Is it morally okay to take down advertisements for other churches off a public bulletin board?

[Holly3278]

Hey everyone. My apartment building has a public bulletin board. Often there are advertisements and flyers on there for other churches. Some of these even advertise revivals and such. Since these other churches often promote false doctrine such as once saved always saved and the “prosperity gospel”, would it be moral to take them down and throw them away?

 

[LeafByNiggle]

If the bulletin board is provided by the apartment building as a benefit to the tenants, then that benefit “belongs” to the tenants. You could even say that part of their rent goes to pay for that benefit. So to take down flyers that some tenant may have put up is to steal from them a benefit that was theirs by right. Now if the rules of the bulletin board say that it is only for private use by the tenants, and you know for a fact that the flyers were placed there by someone outside of the apartment, then you could take them down without stealing any benefit.

But even if you could justifiably take them down, are you sure it is a good idea? Many who are now Catholic have come to the Church after being introduced to Christ through a Protestant church. Would you rather they attend the church of Sunday football on television?

 

[benidict]

Holly With all due respect. Remember, we do have a first ammendment to protect our religious speech. The protestant have just as much right to post in a public place as any one else. I would suggest you post a flyer from your parish. Who knows. It may bear some good fruit. Or even some pro life literarture may be a good idea. You never know who you may affect. Peace to you and yours.

 

[Pitcharan]

Hey everyone. My apartment building has a public bulletin board. Often there are advertisements and flyers on there for other churches. Some of these even advertise revivals and such. Since these other churches often promote false doctrine such as once saved always saved and the “prosperity gospel”, would it be moral to take them down and throw them away?

God in His infinite wisdom allowed Satan to tempt human beings; by the same wisdom He did not drive out all pagans from the land He gave to the Israeltes but allowed some to co-exist. (*"I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations Joshua left when he died. I will use them to test Israel and see whether they will keep the way of the LORD and walk in it as their ancestors did.” *Judges 2:21-22) By the same wisdom He is allowing fasle doctrines to exist. Please understand that “free choice” has no meaning if there is no way of going astray. That would amount to imposing salvation. Can you claim to follow Jesus by choice if there was no other choice?

 

[Holly3278]

Holly With all due respect. Remember, we do have a first ammendment to protect our religious speech. The protestant have just as much right to post in a public place as any one else. I would suggest you post a flyer from your parish. Who knows. It may bear some good fruit. Or even some pro life literarture may be a good idea. You never know who you may affect. Peace to you and yours.

Well, I know that we definitely have freedom of religious speech but even so, shouldn’t the general public be protected from false speech if it can be done legally? I mean, isn’t it similar to if Planned Parenthood were placing pamphlets on the bulletin board that promoted abortion? I don’t know for sure if it is similar or not since abortion is intrinsically evil and Protestantism is not though. But anyway, I can definitely see where you are coming from. I guess I am just a little bit confused.

 

[benidict]

Well, I know that we definitely have freedom of religious speech but even so, shouldn’t the general public be protected from false speech if it can be done legally? I mean, isn’t it similar to if Planned Parenthood were placing pamphlets on the bulletin board that promoted abortion? I don’t know for sure if it is similar or not since abortion is intrinsically evil and Protestantism is not though. But anyway, I can definitely see where you are coming from. I guess I am just a little bit confused.

Hi dear Sister. We have to be very careful. It was not to long ago, that we had a young man run for president, who many in the country did not think was qualified. Why? Because he was Catholic. People said he would take his marching orders from the Pope, Catholicism would become the state religion, and all other sorts of nonsense. This fine president, was none other than John F. Kennedy. I for one, am very much opposed to the teachings of protestantism. You know this. However, I always welcome the chance to take them on in the arena of public debate. The only way to protect from false speech, would be to have a totalitarian system in place. And even that, would only work to a degree. Were you aware rock music was banned in the old Soviet Union? Still people risked Jail, and harsh imprisonments to hear what they were saying. Your first ammendment rights are precious. I do sympathize with you, I have a lot of hatred for the ideology of the KKK for example. but I will defend to the death, their right to state what they believe. Even if I do find it mighty offensive. Peace

 

[valentino]

Holly2378: I would feel free to take them down but I wouldn’t make it obvious.This country must know the truth.This trend of believing one can find God through many different paths has been going on too long.I’t was ok to ignore these kinds of things in the past but we’ve gotten to the point where this nation as a whole is lost and doesn’t know which way to turn.By posting to go to various different churches or religious meetings or forums it just delays finding the truth.Many Catholics today aren’t even sure if they’ve got the truth.

 

[seagal]

Leave the posters there. Maybe Protestant denominations don’t have the full truth but they do have truth in them. They are Christians after all. But even if the posters were for Islam or B’hai or LDS, you should still leave them there. You don’t have the right to decide that only your voice should be heard in a public forum.

 

[JRKH]

Many good answers…
In general I’d say the only ones I’d be tempted to remove are the obviously flawed, non-trinitarian ones like JW’s or LDS…But given the responses here, even this view would be problematic.

Perhaps a better Idea would be to…Rather than subtract “God” from the Bulliten board by removing flyers…Why not ADD to God on the buliten board by placing something there advertizing the Catholic Church…specifically your parish.

Peace
James

 

[seagal]

Many good answers…
In general I’d say the only ones I’d be tempted to remove are the obviously flawed, non-trinitarian ones like JW’s or LDS…But given the responses here, even this view would be problematic.

Perhaps a better Idea would be to…Rather than subtract “God” from the Bulliten board by removing flyers…Why not ADD to God on the buliten board by placing something there advertizing the Catholic Church…specifically your parish.

Peace
James

 

[GraceDK]

Hey everyone. My apartment building has a public bulletin board. Often there are advertisements and flyers on there for other churches. Some of these even advertise revivals and such. Since these other churches often promote false doctrine such as once saved always saved and the “prosperity gospel”, would it be moral to take them down and throw them away?

The right response is to put up even nicer and bigger posters from your own church and its activities. You should be thankful that your Christian brothers are about evangelising people in society and don’t just sit passively in their churches.

Remember that there is one truth, Jesus Christ.

I’d be grateful to see Church advertisement on the bulletins I see in my daily life… You are blessed that the Christians are active in your area.
On our bulletins in public places we see 99 percent new age, yoga, reiki and other nonsense.

Evangelical posting is good. Catholic posting, even better.
Work together if you can.

 

[smichhertz]

Many good answers…
In general I’d say the only ones I’d be tempted to remove are the obviously flawed, non-trinitarian ones like JW’s or LDS…But given the responses here, even this view would be problematic.

Perhaps a better Idea would be to…Rather than subtract “God” from the Bulliten board by removing flyers…Why not ADD to God on the buliten board by placing something there advertizing the Catholic Church…specifically your parish.

Peace
James

Second!

 

[purplesunshine]

I’ve taken down a flyer before.

For a catholic church, infact.

Where I used to live litirgucal abuses were rampant. Some folks decided that a traddy mass would make eeeeeverything all better.

They were hypocritical jerks. They wouldn’t let me attend mass in kaki pants and a knit sweater becuase I was female. I was told I was not wearing appropriate atire for mass. Nevermind my only skirts are summer skirts. They were also rude because I choose not to “cover”…it’s not something I’m called to do. But their were LITERALLY tall grown men acting as guards to the church. I was not permitted inside. The same went for their Adoration. I was barred from entrance. I also witnessed a poor hyspanic worker (who obvously had come from a hard day at work) be denied time at adoration because he was wearing jeans…apparenly jeans are offensive to God, too.

Single people under 40 who were admitted were done so with a wary eye. The only people that seemed welcomed were old widdows and families with impeccibly dressed, robotic children numbering in the dozens. I’m not against big familys nicely dressed but it certinally was a disturbing way of treating anyone who was not in their “club”. When I finally gave up and left a older teen girl dressed in a long flower print that coverd every inch including neck and wrists told me that it was a sin to dress like a man.

I removed every flyer I encountered for the next few months. And I’ll never be sorry for it.

Unless these people are personally demeaning you, don’t do anything.

 

[JRKH]

The right response is to put up even nicer and bigger posters from your own church and its activities. You should be thankful that your Christian brothers are about evangelising people in society and don’t just sit passively in their churches.

Remember that there is one truth, Jesus Christ.

I’d be grateful to see Church advertisement on the bulletins I see in my daily life… You are blessed that the Christians are active in your area.
On our bulletins in public places we see 99 percent new age, yoga, reiki and other nonsense.

Evangelical posting is good. Catholic posting, even better.
Work together if you can.

Yes - there is another active thread about why catholics don’t evangelize, and this is an interesting example…Why did the OP think of removing other evangelistic postings, but not think to post her own for The Catholic Church…hhmmmmm

Holly - I’m not saying this as an attack on you…It’s just an interesting thing to note and something for us all to consider.

Peace
James

 

[mdrummer5]

Hey everyone. My apartment building has a public bulletin board. Often there are advertisements and flyers on there for other churches. Some of these even advertise revivals and such. Since these other churches often promote false doctrine such as once saved always saved and the “prosperity gospel”, would it be moral to take them down and throw them away?

What we as Catholics (or Catholic in training in my case) to be truth is a matter of faith which boils down to personal belief which boils down further to opinion. Even though we believe it’s “truth” it’s not your place to be disrespectful to other faiths by removing their flyers from what you describe as a public bulletin board.

 

[jpelham]

The right response is to put up even nicer and bigger posters from your own church and its activities. You should be thankful that your Christian brothers are about evangelising people in society and don’t just sit passively in their churches.

Remember that there is one truth, Jesus Christ.
…

Evangelical posting is good. Catholic posting, even better.
Work together if you can.

What would Athanasius have done, when passing the posting pillar in the public square, had he found notices/invitations to expressly Arian celebrations of the ‘Mass’?

If it were to Bacchant revelries or rites in the temple of Diana there could be no confusion. But the untutored assume that everyone claiming to be Christian has essentially the same message.

Would he have said Arian postings are good, Catholic even better? Protestantism is likewise heresy in the form of a decoy, an often marvelously enthusiastic one, and satan’s greatest coup thus far, its inability to deprive its adherents of genuinely salvific grace notwithstanding.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that any flyer touting the Protestant deception should be summarily removed. If you were to post Catholic replacements the Evangelicals would surely retaliate with zealous conviction. Still, that they are ‘good,’ more than a source of confusion, may be more generous than accurate.

But the world is always confused, and finally, “acts teach.” Perhaps the the best course of action is to devote yourself to more productive efforts. *Demonstrate *that the definitively Catholic evangelical spirit alone conveys the full and vital truth of God’s love for mankind.

 

[JRKH]

What would Athanasius have done, when passing the posting pillar in the public square, had he found notices/invitations to expressly Arian celebrations of the ‘Mass’?

If it were to Bacchant revelries or rites in the temple of Diana there could be no confusion. But the untutored assume that everyone claiming to be Christian has essentially the same message.

Would he have said Arian postings are good, Catholic even better? Protestantism is likewise heresy in the form of a decoy, an often marvelously enthusiastic one, and satan’s greatest coup thus far, its inability to deprive its adherents of genuinely salvific grace notwithstanding.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that any flyer touting the Protestant deception should be summarily removed. If you were to post Catholic replacements the Evangelicals would surely retaliate with zealous conviction. Still, that they are ‘good,’ more than a source of confusion, may be more generous than accurate.

But the world is always confused, and finally, “acts teach.” Perhaps the the best course of action is to devote yourself to more productive efforts. *Demonstrate *that the definitively Catholic evangelical spirit alone conveys the full and vital truth of God’s love for mankind.

Interesting points, but I think that we need to consider how the Church wishes us to approach our seperated brethren. My guess is that stealing their flyers would not be considered acceptable in todays church even if it was considered acceptable in the time of Athanasius.

Peace
James

 

[GraceDK]

What would Athanasius have done, when passing the posting pillar in the public square, had he found notices/invitations to expressly Arian celebrations of the ‘Mass’?

If it were to Bacchant revelries or rites in the temple of Diana there could be no confusion. But the untutored assume that everyone claiming to be Christian has essentially the same message.

Would he have said Arian postings are good, Catholic even better? Protestantism is likewise heresy in the form of a decoy, an often marvelously enthusiastic one, and satan’s greatest coup thus far, its inability to deprive its adherents of genuinely salvific grace notwithstanding.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that any flyer touting the Protestant deception should be summarily removed. If you were to post Catholic replacements the Evangelicals would surely retaliate with zealous conviction. Still, that they are ‘good,’ more than a source of confusion, may be more generous than accurate.

But the world is always confused, and finally, “acts teach.” Perhaps the the best course of action is to devote yourself to more productive efforts. *Demonstrate *that the definitively Catholic evangelical spirit alone conveys the full and vital truth of God’s love for mankind.

What Athanasius would do is of little importance since we have knowlege of what Jesus did when his disciples came and said: “Lord we have seen a man *who doesn’t walk with us *but who healing in Your Name… Should we tell them him stop?”
Jesus said: “Don’t hinder him. The one who is not against Me, is with Me.”

You say: "Protestantism is likewise heresy in the form of a decoy, an often marvelously enthusiastic one, and satan’s greatest coup thus far, its inability to deprive its adherents of genuinely salvific grace notwithstanding. "

This stands fully to your own account.
The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the Way and the Truth and the Life. Christ is our Lord. The Church is not… let us not divinise the Church.
Most Protestants can say Amen to the Creed and believe in the Bible which as I have heard, is sufficient means for salvific faith.
The Grace comes from Christ, mainly through faith in Him and baptism.

 

[Maureen1125]

Sounds to me like you are trying to limit people’s right to religion…there right to free will and to choose freely what is best for them. Just because the ad is for a religion or church other then your own DO NOT give you the right to remove it.

There is only 1 God and regardless of which religion you choose, in the end we are all still worshiping the same God

 

[jpelham]

Interesting points, but I think that we need to consider how the Church wishes us to approach our seperated brethren. My guess is that stealing their flyers would not be considered acceptable in todays church even if it was considered acceptable in the time of Athanasius.

Peace
James

Certainly. I suspect Athanasius would not advocate ‘stealing their flyers.’ Following the lead of previous postings, I would add a respectful, yet very frank Catholic flyer, and be sure above all to advertise by way of action.