How do Catholics respond to proselytizers?

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mexolic

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I’ve been approached by proselytizers such as non-Catholic Christians, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s been at work, in public and at home. I usually tell them “I’m not interested.” At other times I’ve listened to them talk. I had a non-Catholic Christian co-worker invite me to a fellowship meeting at his church. I kindly refused.
How do you as a Catholic respond to proselytizers of other faiths/beliefs? Do you respond the same or attempt to discuss Catholic apologetics with them?
 
Depends on who it is and the mood I’m in at the moment. Since I used to be one of those people, it’s interesting to see the shoe on the other foot as it were.
 
mexolic said:
I’ve been approached by proselytizers such as non-Catholic Christians, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s been at work, in public and at home. I usually tell them “I’m not interested.” At other times I’ve listened to them talk. I had a non-Catholic Christian co-worker invite me to a fellowship meeting at his church. I kindly refused.
How do you as a Catholic respond to proselytizers of other faiths/beliefs? Do you respond the same or attempt to discuss Catholic apologetics with them?
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Honestly speaking I do not get to have people proselytizing to me except when I was young.

My answer on this would be, please be polite to them. Engage them and if you are up to it, discuss with them about religion generally, but the most important thing is make it clear that you are Catholic. Most people knowing that you are already entrenched in a religious belief of your own, would not be that interested in evangelizing you. Form my experience, those thing happened to me at a time when my direction in religious life was not clear and I was young. I did not make a clear stand on my religious status. Proselytizers would see that as opportunity to make convert or at least to introduce their belief on you.

Anyway, my wife’s advice is always, ‘don’t entertain them’. 😉
 
“I’m very happily Catholic, but thank you for your interest.” With a smile.
 
And then there are the Jehovah Witness and Church of Jesus types who come knocking on your door. Don’t be overwhelmed by their Bible toting and quoting of biblical verses on you. These are the ‘apprentices’. Except maybe for their pastors, these often given some specific verses which they memorize. Other than that, they would be in big problem, need to go back to their headquarters and refer to their seniors.

My answer would be to ask for their churches, like where do they come from. They are like guerrillas, they do not like to be known where they come from. Perhaps, then it is easier for us to counter them in argument.
 
mexolic said:
I’ve been approached by proselytizers such as non-Catholic Christians, Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses. It’s been at work, in public and at home. I usually tell them “I’m not interested.” At other times I’ve listened to them talk. I had a non-Catholic Christian co-worker invite me to a fellowship meeting at his church. I kindly refused.
How do you as a Catholic respond to proselytizers of other faiths/beliefs? Do you respond the same or attempt to discuss Catholic apologetics with them?
Click to expand...
like others said, it depends,

if it’s the scripted kind that show up to your door and are not interested in what you have to say, well not much you can do

if it’s someone like your co-worker, I might have attended his thing he was inviting you to, if he attended a catholic event with you. at least leave open the possibilities

we are called to be evangelizers ourselves, after all
 
I just say that I’m a happily practicing Catholic.

PM me if you want to hear a hilarious story of what my late husband did when the JW Hall was literally behind our house and they came every single week. 😃
(he didn’t hurt anyone, but what he did was hilarious)
 
Showing them love and respect is always important, but there are a few things you can do. First of all in regards to the Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s), it isn’t widely known that all Kingdom Halls have a do not contact list. All you have to do is call the closest Kingdom hall and request to be put onto that list. If you have several of them in your city, call all of them and ask. You will have to renew it every 5 years but it saves you the hassle of dealing with them every week.

Secondly, with everyone else: all you have to do is tell them you are a happy devoted Catholic and hope they will listen. If they don’t, avoid them. If that doesn’t work, you can always give him a book such as the title in this link that discusses the Catholic faith.

amazon.com/Why-Do-Catholics-Genuflect-Questions/dp/1569552436/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1452994650&sr=1-1&keywords=why+do+catholics+genuflect

Hope this helps,

SG
 
I had two mormons who visited at least twice a month for over a year. At their first visit I sat on my computer and watched them outside knocking on my neighbours door up the street, crossing over. Not one person let them in or engaged them. A couple of aggressive and slam the door in their faces responses.

They turned up on my doorstep sweating profusely and bright red in the face. It was 38 degrees Celsius. I advised them first up “I’m happily Catholic, that will never change but you’re quite welcome to come in for a cold drink and sandwiches”. We talked for an hour. Nothing about religion though. They were from America doing a mission. Small talk,

My hubby was not happy when I told him but I replied “these two crossed my path for a reason, I’m going to practice my debating and Catholic apologist arguments on them”. 😃

From the second visti on they discussed Mormonism, I discussed Catholicism, we debated, we argued, we laughed and connected. I was sad to see them go.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I had two mormons who visited at least twice a month for over a year. At their first visit I sat on my computer and watched them outside knocking on my neighbours door up the street, crossing over. Not one person let them in or engaged them. A couple of aggressive and slam the door in their faces responses.

They turned up on my doorstep sweating profusely and bright red in the face. It was 38 degrees Celsius. I advised them first up “I’m happily Catholic, that will never change but you’re quite welcome to come in for a cold drink and sandwiches”. We talked for an hour. Nothing about religion though. They were from America doing a mission. Small talk,

My hubby was not happy when I told him but I replied “these two crossed my path for a reason, I’m going to practice my debating and Catholic apologist arguments on them”. 😃

From the second visti on they discussed Mormonism, I discussed Catholicism, we debated, we argued, we laughed and connected. I was sad to see them go.
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We did the same. They initially asked us if they could visit and answer any questions we had about the Church of Later Day Saints, we agreed. So for about 4-5 visits we got to compare, share and debate. We can learn from their methods, sent out two by two…
 
I lock my door (including screen door) so I can’t get a copy of the anti catholic Awake trash. As for Mormons, if they tell me there is a prophet among us, I’ll throw them off guard with the answer “yes there is…she lives in Waverly.” (I have a religious sister aunt who lives in Waverly where her convent is)
 
SAVINGRACE said:
I had two mormons who visited at least twice a month for over a year. At their first visit I sat on my computer and watched them outside knocking on my neighbours door up the street, crossing over. Not one person let them in or engaged them. A couple of aggressive and slam the door in their faces responses.

They turned up on my doorstep sweating profusely and bright red in the face. It was 38 degrees Celsius. I advised them first up “I’m happily Catholic, that will never change but you’re quite welcome to come in for a cold drink and sandwiches”. We talked for an hour. Nothing about religion though. They were from America doing a mission. Small talk,

My hubby was not happy when I told him but I replied “these two crossed my path for a reason, I’m going to practice my debating and Catholic apologist arguments on them”. 😃

From the second visti on they discussed Mormonism, I discussed Catholicism, we debated, we argued, we laughed and connected. I was sad to see them go.
Click to expand...
You have just spoken for me. 👍

My wife probably is more radical than your hubby. She saw something satanic there that would consume me and I would be thrown to the other side, who knows. So hers is very straight forward, short of slamming the door, she said just don’t give them the time (of the day). 😉
 
When they knock on the door, sing show tunes.
‘Oklahoma’ usually does the trick.
:D:D
 
My sister used to spend a good deal of time teaching them what a Catholic biblical interpretation of scripture passage is like.
They seldom returned. Start talking about YOUR faith, and they’re not terribly interested.
 
Casilda said:
We did the same. They initially asked us if they could visit and answer any questions we had about the Church of Later Day Saints, we agreed. So for about 4-5 visits we got to compare, share and debate. We can learn from their methods, sent out two by two…
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👍
 
Reuben_J said:
You have just spoken for me. 👍

My wife probably is more radical than your hubby. She saw something satanic there that would consume me and I would be thrown to the other side, who knows. So hers is very straight forward, short of slamming the door, she said just don’t give them the time (of the day). 😉
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😃 I have always believed that engagement is better than turning your back. I prefer to think of it as a blessing, I was provided an "opportunity" to plant a seed. Sure it may not germinate for a while if ever but I may be the only Catholic they have had the opportunity to meet. It may be their first time to hear Catholic answers (pardon the pun). I don’t want to waste that opportunity to be that for them or to practice my apologist skills.

Now for some people on CAF I’m sure it would be a case “step into my parlour, said the spider to the fly”. Those who would turn up on their doorsteps have no hope due to the depth and breadth of their arguments, knowledge of scripture and Church history of some CAF members. In those cases, the visitors would be in real danger…of converting to Catholicism. 😛
 
pianistclare said:
I just say that I’m a happily practicing Catholic.

PM me if you want to hear a hilarious story of what my late husband did when the JW Hall was literally behind our house and they came every single week. 😃
(he didn’t hurt anyone, but what he did was hilarious)
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I would love to hear your hilarious story.
 
Years ago when we first moved to this house we had a visit from the local Jehovahs, but after one visit they never came back and I would see them at times knock on all the doors of the street but passover ours. I’ve wondered whether one of my sons friends might have given them an earful when I wasn’t home one day or something. My husband and my kids are polite enough not to turn anyone off. My mother said it was probably the largish Crucifix that I have in the entrance hall. It is very visible to anyone at the door. I don’t know but something made them skip us over… not that I mind.
 
SAVINGRACE said:
😃 I have always believed that engagement is better than turning your back. I prefer to think of it as a blessing, I was provided an "opportunity" to plant a seed. Sure it may not germinate for a while if ever but I may be the only Catholic they have had the opportunity to meet. It may be their first time to hear Catholic answers (pardon the pun). I don’t want to waste that opportunity to be that for them or to practice my apologist skills.

Now for some people on CAF I’m sure it would be a case “step into my parlour, said the spider to the fly”. Those who would turn up on their doorsteps have no hope due to the depth and breadth of their arguments, knowledge of scripture and Church history of some CAF members. In those cases, the visitors would be in real danger…of converting to Catholicism. 😛
Click to expand...
:)😉
 
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