Is it necessary to defend your belief in God or your belief in the Holy Catholic Church

[Linusthe2nd]

I ask these questions because some people feel like they should be able to convince others that God exists and/or that their faith that the Holy Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ is true.

First of all you will not be able to convince everyone that either one is true. This is so because some people are not open to the truth. For one reason or another they either cannot or do not want to see the truth. Also a lot of people are not very good at explaining things like this, either because they lack the necessary training and education or because they do not possess the facility or ability to do so.

What I want to stress is that you should not feel inadequate if you are unable to convince scoffers. Give the best account you can and let it go. You never have to justify you faith in God’s existence nor your faith in the Catholic Church. The reasons you have for your faith are good for you so protect it, live it, be thankful for it. If others are badgering you, just tell them you are sorry they feel the way they do and go about your business.

 

[grasscutter]

I agree with not being able to make others believe in God. Sadly, in modern society, many people don’t generally seem to give any thought to anything beyond the secular and material. My own little way of evangelizing is just to, once in a while, casually mention my faith and, the rest of the time, try (my best - even though I often fall short) to be an example of Christian love.

 

[mymamamary]

If you are challenged, yes.

I know, I have debated atheists many a time. I have “pro” expierence. However, you can’t, as you are right, eliminate that stressful feeling. I still have it, when I am confronted and start a debate. My tummy clenchs up, breathing becomes faster and I am a lot more sensitive. Not a good way to debate, but I still win them all. My policy is “Ok Atheist, fine, you wanna debate, Im gonna tear your arguement apart and won’t leave till your arguement is in the dust”. Which is what ends up happening, and then I do a little fist pump inside. Philosophy especially has refined my debating skills, so now, I am less likely to use a logical fallacy, if at all, and still win, so its more of a intellectual victory.

I understand debating can be stressful, been there, felt that, still do when I debate. However, Just say a prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas to help you give an answer that will confound the other. Its a tactic I will start using!!

Also, please realise, that if you win or lose the debate (Which I am lucky to have consistently pulled a Win from), The Catholic Faith is still true. I might recommend some research on atheism, their common atheistic “Apologetics”, Catholic responses, TRUE Church History (because they will love to pin us with the inquistion and crusades, just pin them back with stalin, pol pot and mao zse dong, that oughta quiet the crowd) and some philosophy with a little science, particularly quantum physics and A Creator based Creation and the odds for that happening (Which btw, are MUCH higher than a universe created out of chance and for no reason)

 

[MidnightSun12]

I ask these questions because some people feel like they should be able to convince others that God exists and/or that their faith that the Holy Catholic Church is the Church founded by Christ is true.

First of all you will not be able to convince everyone that either one is true. This is so because some people are not open to the truth. For one reason or another they either cannot or do not want to see the truth. Also a lot of people are not very good at explaining things like this, either because they lack the necessary training and education or because they do not possess the facility or ability to do so.

What I want to stress is that you should not feel inadequate if you are unable to convince scoffers. Give the best account you can and let it go. You never have to justify you faith in God’s existence nor your faith in the Catholic Church. The reasons you have for your faith are good for you so protect it, live it, be thankful for it. If others are badgering you, just tell them you are sorry they feel the way they do and go about your business.

I think it’s essential for us to be spreading the faith. In fact, if we are not spreading the faith in our daily lives then we could be putting our souls at risk (through sins of omission).

As Catholics we have knowledge of the true path for getting to heaven. The path to heaven for a person who is outside the Catholic Church is vastly more cumbersome and, out of love for these individuals, we must be trying to bring them into the faith so that they can have the best chances for reaching heaven as well.

Our job when we spread/defend the faith is to plant the seed for conversion. It may be the case that the person you are talking to has absolutely no intention, whatsoever, to convert at this point in their lives. That said, years down the road, when this person is on their death bed maybe they will think back to your conversation with them and how well you explained the faith. Your conversation with him/her could have been this person’s only exposure that they ever got to the Catholic faith.

This is even more important in today’s world where the Catholic faith is being so poorly explained even from the pulpit. It’s not enough to just tell people that we don’t use contraception because it’s against the rules… we have to explain why the Church teaches what it does and how that helps us to live more joyfully in both this life and the next.

God bless

 

[Linusthe2nd]

If you are challenged, yes.

I know, I have debated atheists many a time. I have “pro” expierence. However, you can’t, as you are right, eliminate that stressful feeling. I still have it, when I am confronted and start a debate. My tummy clenchs up, breathing becomes faster and I am a lot more sensitive. Not a good way to debate, but I still win them all. My policy is “Ok Atheist, fine, you wanna debate, Im gonna tear your arguement apart and won’t leave till your arguement is in the dust”. Which is what ends up happening, and then I do a little fist pump inside. Philosophy especially has refined my debating skills, so now, I am less likely to use a logical fallacy, if at all, and still win, so its more of a intellectual victory.

I understand debating can be stressful, been there, felt that, still do when I debate. However, Just say a prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas to help you give an answer that will confound the other. Its a tactic I will start using!!

Also, please realise, that if you win or lose the debate (Which I am lucky to have consistently pulled a Win from), The Catholic Faith is still true. I might recommend some research on atheism, their common atheistic “Apologetics”, Catholic responses, TRUE Church History (because they will love to pin us with the inquistion and crusades, just pin them back with stalin, pol pot and mao zse dong, that oughta quiet the crowd) and some philosophy with a little science, particularly quantum physics and A Creator based Creation and the odds for that happening (Which btw, are MUCH higher than a universe created out of chance and for no reason)

Now you wouldn’t be engaging in a little " puffing " would you? The point of my post is that I wanted to assure those who are less gifted that they do not have to justify themselves to anyone, that they should not doubt their faith just because they are unable to answer those who raise objections.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I think it’s essential for us to be spreading the faith. In fact, if we are not spreading the faith in our daily lives then we could be putting our souls at risk (through sins of omission).

As Catholics we have knowledge of the true path for getting to heaven. The path to heaven for a person who is outside the Catholic Church is vastly more cumbersome and, out of love for these individuals, we must be trying to bring them into the faith so that they can have the best chances for reaching heaven as well.

Our job when we spread/defend the faith is to plant the seed for conversion. It may be the case that the person you are talking to has absolutely no intention, whatsoever, to convert at this point in their lives. That said, years down the road, when this person is on their death bed maybe they will think back to your conversation with them and how well you explained the faith. Your conversation with him/her could have been this person’s only exposure that they ever got to the Catholic faith.

This is even more important in today’s world where the Catholic faith is being so poorly explained even from the pulpit. It’s not enough to just tell people that we don’t use contraception because it’s against the rules… we have to explain why the Church teaches what it does and how that helps us to live more joyfully in both this life and the next.

God bless

Yes, but the point is that there are those who are not able to do as you say. And I wanted to assure them that they were O.K. in God’s eyes, that they do not have to justify themselves to anyone, God is happy with them if they hold tight to the faith inspite of their lack of facility against clever scoffers.

 

[mymamamary]

Now you wouldn’t be engaging in a little " puffing " would you? The point of my post is that I wanted to assure those who are less gifted that they do not have to justify themselves to anyone, that they should not doubt their faith just because they are unable to answer those who raise objections.

Of course, as my post said, If you win or lose the debate, please KNOW that Your Faith is still true. Trust me, I had to do a lot of late night facebook debates, debates with friends at school, (some tense moments) for me to know what I now know.

However, please note, that Even if you cannot respond to the objections, The Catholic Faith is STILL THE TRUE and ONLY TRUE FAITH!!

DO NOT LET YOUR FAITH BE SHAKEN!!

 

[Linusthe2nd]

Of course, as my post said, If you win or lose the debate, please KNOW that Your Faith is still true. Trust me, I had to do a lot of late night facebook debates, debates with friends at school, (some tense moments) for me to know what I now know.

However, please note, that Even if you cannot respond to the objections, The Catholic Faith is STILL THE TRUE and ONLY TRUE FAITH!!

DO NOT LET YOUR FAITH BE SHAKEN!!

That’s better.

 

[mymamamary]

That’s better.

Not everyone can be a St. Paul in terms of Loud and Boldness. Some people are shy. Please note, if you cannot refute a statement that the opposition makes, what I find helps is I research it immeditaely after the debate or during it if its online, and I find out just how “valid” of a claim it is…

I hope this advice helps too!!

 

[fred_conty]

In my not so humble opinion or my proudfull opinion, is that there is no gumball that fits everyone.

Prayers
Explainations
Holiness

and anything in between will help.

And as “Dirty Harry” once said, “A man has got to know his liminations.”

“Dirty Harry” dosen’t get enough credit.