founder, because he originated your religion in New York in 1628.

If you are a member of the Churches of Christ your church began near the beginning of the 19th century in New England. Abner Jones, Barton Stone and Alexander Campbell were some of the most well known originators of your religion.

If you worship with the Salvation Army, your sect began with William Booth in London in 1865.

If you are a Christian Scientist, you look to 1879 as the year in which your religion was born and to Mrs. Mary Baker Eddy as its founder.

If you belong to one of the religious organizations known as “Church of the Nazarene,” “Pentecostal Gospel,” “Holiness Church,” “Pilgrim Holiness Church,” “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” your religion is one of the hundreds of new sects founded by men within the past century.

If you are Roman Catholic, you know that your religion was founded in the year 33 by Jesus Christ the Son of God, and it is still the same Church.

To which I would like to add:

If your church is non-denominational, your religion was founded by your pastor.

(sorry, had to get that off my chest-lots of evangelical non-denominational churches popping up on every corner where I live)

To the OP, my in-laws are Lutheran and incapable of being tactful or kind when inquiring about my Catholicism. I have never once questioned them or attacked their beliefs yet was made to feel as though I had to defend myself for many years. It is for these reasons that last year my husband had to straight out tell them that questions or comments regarding our religious choices are no longer welcome, that this is one subject that we’ll just all have to agree to disagree. If they bring it up again with a snide comment or whatever I will plainly ignore them, I don’t care anymore if that’s rude or not. They are not going to change their beliefs and we are not going to change ours. Nothing will be accomplished by more discussion except more hurt feelings. I will not be a part of that. I used to think that by answering their questions and accusations of idolatry, etc. that the more I would explain, the more it would clear up their misconceptions, but they don’t want to learn or understand why I believe what I believe. They just want to tell me how & why I’m wrong. So I’m done talking about it.