Husband's Missionary Baptist family

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tambilina
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tambilina

Guest
Having been a Catholic for many years now and coming from a Lutheran upbringing, I now find myself faced with having to defend my Catholicism to family; my husband’s. Tho he converted a few years ago, he comes from a Missionary Baptist background. So, not only is he having to answer to his family, but I am, seemingly, the cause of his *sin *and need to “come to the Lord”. Quite frankly, I am at a loss at how to deal with these people in a kind and not so frustrating manner. Any suggestions? :confused:
 
Maybe the BEST way for you to deal with his family is by showing them how you and your DH live a beautiful Christian marriage.

Arguing will never help. To them, their motives are good and your soul is what they want to “save”. They must love you both very much. Just let them see how a good and faithful Catholic Christian lives their life of love and charity towards others.

Example is the best argument you can use. 👍
 
I agree with mkw about giving them a fine example, but arming yourself with apologetics (gently and charitably used despite your in-laws initial reactions) *might *be a good idea.

Again, mkw is right about not arguing, but I think you have a right, nay a duty, to defend the faith. That is to say, to give calm, honest answers as to why you are in the Church.
 
I second MKW’s suggestion that example is the best way to deal with them, but it isn’t neccesarily the only thing you can do.

Supplement your living example with charitable discussions on why they are concerned for your salvation. Decide with them on one topic of Catholic Doctrine that they believe is false, and resolve to spending some time (an hour or two) to discuss that Doctrine.

The key here is to make sure to give yourself enough time to research the Catholic position before the discussion. Don’t get right into the discussion as soon as you decide the topic, but let them know you want to spend some time in prayer and study before the discussion. I suggest you give yourself at least a week to prepare.

Take plenty of notes, highlight in your Bible, print out information you find on the subject. And don’t worry about referring to your notes, printouts or Bible during the discussion; if they can argue their position from memory, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are correct.

Find out beforehand what their arguments are going to be and how to refute them, and don’t worry if they stump you. If they ask you a question you can’t answer, honestly let them know you are unsure and you will research it and get back to them.

Make sure to stay on topic! If you decide to talk about Confession/Reconciliation; then Mary, the Pope, the Eucharist, etc. have no business in the discussion. Gently steer them back to the subject at hand.

Here are some various sites you will find useful if you decide to engage them in these discussions:
Bible Christian Society
Bible Truth for Baptists
Catholic Answers (duh)
Catholic Outlook
Envoy Magazine
Examining Protestantism
 
40.png
RichSpidizzy:
Bible Truth for Baptists
Click to expand...
Awesome site!!! Wish I discovered it sooner. Thanks a million:blessyou: !!!
 
need to “come to the Lord”.
Click to expand...
Tell them you did so long ago…and God knows of it. While they are sincere and concerned, they do not have the insight of GOD.

Kotton 🙂
 
I know many people outside the Church and talk to them often. When you can’t defend or explain your faith very well, that is really when they want to talk to you. It always seemed as if people talked the most against the Catholic faith when I didn’t know too much.

Now that I am able to explain some things and give them some good insight, it seems as if they really clam up and don’t want to talk about it. I would love to have anyone come up and want to discuss the Catholic faith, because it is so rich and beautiful. I never knew what I had until I left and came back to it. I wish I would have just stayed and spent all that time out of the Church in the Church, learning and participating.

There are many great things to read on this site to help you learn more and be able to explain your faith. It took me many, many years to get it in my hard head that the Catholic Church has the answers, they are out there.

My point is once you have learned how to explain your faith and people realize it, they get scared you might be right. Then they don’t want to listen, so all you can do is be an example, and let your actions do the evangelizing. Also they might not know that we read probably more of the Bible in Church than they do, it’s just that some Catholics get complacent and don’t realize it. We confess Jesus with our mouth that he is Lord and believe, each and every Sunday.

I just checked out that Bible Truth for Baptists site it is pretty good stuff.
 
Never argue! Keep a smile on your face. Anger and argument will only push them away.

Do your homework if you anticipate a discussion. That site for Baptists is great! It is good to have Biblical passages for Protestants.
<Bible Truth for Baptists >

Always ask what they think the Catholics believe first. They most likely do not know what Catholics believe. Let them ask first.
 
Have your read David Currie’s Born Christian, Born Agian Catholic? I thought this was a very helpful Book. Currie was a Baptist preacher, from a familiy of Baptist preachers. His parents taught at the Moody Institute, and ivory tower of Baptis propaganda.

I can’t remember which Bapist seminary he graduated from, but he and his family were motivated to convert to Catholicism through studying the Bible in depth over a period of time. The conversion created many social difficulties for him. The book explores his discovery of Catholic truths in the Bible, and was started as an attempt to explain to his friends and family what truths in Catholcism appealed to him and convinced him to convert. It might help you.

My father’s family is Baptist (from the foothills in GA; my father converted to Catholicism when I was about 10). I have a cousin studying to be a Baptist minister some where in Louisiana. The reason for choosing Louisiana…it has so many Catholics there ripe for being saved, and he and his wife wanted to work with the “missions” that convert Catholics while he was in school. THey thought “good environment for the family to get use to its new mission, or more accurately, the greater role that the mission would have on their lives in the future,” (he has two small children).

Dave Armstrong’s Catholic Verses: 95 Passages that Confound Protestants is suppose to be good too, to give background information for those engaged in dialogues with “Bible only” Christians. I have not read it yet.
 
This might be a suggestion coming from left-field, but you might consider sharing with them the riches and teachings of Theology of the Body.
I know of many Baptists that do not contracept and while I don’t know if they are Missionary Baptists, my thinking is that they are open to Theological talk about it. Put yourself in a position of teaching something that they might really agree with and would get them interested. Sort of like meeting where you all agree or might agree.

Also I agree with the other posters, try not to argue with them. I suggest that when talk about Jesus comes up, you and your husband heartily join in and talk of His relationship with you. Also don’t be shy to bring up talk about Jesus in situations. Just try to stick with topics that aren’t a direct challenge to them.
 
40.png
Tambilina:
Having been a Catholic for many years now and coming from a Lutheran upbringing, I now find myself faced with having to defend my Catholicism to family; my husband’s. Tho he converted a few years ago, he comes from a Missionary Baptist background. So, not only is he having to answer to his family, but I am, seemingly, the cause of his *sin *and need to “come to the Lord”. Quite frankly, I am at a loss at how to deal with these people in a kind and not so frustrating manner. Any suggestions? :confused:
Click to expand...
lots of good advice already.

sounds like you’re really in a sticky situation. we’ll be praying for you!
 
My advice would be to maintain the Catholic position in a calm loving manner. Do your homework and don’t let yourself get baited into an argument. Some of these types of people are incredules. Some wont listen to reason at all. Pray for them. Being in this enviornment is not easy. I’ve been there. The experience will no dought make you a stronger Catholic.
 
Hi and God bless. Converts deserve and need extra Graces for specifically reasons you site.

First as previously stated, the Example is absolutely supreme!

Second: Karl Keatings Book Catholicism and Fundamentalism will provide you tremedous insite to their motivation and what makes them tick (and poke at ya). It also is a GREAT resource to begin “learn to defend” since it will undoubtedly give you a preview of virually any question they will pose to you.

God Bless and Hang tough! Truth is on your side!
Ciao
Dano
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top