Dear Distracted… It may be helpful to remember that Jesus Himself acknowledged that the Gospel and belief in Him would be divisive as He says in His prayer for the Disciples to the Father: “I gave them your word and the world has hated them for it.” (John 17:14)
Read Jesus’ beautiful discourse on the world’s hate also at John 15:18-27 and John 16:1-4. There are some people living difficult lives and making others suffer. Some of the “game players” are sick and do not know better. They manipulate and dump on others in a quest for relief. Other game players are what I call “pawns” of the evil one. They are the lukewarm souls mentioned in St. Faustina’s Diary whom Jesus said “disgust” him. They are amoral, giving in to temptation easily. So satan has a field day with them and uses them to afflict and discourage good people.
Finally, some game players are intrinsically evil. They knowingly cooperate in, enjoy and promote the destruction of others and they hate goodness. The late psychiatrist M. Scott Peck wrote a book about them called “People of the Lie”. And guess what - these people look like ordinary folks. They are schoolmates, fellow employees, PTA parents, even “pillars of the community”. Yet they sow pain and confusion wherever they go.
What strikes me about your situation is confusion. I believe confusion that persists, especially in interpersonal relationships, is a hallmark of an unhealthy situation. Could you maybe reframe the issue as having to avoid the unhealthy situation and let Jesus deal with the soul of the other person? Don’t judge the other person, but take care of yourself by avoiding the unhealthy encounters. And pray, pray, pray. Just a thought, offered in love.
wow… this was enlightening… even though i
have read that book by Peck - yrs ago… had forgotten it… maybe i need to read it again? But I gotten a little negative about him when learned he was pro-abortion… but he may have repented of that by now… it seems he was on a spiritual journey and so, maybe he rrealized abortion is murder… God knows?
anyway… i don’t know which category my “friend” falls into… seems he falls into all of them…
but in any case, i have cut him out of my life because i don’t really care what category he falls into… He just doesn’t do anything for me… and i find myself not being very productive in the Christian walk when around him or when communicating w/ him…
When i became enthused about the Catholic faith was when he started getting hostile toward me… That’s all i really need to know…The strange thing is, he calls himself a christian…
His behavior is nothing but diabolical though…( All evil originates w/ Satan… )… and ends with us listening to him…
I guess i should pity him… I’ll pray some rosaries for him…
The Bible says tht even the just are “barely saved” … so i guess i shouldn’t be so… negative about the guy… or whatever you call it… i just hate that kind of behavior and see no excuse for it when the person is supposed to be a believer…
THAT is the weirdest thing about it… You can expect non-believers to act tht way… but not a beliver…
well, actually… he ISN"T a beliver… because Jesus said it was those who DO the will of God who are His… not those who only hear it… and he doesn’t even seem to hear it anymore… except whne he wants to have me listen to some anti-Catholic preacher… He does seem to want to listen to that kind of preaching…
anywya… I have no qualms about “ditching” this person…
I do kinda wonder about other people in my life, though… Until i figure out exactly waht to do i"m going to do what i feel is best: avoid anyone who seems to be playing senseless games with me. I am an honest person & don’t believe in games… I believe in Say what you mean and mean what you say… so i guess i should find others who go by the same rule… to be friends with…
in fact, now i think about it, the Lord has recently revealed to me in a very strong way that I can only be “close” to those who believe, pretty much exactly, as i do… It just isn’t going to work tryign to be friends with people who don’t…
As the Bible says “How can two walk together whne they disagree?” and “What fellowship hath light with darkness?” etc…
God bless…
But on the other hand, i get depressed (not to mention unproductive) dealing with these kinds of people who… frankly, may be somewhat “sold out” to the devil (long story why i say that… you’d have to know some of the things this person has done/said…)… Feelings are just feelings, though, and i am very much leaning toward cutting this person out forever… I have given him cahnce after chance to change, to apologize, to get “real”. or whatever… It is bewildering why a person would act like this to someone who tries hard to be a good friend… tries hard to be a good Christian… and have done nothing that i can think of that would… well… make him hostile… except, as i say, he doesn’t like my Catholicism… He is very anti-Catholic, though he denies that (and a hundred other things!)…
(“you will be hated by all…”)