Is there a scriptural basis for defending your faith rationally?

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Lost_Wanderer

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I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
 
The first verse that comes to my mind is? 1 Peter 3:15 Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone whos asks you for a reason for your hope.

But for those in your face fundamentalist, you would probably be wasting your breath trying to reason with them. 😦
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
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How about this from 1st Peter 3?

[8] Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love of the brethren, a tender heart and a humble mind.
[9] Do not return evil for evil or reviling for reviling; but on the contrary bless, for to this you have been called, that you may obtain a blessing.
[10] For “He that would love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking guile;
[11] let him turn away from evil and do right;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
[12] For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.”
[13] Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is right?
[14] But even if you do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,
[15] but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;
[16] and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.
[17] For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God’s will, than for doing wrong.
 
Hi,
Code: 
  Religious fundamentalist have a lot of faith but no one will accept their message because they are forcing the truth of faith on others.   The truth to them is a hammer you hit people with.

   Liberal fundamentalists have a lot of love but none of the truth that come from faith.  The truth hurts sometimes and they can't bear hurting anyone so avoid truth.

   I use John 15:12 (Douay Rheim Bible) with religious fanatics. "This is my commandment, that you love one another , as I have loved you."   How did Jesus love us?  Jesus loved us and told us the truth.

   Religious fanatics mix some love and concern for others with the truths of faith you are preaching.  Liberal fanatics mix some faith with the love you want us to have for each other.
God Bless,

Ernie
 
ernie67 said:
Hi,
Code: 
  Religious fundamentalist have a lot of faith but no one will accept their message because they are forcing the truth of faith on others.   The truth to them is a hammer you hit people with.

   Liberal fundamentalists have a lot of love but none of the truth that come from faith.  The truth hurts sometimes and they can't bear hurting anyone so avoid truth.

   I use John 15:12 (Douay Rheim Bible) with religious fanatics. "This is my commandment, that you love one another , as I have loved you."   How did Jesus love us?  Jesus loved us and told us the truth.

   Religious fanatics mix some love and concern for others with the truths of faith you are preaching.  Liberal fanatics mix some faith with the love you want us to have for each other.
God Bless,

Ernie
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Ernie, I think you paint the n-Cs with a bit too wide of a brush. They are not all like that (Thanks Be To God!)
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
Click to expand...
What were the topics these preachers were preaching on?
 
Oh just things like evolution, literal Bible interpretations, just the things that show that fundamentalism is intellectual suicide. :rolleyes:
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
Click to expand...
It’s difficult, at best. The Bible, as part of the early Church, was written at a time when the Church was struggling for its survival, and was just embarking on its long journey to where it is today. Therefore, the Bible couldn’t have been crafted in such a way as to support the Catholic Church as we know it today. Accordingly, scripture can be easily manipulated by Fundies to serve as a weapon employed against Catholicism, when in fact it has always been a vital part of it. 😦
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
Click to expand...
Yes, there is a scriptural basis for defending the Fath rationally, and that is “I am the Truth” and “the Spirit of Truth will come and lead you into all truths”. God is the Truth. Jesus is God. Jesus is the Truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; therefore, He is the Spirit of Truth. The Truth cannot decieve nor be decieved, or else there’s nothing true. The Truth can only lead to truths, and that is why those who seek the truth can only arrive at Jesus Christ, the absolute Truth, the very Truth itself. (However, the seekers may not recognize Christ - not because He decieves them but because they don’t know Him) So, since the Faith is based on the Truth, there can be nothing in or of the Faith that is irrational or illogical, even if the world with its maxims thinks so.
 
Nickkname said:
Yes, there is a scriptural basis for defending the Fath rationally, and that is “I am the Truth” and “the Spirit of Truth will come and lead you into all truths”. God is the Truth. Jesus is God. Jesus is the Truth. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God; therefore, He is the Spirit of Truth. The Truth cannot decieve nor be decieved, or else there’s nothing true. The Truth can only lead to truths, and that is why those who seek the truth can only arrive at Jesus Christ, the absolute Truth, the very Truth itself. (However, the seekers may not recognize Christ - not because He decieves them but because they don’t know Him) So, since the Faith is based on the Truth, there can be nothing in or of the Faith that is irrational or illogical, even if the world with its maxims thinks so.
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Well… not exactly what I was looking for. But it’s good advice. Thanks, although I’d rather wish you’d have told it to me on a more appropriate thread. :o
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
Click to expand...
I don’t know if it helps in the areas you’re looking for, but a couple passages Romans come to mind:

Romans 1:20 Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse;

Romans 2:14 When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves.2:15 They show that what the law requires is written on their hearts,

They show that it’s possible to discover and believe what is true by using one’s own reasoning. This of course does not cover all areas of faith doctrine.

Btw, it’s not only fundamentalists who don’t believe in evolution (human from animal from…). I don’t.
 
I fell into following literalist / fundamentalist ideas for about two or three months in 2011, and pretty much all I got was a very bad case of OCD/scruples (although it may have helped me overcome attachment to desires; but I do not recommend becoming literalist in order to overcome attachment to desires). I even came close to screaming out stuff like “repent or you are doomed” in school :eek:.

One thing that kept me from confronting people / forcing people to convert is how Jesus often, after performing miracles, tells the miracle recipient to not tell anyone else about Him (in other cases Jesus tells the miracle-given person to go into nearby cities and yell out stuff like “repent or you are doomed”; such is probably the origin of confrontation preaching). I was never sure whether I was supposed to yell out or be quiet, and so I just always ended up being quiet (thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit :))

Also, as far as I have heard, the main way Catholics spread the faith is by being good examples of moral people; how do literalist / fundamentalists respond to that?

I’m not sure if this answers the original post’s question, though.
 
One problem is that a lot of Protestant churches don’t accept the Book of Wisdom as a Bible book. “You have ordered all things in measure and number and weight.” (Wis. 11:21) is a classic verse for understanding God and His Creation rationally.

But that doesn’t matter. If your person believes in Jesus the Word, that “Word” is “Logos” in Greek. And “Logos” also means order and logic. That’s not surprising, since Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light. He’s not interested in kerfuddling things.

Now, there are times when we don’t see God’s logic, or can’t comprehend God’s logic, because we don’t have all the pieces. But God is honest and true. He’s not playing games with us and trying to mix us up. The Holy Spirit wants to help us remember and understand God’s Word. The Father has always been revealing Himself to us, more and more.

God made us rational beings. He wants us to understand as much as we can.
 
How about changing the focus and figuring out where you can connect, where your views are the same? I don’t know where it is in the bible, but I believe that Jesus didn’t want dissent amongst his followers.

I work as a hairdresser, and when someone gets into religion and Protestant views, I always become more gentle and say that we agree that Christ is our Savior and that’s enough for me.

Have you ever changed an adult’s mind about his or her religious beliefs?

Best wishes,
Frankie
 
Remember that while some do it out of pride many do it out of actual concern for you. That being said you can go back and forth all day quoting the bible to each other but if they are basing arguments on a poor translation in English then you don’t usually get anywhere fast. Before I let anyone tell me how to interpret the bible I ask what their authority is to interpret. If I listen to everyone I’ll get 30,000 plus different opinions and every single one will quote the bible out of context to prove it. It doesn’t give me a warm fuzzy feeling if their interpretation involves beliefs that nobody held until the last few hundred years.
 
Lost_Wanderer said:
I’m just looking for a good rebuttal to fundamentalists who insist on preaching in the typical fanatical and confrontational way that more often than not turns people away from Christ and make Christians look like idiots. 🤓
Click to expand...
…it always amazes me when I come across people who think that God is death or that they must speak at the top of their lungs so that God can single-them out as good stewards…

…conversely, there are some who believe that the louder they are the more intelligent or sound their argument is… go figure! :banghead:

…there is one very specific passage where St. Paul calls the Church to order:

for God is a God not of disorder but of peace. (1 Corinthials 14:33a)

Maran atha!

Angel
 
toasted_bagel said:
I fell into following literalist / fundamentalist ideas for about two or three months in 2011, and pretty much all I got was a very bad case of OCD/scruples (although it may have helped me overcome attachment to desires; but I do not recommend becoming literalist in order to overcome attachment to desires). I even came close to screaming out stuff like “repent or you are doomed” in school :eek:.

One thing that kept me from confronting people / forcing people to convert is how Jesus often, after performing miracles, tells the miracle recipient to not tell anyone else about Him (in other cases Jesus tells the miracle-given person to go into nearby cities and yell out stuff like “repent or you are doomed”; such is probably the origin of confrontation preaching). I was never sure whether I was supposed to yell out or be quiet, and so I just always ended up being quiet (thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit :))

Also, as far as I have heard, the main way Catholics spread the faith is by being good examples of moral people; how do literalist / fundamentalists respond to that?

I’m not sure if this answers the original post’s question, though.
Click to expand...
**…if we go by Scriputures… there are very few exaples… but they are extremely great:

…Jesus sends His disciples ahead of Him to prepare the Way; He warns them not to take anything with them other than what they are wearing; they are instructed to go in twos and to preach to the people about the Kingdom of God being at hand. Jesus further instructs that they must seek a household whose family are outstanding citizens (not the wealthiest) and that they are to remain in that house during their entire stay (I believe Jesus wanted to make sure that His disciples did not seek preferred treatment–wealthy over the poor); nope, no Command to shout “doom!”

Conversely when John and his brother commented about the people who refused their preaching (thusly refusing Christ Himself)… they were seeking His permission to cause the people harm (they were going to accept Jesus—even if they died in the processes!

Needless to say… Jesus did not go along with such extremist plans!

Maran atha!

Angel**
 
alfafemme said:
How about changing the focus and figuring out where you can connect, where your views are the same? I don’t know where it is in the bible, but I believe that Jesus didn’t want dissent amongst his followers.

I work as a hairdresser, and when someone gets into religion and Protestant views, I always become more gentle and say that we agree that Christ is our Savior and that’s enough for me.

Have you ever changed an adult’s mind about his or her religious beliefs?

Best wishes,
Frankie
Click to expand...
**…the problem with many non-Catholic ecumenical experiments is that the welcome mat is surprisingly deceitful since Catholics must, for the most part, rid ourselves of everything Catholic and embrace every and all non-Catholic theology–sadly, it seems that the more “cultured/modern” Catholics readily embrace ecumenism to such degree that they even reject the Church’s Teachings outright! (check the obamanation fiasco)

Maran atha!

Angel**
 
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