How to even BEGIN evangelizing people like this?!

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laircy

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I almost feel like hope is lost once I see someone I know (a CATHOLIC even) ‘like’ this photo on Facebook…

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I find it so infuriating, trying to serve God AND the World. How should I approach this?
 
“Im a Christian but I don’t follow anything Christ taught.”
 
You can evangleize them by askign questions about why they would “like” the photo?

“What is a Christian? And how does being a “Christian” in the truest sense allow for doing things and supporting things that are contrary to Christ’s message? If we believe in things that are contrary to Christ, doesn’t that really make us non-Christians, or worse yet, anti-Christians, regardless of whether we want to be called Christians?”
 
It’s even harder when your own parents have this belief which is the case for me
 
I feel like the photo gives a sense of sarcasm, so as not to be taken literally, because people know that the majority of Christianity is against these things, as they are things that Christ is against. So, I feel the photo is done in more of a manner of mocking so-called Christians who support un-Christian stances/beliefs. If this is the case, as I read it, liking it would then imply that people enjoyed the sarcasm or the pointing-out of people who claim to be Christian, but their lives do not reflect it.
 
bzkoss236 said:
I feel like the photo gives a sense of sarcasm, so as not to be taken literally, because people know that the majority of Christianity is against these things, as they are things that Christ is against. So, I feel the photo is done in more of a manner of mocking so-called Christians who support un-Christian stances/beliefs. If this is the case, as I read it, liking it would then imply that people enjoyed the sarcasm or the pointing-out of people who claim to be Christian, but their lives do not reflect it.
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I understand your perception; however, I don’t believe that was the intent. In any case whether the meaning is intended to be direct or indirect, it’s no wonder there is no agreement on how people see it, and therefore how they can see that what they are doing is contrary to Christ and His Church. :confused:
 
I’m with bzkoss236: this reads as sarcasm to me. Especially using ‘but’, which says that the second sentence is contradictory to the first.

OP, maybe you should ask your Catholic friend how they read the photo. There’s a very good chance they ‘liked’ it because they read it as calling those types of self-identified Christians out.
 
Wampa said:
I’m with bzkoss236: this reads as sarcasm to me. Especially using ‘but’, which says that the second sentence is contradictory to the first.
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Yeah, the ‘but’ is part of what makes it read as sarcasm to me. I feel if it was serious, it would have used an ‘and’.
 
It’s definitely making fun of her as being stupid. Note the vacant expression on her face.

The meme was probably made by an atheist or irreligious person. It’s a common virtue among them that, if not anything else, they understand how ridiculous it is to half-dip yourself in a religion. This is why completely irreligious converts often make solid Christians. They either convert or they don’t bother at all. (Ok I’m kind of kissing up to myself because in late high school/college I was atheist/agnostic. It’s been a very bumpy road with lots of stumbling and tripping, but if there’s anything at all I’ve been gifted from God with, it’s acknowledging that I can’t trick myself, let alone God.)

I am absolutely terrible at evangelizing to these kind of people because I don’t understand them at all. They’re from Mars. I guess you can get your foot in the door by asking what their standards are for being Christian and why they feel the need to define themselves that way. Lots of patience and prayer required to not RAP THEM ON THE KNUCKLES WITH A RULER STICK.
 
Personally, I wouldn’t “like” something like that on FB but I tend to ignore most stuff on there anyway. I agree with other posters as to it seems to be in sarcasm. There are a lot of people out there that say they’re Christian because they believe in one God, that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected, and as long as you’re baptized your salvation is guaranteed and it isn’t contingent on how you conduct yourself or how often you attend church. As long as you’re not murdering people, molesting children, spreading around venereal disease, and breaking up marriages you’re ok. If you’re basically nice to people, show up for work, pay your taxes, take care of your kids- you are going to Heaven. I know many people like this and would even say I somewhat held this same philosophy. As you can see though, that philosophy leaves a giant window of opportunity to get into trouble. I know from experience. Unfortunately, that’s how most of us find our way to the Lord. We try everything else and when we can’t find what our soul is thirsting for, when we can’t stand the pain anymore, and we finally set it at the foot of the cross or surrender if you, that’s when spiritual growth will come. How to evangelize your friend? Just ask questions. Maybe, ask her sometime about her beliefs and how she reconciles that with her Catholic beliefs. Preaching never works, chases people off.
 
TK421 said:
The meme was probably made by an atheist or irreligious person. It’s a common virtue among them that, if not anything else, they understand how ridiculous it is to half-dip yourself in a religion. This is why completely irreligious converts often make solid Christians. They either convert or they don’t bother at all.
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Ooh! Interesting insight. As someone who was an atheist until I was 25, I had never considered that as a possible reason my conversion was so “full”. Something to ponder…
 
Wampa said:
I’m with bzkoss236: this reads as sarcasm to me. Especially using ‘but’, which says that the second sentence is contradictory to the first.

OP, maybe you should ask your Catholic friend how they read the photo. There’s a very good chance they ‘liked’ it because they read it as calling those types of self-identified Christians out.
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This actually was the case, thankfully. However, he does support homosexual “marriage”, which is still a problem, and I talked to him about it, but he is getting terribly emotional about it and refuses to continue a conversation on it.
 
It could be a sarcastic meme - but calling out religious hypocrites is so passe’ really, and misses the point entirely.

The point? All religious people are hypocrites! We all say we believe and yet fail to live it out - but if we’re smart, we seek forgiveness! :imsorry: And then we get graces and hopefully become infinitesimally less hypocritical. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.

I’ve told this joke (originally told by a priest) many times but I love it -

“The Church is full of hypocrites!”
“No, it’s not, come on in, we can always slide over and make room for one more!”

Here are some fun memes you might like that “tell it like it is” - facebook.com/ThingsJesusNeverSaid 😃
 
This may be one of those occasions where fasting and prayer are the precursors to evangelization. Catholic Answers Magazine and their blogs have had suggestions about how to evangelize atheists and agnostics. This may also help with our blind Christian brothers and sisters.
This proverb comes to mind:
“There are none so blind as those who will not see.”
 
I have been known to post a link to various Catholic.com articles below memes like that. Will they read it? Probably not. If they do, they will probably try to mock it, but at least they are considering my point of view.

I remember hearing Mother Angelica saying something about “If they are angry about it then at least they are considering it, and that’s better than if they never considered it at all!”
 
3DOCTORS said:
It could be a sarcastic meme - but calling out religious hypocrites is so passe’ really, and misses the point entirely.

The point? All religious people are hypocrites! We all say we believe and yet fail to live it out - but if we’re smart, we seek forgiveness! :imsorry: And then we get graces and hopefully become infinitesimally less hypocritical. Lather, rinse, repeat as necessary.

I’ve told this joke (originally told by a priest) many times but I love it -

“The Church is full of hypocrites!”
“No, it’s not, come on in, we can always slide over and make room for one more!”

Here are some fun memes you might like that “tell it like it is” - facebook.com/ThingsJesusNeverSaid 😃
Click to expand...
How correct you are!! We need to realize that Jesus died to save all of us poor sinners. All have fallen short of the glory of God. All have inherited original sin. All struggle with concupescence, which means we have a tendency to disobey the law and will of God. We need to strive to fight against this tendency, live virtuous lives, and share to others how Jesus has impacted our lives, even if they make every excuse not to believe us.
 
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