How to deal with family members who use disagreement with themselves or some kind of public opinion as evidence of mental illness?

[joshrp]

Hi,

How do you deal with family members who assume that anyone who disagrees with them or what they want to believe must have some sort of mental illness? I find this tactic used a lot. I only realized what it was when my mom was calling me crazy for things I were saying that were straight out of the Catechism or popes, or my pastors or confessors or spiritual directors mouth. I never told her that what I was saying was from someone else, but she figured she could say I was crazy because “no one believes that”. She always tries to make me believe that no one agrees with what I am saying except people who are nuts. And when I started just repeating exactly what my pastors and confessors and spiritual director and other church authorities were saying, and she got even more hostile, then I kind of picked up on what was going on here. She is losing her authority over me and my beliefs and my life and it is freaking her out. I would like prayers to get some kind of insight into whether she explicitly believes that Catholics are crazy. Because that is the sense I am getting, that she believes that all Catholics are really just nuts and believe in a bunch of superstitious nonsense. And the fact that we believe in it freaks her out, because of the possiblity that it might all be true.

But how do you deal with people who think or act as if Catholics are mentally ill?

God bless you.

 

[Gods_Peace]

[BIBLEDRB]Mark 10:17-31[/BIBLEDRB]

+God Bless you in your trials brother+

 

[Fan_of_Francis]

A heavy cross Josh,you are in my prayers. May the Holy Spirit guide you.

 

[Contra_Mundum_1]

You are living at home, right? One day when you are out of there you will be free to live your faith without your parents control. However, they will probably continue to try and control you in other ways. From what you’ve described that is the main problem here. With such people you have to draw boundaries. Something like this: “Mom, Dad, I love you and thank you for helping me. However, you cannot talk about X in this way. I have to insist that you stop.” And they either stop and play nice, or they don’t and you find a way to deal with them in a more convincing way.

But until then you don’t have many options. Their house - their rules unfortunately. Don’t get sucked into arguments if you can avoid that. However, have an answer ready when they have a go at you. “Nobody believs that stuff” - you tell her she is incorrect and give her some facts. That kind of thing. You might not change their minds and their hearts but don’t let that discourage you from your journey in faith. Pray for your parents and let God do His thing.

Hope this helps a bit. I was a teenage convert and things were tough for a few years. I faced exactly the same kind of attack as you do. It stopped eventually. Praying for you.

 

[stephe1987]

I think it’s a certain kind of narcissism, believing that everyone who doesn’t agree with you and your beliefs is mentally ill.

I think now is a great time to do some apologetics research. Learn not only what the Church teaches, but WHY she teaches what she does. That way you can explain the teachings better. Also, a lot of new research and studies are confirming what the Church teaches to be true, so those will also be helpful in defending your faith.

Good luck!

 

[Blenderx]

“I’m sorry you feel that way. So what do you think of this weather lately? My, its been hot!”

Just don’t engage. Your reasonableness, cheerfulness, and of course, prayers, will do better to win her over. There’s not much else you can do with people with that point of view and analyzing it much will just lead to frustration, because its so unreasonable.