How do you address this evangelization tactic by a non-denominational Christian?

[distracted]

Don’t have a lot of time, but thought i would say my impression of your Post.

I feel this “friend” is out of line. A real friend respects your beliefs.

i get the feeling that you are kind of letting her… lead you too much or whatever… Sometimes it is best to be firm, though polite, and just say something like: No, I’ve already thought about this and [this or that] is what i am going to do. It’s not up for negotiations…

I’ve lost friendships over becoming “enthused” about the Catholic faith. But i figure, they were never really friends in the first place (or they would still be friends).

God bless…

 

[Lady_Bug]

Hi,

I got a voice mail last night from the Bible Study leader at the church that is supposed to have the Bible study, and she gave me her contact information.

I think I am going to call this lady and rescind my registration for I am not comfortable right now interacting with people of whom may have anti-Catholic sentiment (that will not necessarily be what I tell her), either consciously or unconsciously. I don’t have the strength or preparation right now to refute them, because I am newly studying the Catholic faith and I am finding more truth to it. But I am not at the stage where I can be some sort of apologetic. And I don’t know when or if I will ever be.

My “friend” had stated a few times that she wants me to meet more women and make more Christian friends. I am sorry to say this but I do not have the desire to be around non-Catholic people at this time if it is for the purpose of edification. I cannot talk to a non-Catholic about my converting to the Catholic faith because I cannot trust that he or she won’t try to convert me. Yes this is the height of cynicism but what else can I do?

When my “friend” finds out that I have cancelled the Bible study she is going to be very angry with me, but I don’t know what else to say about that. She will play that “you need more friends” card but as I stated before, I am not ready to talk with non-Catholics about my Catholic-leaning tendencies. Plain and simple. This is not grade school here where conformity to peer pressure is expected. I am a 28 year old woman and she is 29.

 

[tomarin]

if she gives you a hard time about this, be firm and tell her you have the right to follow your own conscience on this. stick up for yourself, and in the end she will respect you for it.

good luck!

 

[mangy_dog]

Hi, I wrote a thread about this mentor that I have been having since April 2006.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=208615&highlight=Lady+Bug

Anyway, she knows that I am interested in Catholicism, but still wants me to attend this interdenominational Bible Study (some of the study sessions are held at Baptist Churches) and interdenominational Church.

She claims that many different types of people attend this Bible Study: Catholics, Baptists, Lutherans, etc. so I shouldn’t have a problem with it (I disagree)

But the bigger problem is that she wants me to start attending her nondenominational Church. I no longer want to, ever since I feel that my heart is leading me to Catholicism. She claims that this church does not have a specific set of beliefs that tons of people from different backgrounds come to this Church: Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, etc.

A true Catholic would not be attending such a church, for loaded reasons. She knows that I am interested in Catholicism, yet still tells me that it is OK to be Catholic and still attend this Church, yet that is not true, because she herself does not believe that Catholicism is true Christianity and yet attends the very church that she says is OK for Catholics to attend. This church does not have all 7 sacraments and has Baptist tendencies but is not flat-out Baptist. For example, it believes in Once Saved Always Saved and full immersion-only Baptism.

She probably thinks she is trying to do a good thing for me, but as far as I am concerned, good intentions do not mean that the person is right. After all, there is a statement “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

I don’t know if she is intending to deceive me by doing this. She does not seem like the type of person to trick me. I just try to assume that she is ignorant of Catholic teachings (which she is -and is resistant to as well) and thinks she knows what she is doing but really doesn’t.

Sadly though I am getting very annoyed with this. I am feeling strained from our visits together now.

If you were in my shoes, how would you address this situation?

Your decision to come to the Catholic church is the reason you are being “attacked” under these circumstances. I’ll explain.

1. You are right to disagree about her comments that “it’s ok to attend because others attend”. Just because others are picking flowers in other (lesser) gardens, doesn’t mean that you can or should be doing the same.
2. “No specific set of beliefs”. Very dangerous…religious relativism is dangerous - it is the gateway to error and heresies. In the Catholic faith you do have a “specific set of beliefs”. Its called the Creed. This religious relativism is fertile ground for Lucifer to introduce all sorts of lies and mis-conceptions about the catholic faith.
3. “It’s ok to be Catholic and still attend”. Wrong. The Catholic faith is complete - it lacks nothing - you have no need to seek christian knowledge and wisdom anywhere outside. The Catholic church is the one, true church that Christ intended to exist after His ascension into heaven and of which He left Peter as its first Pope - 263 popes later to Pope Benedict XVI.

Your friend may not be intentionally trying to decieve you but, Lucifer does take advantage of every opportunity to steer the souls away from the one , true faith. She may be an unsuspecting pawn of Satan.

Recommendations: Tell your friend (the next time) that you are looking for information on the Catholic faith and that the best place for that is in the Catholic faith and not a mixed bag of denominations. (use your own words of course).
Once you have come into full communion with the Catholic faith, you will be able to tell her or anybody that you haven’t lost anything anywhere else…you will have the renewable sacraments of confession and communion.

I promise you - you will be happy once you come home.