C
_Christopher
Guest
I have never felt the slightest conviction from the Holy Spirit when reading that trash. Perhaps because my intent is to learn how to defend against it and help the brethren.
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D
deedeebe
Guest
I think that there are even some “Catholic Books” that we shouldn’t read. Those from dissenting Catholics. However if you do want to read them I think saying a prayer to the Holy Spirit and asking the Holy Spirit to guard your mind and not let anything detrimental to the Faith contaminate your mind would be good. 
B
badebop
Guest
Catholic Cadet:
How true! As long as you’re passive they’ll keep coming back, but start pointing things out in the Bible…they never return.Once they figure out that I’m not Biblically illiterate they never come back.
S
SHEMP
Guest
I will use a pagan analogy for reading material that expounds ideas contrary to Catholic teaching. I am borrowing this analogy from Prof. Daniel Robinson form Georgetown.
As most know Theseus went to Crete as a kind of tribute to the curse of the Minitaur. Young men (minds) were hand picked by King Minos as a sacrifice to the Minitaur. The Minitaur lived in a labarynth.
Theseus asked King Minos that he let him go in alone to face the Minitaur (contrary ideas). King Minos knew that if Theseus even survived the Minitaur he would never survive the complex maze of the labarynth.
Theseus befriended King Minos’ daughter Ariadne who gave him a golden cord, so that he could back track through the maze with the golden cord as his guide. Theseus did slay the Minitaur and he used the golden cord to get out of the labaryth back to the safety of home.
There are many ideas out there. Most are contrary to Catholic teaching. You cannot avoid them. In fact the apologist should not avoid them. That is the only way to defend the faith and to evangelize.
You must carry the golden cord! Make sure that you can get out of the maze. Make sure that you can always come back home to the Catholic Church no matter how mixed up you get in the Maze.
God Bless,
Shemp
As most know Theseus went to Crete as a kind of tribute to the curse of the Minitaur. Young men (minds) were hand picked by King Minos as a sacrifice to the Minitaur. The Minitaur lived in a labarynth.
Theseus asked King Minos that he let him go in alone to face the Minitaur (contrary ideas). King Minos knew that if Theseus even survived the Minitaur he would never survive the complex maze of the labarynth.
Theseus befriended King Minos’ daughter Ariadne who gave him a golden cord, so that he could back track through the maze with the golden cord as his guide. Theseus did slay the Minitaur and he used the golden cord to get out of the labaryth back to the safety of home.
There are many ideas out there. Most are contrary to Catholic teaching. You cannot avoid them. In fact the apologist should not avoid them. That is the only way to defend the faith and to evangelize.
You must carry the golden cord! Make sure that you can get out of the maze. Make sure that you can always come back home to the Catholic Church no matter how mixed up you get in the Maze.
God Bless,
Shemp
R
ridesawhitehors
Guest
Bravo, Shemp. :bowdown:
A most brilliant post, and most clearly answers my OP, and what I think logic tells me.
I still want to find out what the Church officially says.
Thank you.
T
The_Barrister
Guest
I think Shemp and Shan the right idea here, and I’d like to combine them, if you will.
- Read anti-Catholic literature for the right reason - to help you form arguments against it for use in apologetics;
- If you wish to venture into that territory, you must first be well-grounded in your own faith.
V
Viki59
Guest
I requested the Da Vinci Code from the library before I realized it was anti Catholic and claiming to be factual. Since so many people are discussing it, I’m wondering if it would be all right to read it in order to know what they’re talking about. (Though since I hear it speaks of Christ’s marriage to Mary Magdalen, I doubt I really want to any more.)
1
1962Missal
Guest
It all comes down to temptation and the importance of avoiding the near occasion of sin. Can the book/tract lead you to doubt your Catholic faith?
Consider this analogy. For one man, entering a red-light district may be a near occasion of sin. For another, it may be a moral good in his calling to evangelize.
Justin
Consider this analogy. For one man, entering a red-light district may be a near occasion of sin. For another, it may be a moral good in his calling to evangelize.
Justin
E
Edwin1961
Guest
What about avoiding books that are in pure error. Take in consideration the Left Behind Series. Pure error!
I want to be left behind like Noah and his sons and daughters-in-law!
Glory be to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him Forever!
I want to be left behind like Noah and his sons and daughters-in-law!
Glory be to Jesus Christ! Glory to Him Forever!
D
Disillusioned
Guest
One facet:there used to be a marking called NIHIL OBSTAT in Catholic Books and a little line IMPRIMATUR. Just on the reverse of the title page.It would show that the theological censor had decided that the book in question was free of anything likely to undermine orthodox Catholic belief.There might be the name of the man who had done this and where he lived.The Imprimatur was the licence for the book’s dissemination . There might be a Bishop’s name.
Would that this were still the case ! There are books now even read by seminarians full of theological error and the process to check is no longer respected or carried on consistently.When people write things on the page about the Nihil Obstat having been abolished, expect questionable things ahead.It applies as much to downright heresy from the Dutch Church as trashy mailed paperbacks about the Secrets of Fatima.
Unbelievably, because censors were made redundant we have this problem.Just one last example- years ago when I was myself considering the priesthood I began to wonder how one of the lads (and I think he was already in minor orders)had so successfully replaced the usual understanding of the faith with sheer inveterate humanism.It was the books he had read and was still reading…all of them minus the Nihil Obstat and containing such terrible things as “The Mass is fundamentally a community celebration-the nourishing meal of every christian” They were from Holland.
Would that this were still the case ! There are books now even read by seminarians full of theological error and the process to check is no longer respected or carried on consistently.When people write things on the page about the Nihil Obstat having been abolished, expect questionable things ahead.It applies as much to downright heresy from the Dutch Church as trashy mailed paperbacks about the Secrets of Fatima.
Unbelievably, because censors were made redundant we have this problem.Just one last example- years ago when I was myself considering the priesthood I began to wonder how one of the lads (and I think he was already in minor orders)had so successfully replaced the usual understanding of the faith with sheer inveterate humanism.It was the books he had read and was still reading…all of them minus the Nihil Obstat and containing such terrible things as “The Mass is fundamentally a community celebration-the nourishing meal of every christian” They were from Holland.
A
Annunciata
Guest
I recently took an on-line Seminar @ Catholic Distance University ‘debunking’ the Da Vinci Code from a Catholic perspective. while it was not necessary to have read the book in order to take the seminar, I felt that I needed to read it… I couldn’t. the only parts I read were the pages referred to in the study text. Don’t read it if you think it will disturb your faith ( as I was advised by the priest teaching the course) and it could very easily cause some doubts if your not knowledgeable in certain areas of the Faith and history…because the author makes false assertions about historical places, people and things.
S
Southernrich
Guest
To be able to counter any anti-Catholic apologetics that one hears or reads from the Fundies, you do have to know what they’re saying. Even Mr. Keating says that it’s worthwhile knowing what their arguments are so that you know how to respond.
But, one must know the Faith beforehand and well. I went to high school in the late 1950s and was graduated from Fordham University in New York City in the early 60s, back when a Catholic education meant in depth orthodoxy. I’ve engaged in counter-apologetics against Fundies with real confidence because my knowledge of my own faith has been so very much internalized. Other Catholics have to be very sure that they know their Faith and if they’re a bit shaky, it might just be better to keep away from Fundy nonsense.
But, one must know the Faith beforehand and well. I went to high school in the late 1950s and was graduated from Fordham University in New York City in the early 60s, back when a Catholic education meant in depth orthodoxy. I’ve engaged in counter-apologetics against Fundies with real confidence because my knowledge of my own faith has been so very much internalized. Other Catholics have to be very sure that they know their Faith and if they’re a bit shaky, it might just be better to keep away from Fundy nonsense.
F
Fidelis
Guest
The Barrister:
As Karl Keating :bowdown2: once said, just as an army general would not hesitate to spy out and obtain the battle plan of his enemies, so must we as apologists have no qualms of making efforts at knowing what we are up against before it is thrown at us.
I think this sums it up quite well. If you are strong in your Faith (i.e. have a good grasp and a complete acceptance of the fundamentals of the Faith), AND you feel compelled to engage in apologetics, familiarization with anti-Catholic materials is a must. Just as you can’t defend what you don’t know and believe, you can’t refute what you haven’t heard. Not knowing the counter-arguments leaves you always in the defensive position–let the other side defend their positions!I think Shemp and Shan the right idea here, and I’d like to combine them, if you will.
You can really boil it down to this: if you are searching for Truth, stay inside the bounds of Catholicism, for there - and only there -you will find it.
- Read anti-Catholic literature for the right reason - to help you form arguments against it for use in apologetics;
- If you wish to venture into that territory, you must first be well-grounded in your own faith.
As Karl Keating :bowdown2: once said, just as an army general would not hesitate to spy out and obtain the battle plan of his enemies, so must we as apologists have no qualms of making efforts at knowing what we are up against before it is thrown at us.
C
Chele
Guest
I am sorry to say I feel differently, I feel that all of us, as Christians, should decide to research our own doctrine and theology, I never feel bad when faced with any anti doctrine to say I don’t know but I will ask god, read my scriptures and get back to you on that. I don’t feel that any religion should have to defend itself with anti-other religions, they should be able to defend themselves with correct insights into the Gospel of Christ.
Another thing I feel about Anti-anything doctrine, is that the father of all contentions is the one behind Anti. When one reads anti-Catholic literature, one is putting themselves in a position of great peril, because they aren’t where another religion wants them, they are where the Devil and his angels want him.
So I say rather than look at Anti-Catholic documents, to rather increase your faith in Catholisism by reading pro Catholic Document, Studying Modern Theologians, look at the creeds of other religions, Heck Read a little C.S. Lewis (maybe not the Chronicals of Narnia, but Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, etc.)
Sorry for being long winded but I am preparing a talk right now about conversion, and my own foray into the study of Anti Doctrine.
Another thing I feel about Anti-anything doctrine, is that the father of all contentions is the one behind Anti. When one reads anti-Catholic literature, one is putting themselves in a position of great peril, because they aren’t where another religion wants them, they are where the Devil and his angels want him.
So I say rather than look at Anti-Catholic documents, to rather increase your faith in Catholisism by reading pro Catholic Document, Studying Modern Theologians, look at the creeds of other religions, Heck Read a little C.S. Lewis (maybe not the Chronicals of Narnia, but Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, etc.)
Sorry for being long winded but I am preparing a talk right now about conversion, and my own foray into the study of Anti Doctrine.
D
Daniel_Marsh
Guest
We “protestants” ask basically the same question when it comes to cultic literature ( I refer to Christian Science, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses or watchtower literature, not to catholic ).
May I suggest you read a small book called The Art of Deception by Nicholas Capaldi is a good book on critical thinking.
Basically, Learn your own faith inside out first, know the definitions of your own belief system. Know how to spot a faulty argument or someone giving a misdefinition of your beliefs. Use critical thinking while reading. It is better to read a short passage of a few pages, stop to check sources, and to check definitions and meanings being used than it is to read the whole book in one sitting.
The princlple laid out in second john verse ten, addresses keeping false teachers out of the church for the purpose of protecting those who are weak in their understanding of their faith. The trained apologetist reads the primary sources of those who he is trying to reach using a critical mind.
May I suggest you read a small book called The Art of Deception by Nicholas Capaldi is a good book on critical thinking.
Basically, Learn your own faith inside out first, know the definitions of your own belief system. Know how to spot a faulty argument or someone giving a misdefinition of your beliefs. Use critical thinking while reading. It is better to read a short passage of a few pages, stop to check sources, and to check definitions and meanings being used than it is to read the whole book in one sitting.
The princlple laid out in second john verse ten, addresses keeping false teachers out of the church for the purpose of protecting those who are weak in their understanding of their faith. The trained apologetist reads the primary sources of those who he is trying to reach using a critical mind.
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