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NathanCarson
Guest
I’ve only been catholic for a year now, but I honestly am forgetting what it’s like to be on the other side of that never ending conversation. You know the one I’m talking about. The dialogue of faith.
I try my best to live my faith rather than use my words, but sometimes I must discuss. Like Paul (and many others) the Holy Spirit compels me. I just can’t not talk about it.
I find, however, that usually ends up with me having to humble myself. Which I think is very important, but where does humility end and preaching the gospel begin. Before I was catholic, even before I was christian, people were very open to what I had to say. They would always build with me and share in good discussions. That is if the discussions were started, unfortunately they were hard to find. Most people find examing such things, especially self-examination, hard to take.
I greatly looked forward to when the next discussion would take place. Give and take of what we could both share. I am confused as to why this is so hard among the christian community. The second a non-catholic realizes I’m catholic (whether they consider me a brother in Christ or not) they instantly shut their minds. They get very defensive. As if I’m attacking them. I remember feeling this way when people would speak about Jesus to me but I really don’t believe I am doing quite the same thing. Catholics didn’t usually preach to me. It was usually protestants who didn’t fully understand the gospel, and it was the truth of the bible I was searching for which offended me so much. Aside from my definite guilt/sin.
Tonight I simply tried to discuss a bible story with a new friend of mine and she instantly jumped in a defensive stance explaining her faith. Feeling it necessary to address things I hadn’t even begun to accuse her of. I was not even able to speak. I had to just sit there and listen to her. Which made her even more uneasy.
I used to preach to people and they would really just be stuck there listening to me, it was strange. They would stare back at me with hatred yet when I confronted them with what I was seeing they acted as if they were unaware. I preached to this man once for so long he got real paranoid. He said he felt like he was stoned on marijuana. He took off.
I think I can answer my own question now. As it’s already been answered.
“fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom”
anyway, what do others think about this?
I try my best to live my faith rather than use my words, but sometimes I must discuss. Like Paul (and many others) the Holy Spirit compels me. I just can’t not talk about it.
I find, however, that usually ends up with me having to humble myself. Which I think is very important, but where does humility end and preaching the gospel begin. Before I was catholic, even before I was christian, people were very open to what I had to say. They would always build with me and share in good discussions. That is if the discussions were started, unfortunately they were hard to find. Most people find examing such things, especially self-examination, hard to take.
I greatly looked forward to when the next discussion would take place. Give and take of what we could both share. I am confused as to why this is so hard among the christian community. The second a non-catholic realizes I’m catholic (whether they consider me a brother in Christ or not) they instantly shut their minds. They get very defensive. As if I’m attacking them. I remember feeling this way when people would speak about Jesus to me but I really don’t believe I am doing quite the same thing. Catholics didn’t usually preach to me. It was usually protestants who didn’t fully understand the gospel, and it was the truth of the bible I was searching for which offended me so much. Aside from my definite guilt/sin.
Tonight I simply tried to discuss a bible story with a new friend of mine and she instantly jumped in a defensive stance explaining her faith. Feeling it necessary to address things I hadn’t even begun to accuse her of. I was not even able to speak. I had to just sit there and listen to her. Which made her even more uneasy.
I used to preach to people and they would really just be stuck there listening to me, it was strange. They would stare back at me with hatred yet when I confronted them with what I was seeing they acted as if they were unaware. I preached to this man once for so long he got real paranoid. He said he felt like he was stoned on marijuana. He took off.
I think I can answer my own question now. As it’s already been answered.
“fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom”
anyway, what do others think about this?