How can we evangelize on the hot-button issues if we are really viewed as "unenlightened" by so many?

[3DOCTORS]

I had a few times when had to face difficult questions over these hot issues with a firend at work. Every so often she would bring it up in quite a challenging way and i would respond giving my views. i don’t think her intention was to listen, just confront and condemn. Then I realised that these issues were her only ‘knowledge’ of catholicism and her opinons were gleaned from the media. These are the issues most commonly focused on and people have no real knowledge of catholic life, or of sincere catholics trying to live a holy life in a real and loving relationship with God and their fellow man. Then one day she was very distruaght about a sick relative, I comforted her as best I could and talked a bit about the power of prayer and gave her a little prayer card. After this her attitude to me changed and she would tell me occassionally about times she had prayed and felt her prayer was answered. Im not saying we should avoid the hot issues I just think we shouldn’t let this media perception rule our interactions with others about our faith We know there is far more to us than that. When Jesus interacted with others he tended to find some common ground first. He asked the woman at the well for water, He didn’t avoid the difficult question of her relationships but he found some common ground first. I think it’s in these simple moments that the Holy Spirit works

Excellent points! :clapping: Plant those little seeds, coax those little bits of growth - and connect. The Holy Spirit will guide us if we ask for His help.

 

[PJM]

=3DOCTORS;10778813]Last evening, I took a look at this thread, which was mistakenly posted in Catholic News so it was closed as the source was a blog rather than a news piece.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=789104

I went to the Huffpost and read the piece by the gay priest and thought, how sad.

I reckon the only thing to do for him at this point is pray for him to have a further, deeper insight. He seems to believe he has struggled mightily with this issue and come to the only conclusion that he feels he can live with. The state of his soul now, and in the future if he continues on his present course, is known only to God. I’m not going to get into that here, and I hope those who choose to post on this thread will start their own thread if that’s the main thing they wish to discuss.

What I am starting this thread to get feedback on is this: I did something I usually know better than to do - I read the comments section. In the HuffPost! uch: And my brain was hurting. And my spirit and emotions. What I was trying to do was see if there was any intelligent Catholic or other Christian giving thoughtful insight on the matter. There were one or two that stood out as halfway reasonable, plus a smattering of Christians just parroting that homosexuality is wrong in the Bible. That to me in that context was kind of stupid strategically, because the majority don’t give the Biblical prohibition on homosexual activity any credence.

So, by the time I read six pages of commentary, even though I could dismiss the kinds of responses that were just mean smackdowns, I still felt discouraged by all the people who were viewing this priest as some kind of hero. The vitriol aimed at the Catholic Church and Christianity and the Bible, again some of it I could read and go yeah, same old same old.

But what got to me were those who were knocking Catholic apologists who have tried to defend Church teaching, and just the general tone that the Church is so awful and out of touch with reality. I felt really depressed when I went to bed. So I prayed and tried to put it out of my mind.

This morning, I awoke feeling more encouraged. First of all I thought of something I learned in college, that it was a “biased sampling,” not representative of the population at large. Plus everything seems less discouraging in the morning.

I just wonder, though, if people’s minds and hearts are really hardened - and sometimes it’s because of some kind of woundedness, other times it’s pride and stubbornness - but we still have a spiritual mandate to “speak the truth in love” and keep praying the Holy Spirit will be able to reach deep into those wounded and/or prideful hearts, right?

Some Advice from an Oldie but Goodie Catholic Teacher of MANY years experience.

To evangualize effectively
CONTROL the conversation.

When MANY topics are presented: INSIST with charity that thy be discussed One AT a TIME’’

Then be prepared to supply FACTS and EVRYTHING in Charity

And YES God does hearden minds and hearts of ALL non- practicing Catholics to varying degrees and this is biblically provable. That is WHY I shared the above advice.

God Bless you,
patrick PJM

 

[Pablopedro]

Something that might help soothe your mind is going back and reading some of the writings of the early church fathers at your leisure. Remember when our Church was first created it had to go out in to an almost entirely Pagan world. Yet through their teaching, testimony, and actions (especially heroic martyrdoms), they converted people in significant numbers to the faith. I’m not saying you should go get fed to a lion, but reading these stories and their letters will help you stay very optimistic about the world. These stories also at least help me not feel too sorry for myself and what I have to endure in our society.

 

[3DOCTORS]

Some Advice from an Oldie but Goodie Catholic Teacher of MANY years experience.

To evangualize effectively
CONTROL the conversation.

When MANY topics are presented: INSIST with charity that thy be discussed One AT a TIME’’

Then be prepared to supply FACTS and EVRYTHING in Charity

And YES God does hearden minds and hearts of ALL non- practicing Catholics to varying degrees and this is biblically provable. That is WHY I shared the above advice.

God Bless you,
patrick PJM

Very good advice. Another I would add - learned the hard way - is to be able to recognize and point out a straw man fallacy.