Handling anticatholicism in social gatherings

[One_point]

interesting responses.

I usually avoid talking about religion. most people around me are not interested in religion. BUT when the topic does come up. you can bet someone will say something awful. it is almost as if it is ok to say that if it is catholic bcause it is a fact. what I mean is that many people seem aware on some level about the fact that other religions and belief systems may be misrepresented but for the catholic church it is almost like it is a fact so no body is very careful. I hang out with normal people. what I am realizing to my surprise is that normal people have a really skewed picture of the catholic church. I ignore the small comments that happen once in a while. but at the party, the topic came up and a person said that about black people and I just had to speak up. these are very well educated people. the thing is that when you correct one thing it is as if you are inviting a flood gate of others. eventually you just shut up and someone changes the topic to remove the awkwardness and I try to carry on without bad feelings.

when I say I feel like an outcast. I don’t mean that I am shunned. people separate the church from you, the catholic. they look at you like a poor cultist. they feel it is ok to say whatever about the church and that is ok. they don’t think they are shunning you when they do that. but for a catholic it feels like that. not being shunned but it is hard to detach yourself from the church the way people seem to be assuming you should do.

it is also different from not agreeing. I can live with not agreeing. I have been doing that as a catholic since a long time.

I think people who say it is like every other prejudice may be right. but what I know. the bad things about catholic church is taken almost like established fact. it is almost like public information and you are a bit lost if you don’t know that the catholic church is this awful organization. if it is bad and it is about the catholic church no need for fact checking. that is my impression. maybe I am overstating it but it is how it seems to me.

someone spoke about carrying the cross. I thought about that since yesterday. it s true it is what we should do. but I think it is very hard. I cannot even imagine what it must be like for the catholics who were hated and martyred. I think our church needs to do a better PR job. the way she is seen by others can be shocking to those people who aare not aware.

 

[One_point]

It might have been the Mormons they were referring to; wasn’t there a “revelation” by the LDS president around that time that decided blacks were finally equal and could become bishops?

Anyway, most people are religiously illiterate and don’t even know how to intelligently argue or discuss others’ beliefs, or their own for that matter. It seems important to me to learn more about my faith, apologetics, and to learn some about other religions. Just so the dialogue has some basis of truth before a discussion.

I would never argue with someone who does not have his facts straight. I’d say, "get your facts straight first and then let me tell you about the KKK and how they were against “blacks, Jews, and papists”…now why are Catholics in the same company as blacks? Who was behind the civil rights movement? Who was against it?

Find some stunning Catholic history that needs repeating and cite it back to the ignorant. There is much to be proud of in our history, even the times we overcame our flaws.

yes. I know we have bad hstory but most of our history is good. people don’t know anything about the good. maybe we are doing poor PR job or the world is just determined to push us underground like someone said.

 

[Melissa]

The CCC is, as the acknowledged St John Paul II has declared in his Apostolic Constitution Fidei Depositum:
“I declare it to be a sure norm for teaching the faith…a sure and authentic reference text for teaching Catholic doctrine…offered to every individual who asks us to give an account of the hope that is in us (Cf. 1Pet 3:15) and who wants to know what the Catholic Church believes….while carefully preserving the unity of faith and fidelity to Catholic doctrine.”

Thus equipped, which real Catholic would want to shun the opportunity to correct error, false impressions and denigration of Christ’s’ own Church?

I think the point of wanting to “shun the opportunity” comes when there is so little chance that one can do anything to correct errors/false impressions/denigration of the Church and there’s just a sense of sheer exhaustion of dealing with the scattershot, the “don’t confuse me with facts” approach, or those who insist that, despite all the evidence one can marshal, “you don’t know what you’re talking about, that’s just the line fed to delude people into conversion; the truth is [insert falsehood].” Sometimes, the other party in the conversation doesn’t have any good will behind the “conversation” and it is time to shake the dust from the metaphorical sandals.

 

[MacQ]

Thus equipped, which real Catholic would want to shun the opportunity to correct error, false impressions and denigration of Christ’s’ own Church?

There’s a big difference between situations where people are genuinely interested…or even teachable, and other situations where they’re completely closed to any (name removed by moderator)ut, and only want to engage in the sport of catholic bashing.
IN the latter situation, it is not a teachable moment, and unwise to engage.
Wisest to be graceful, and withdraw.

 

[MacQ]

I think the point of wanting to “shun the opportunity” comes when there is so little chance that one can do anything to correct errors/false impressions/denigration of the Church and there’s just a sense of sheer exhaustion of dealing with the scattershot, the “don’t confuse me with facts” approach, or those who insist that, despite all the evidence one can marshal, “you don’t know what you’re talking about, that’s just the line fed to delude people into conversion; the truth is [insert falsehood].” Sometimes, the other party in the conversation doesn’t have any good will behind the “conversation” and it is time to shake the dust from the metaphorical sandals.

Quite right.

 

[Church_Militant]

Y’know, if my “friends” talked like that about my faith, even just once…I’d be finding new people to hang with. They disrespected you, and in a social setting no less. That shows a gross lack of civility.

Dust off your shoes and find your friends in your parish. These people don’t seem to even like you or they’d never have done you that way. Pray and ask Our Lord to guide you to the right people.

God bless you.

 

[Auntie_A]

yes. I know we have bad hstory but most of our history is good. people don’t know anything about the good. maybe we are doing poor PR job or the world is just determined to push us underground like someone said.

I agree here. Ignorance and willful ignorance always have been forces to reckon with. We should spend more time telling our good history.

 

[ialsop]

y’know, if my “friends” talked like that about my faith, even just once…i’d be finding new people to hang with. They disrespected you, and in a social setting no less. That shows a gross lack of civility.

Dust off your shoes and find your friends in your parish. These people don’t seem to even like you or they’d never have done you that way. Pray and ask our lord to guide you to the right people.

God bless you.

agreed

 

[aTraditionalist]

The real question is why do you hang around these people? Normally in a public setting like you described, I’ll correct them very publicly. Additionally, I’ll remind them that if I was a Muslim, they wouldn’t have the stones to say such things. It takes a real tough guy to pick on people who try to absorb wrongs 24/7. Don’t feel bad admonishing the sinner or teaching the ignorant. Defend the Faith at all costs. You just may get through to someone and that is a wonderful thing. Whether they like it or not, it is dogma that there is no salvation outside the Church.

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[Lion_of_Narnia]

I will (or someone else may beat me to it) look up and post a famous quote from GK Chesterton from Orthodoxy that one of the best evidences for the truth of the Catholic Church is that its many enemies state mutualy contradictory claims about it.

 

[ialsop]

I will (or someone else may beat me to it) look up and post a famous quote from GK Chesterton from Orthodoxy that one of the best evidences for the truth of the Catholic Church is that its many enemies state mutualy contradictory claims about it.

YUP! Ever read The Davinci Code and Left Behind at the same time!? Its awesome! One says we are too worldly, anti christ, and not faithful enough. The other says we preach the divinity of Jesus, follow him with total faith and commitment, and lack any worldliness. We are right in the middle. Communists said we are capitalists, capitalists say we are communists, atheists dont like us for our faith, fundamentalists dont like us for a lack of faith… Liberals say we too conservative, conservatives say we too liberal. Its quite amusing.

 

[antiwho]

well a friend of mine who is a 7thday aventist sdv-- simply says that he belives in the moral guidlines contained in the religion-- that provides a basis for correct understanding on how the God of abraham Issac, and Jacob – gave instruction --on have to live rightiously.

or how not to live as an evil person-- regardless of what the failings of the organization – living according to the principles in the bible is better–

Jesus generally only quoted scripture to “religious people” and generally it was to show how they miss understood the context of a scripture verse…

and the religious pharisees and sadisages did NOT like it

 

[ialsop]

well a friend of mine who is a 7thday aventist sdv-- simply says that he belives in the moral guidlines contained in the religion-- that provides a basis for correct understanding on how the God of abraham Issac, and Jacob – gave instruction --on have to live rightiously.

or how not to live as an evil person-- regardless of what the failings of the organization – living according to the principles in the bible is better–

Jesus generally only quoted scripture to “religious people” and generally it was to show how they miss understood the context of a scripture verse…

and the religious pharisees and sadisages did NOT like it

I hope you realize that if you believe in Christ you are “religious”. Even if you think you arent

 

[schaeffer]

I agree with “live and let live,” but, as book pointed out several years back, anti-Catholicism is seemingly the last acceptable prejudice. Certainly the media bends over backwards to avoid criticizing Islam (except for ISIL, to some degree); LGBT is totally off-limits; I’ve never heard any anti-Semitic remarks in any workplace or social situation, ever; and Protestantism is so varied that it makes a poor target. The Catholic Church, however, always seems to have a bulls-eye painted on it. And people don’t criticize nuances; they go after stereotypes, memes, and and the seemingly immortal old slanders.

Most of us tend to have more sensitive ears and skins when it is our own group that is being spoken of.

I assure you that unfortunately there are many “targets” and prejudice and misinformation are alive and well in all areas.

My faith is misunderstood, misrepresented and the target of jokes and insinuation regularly. If the person seems interested in facts or discussion I talk about it with them, if not I accept that they aren’t interested in being informed.

Facts are always the best defense, as there is no arguing them.

The truth is that most people are not well informed about faiths other than their own