Keeping Faith while on the Internet

[StJoseph8]

Many times when I search for Catholic videos on YouTube, there will always be some “documentary” titled something like FALSE TEACHINGS OF CATHOLICS or CHURCH IS EVIL . Also when I google for catholic resources for answers to questions, I will get the same anti-catholic titles in the searches. I know those things are wrong, and I ignore them to the best of my abilities, but there is always that nagging feeling of , “are they right?” . I push that out of my head, but those feelings still nag at me. I pray every day and thank God for bringing me into the Church (came in 2 Easter Vigils ago), but I am still extra-sensitive about these matters. What other things could be done to limit these nagging feelings? Thanks for any help.

 

[pianistclare]

Start creating for yourself a listing of good sites, blogs, authors, etc.

Often her on CAF people provide links to great resources. Start taking notes and when you have specific questions, GO THERE.

There is an extensive list of Catholic blogs online. There’s often good resource material there.
Also New Advent, EWTN, Word on Fire, etc.
I would stay away from YouTube. Everything there is available on these other sites and you don’t have to navigate the haters.

Welcome Home.
Never hesitate to ask for topic specific references here. The people are very generous and love to share their faves.

 

[LethalMouse]

Some of them sound good, but they don’t hold up. I have watched plenty, and in fact checking I ended up a practicing catholic lol… and I have watched them seeking to find their truth and not defend the faith

 

[Bill_Martin]

Remember that it’s basically Augustine, Aquinas, and other giants of theology and Western philosophy, the entire Magisterium of the Church, the Apostles, and Jesus Christ, vs some dude on YouTube…

 

[Billy112]

It seems as if you’re fairly convinced that they’re wrong, so I wouldn’t worry so much about simply seeing a link to them on the internet. It sounds as if you aren’t trying to leave the Church or discredit your faith, so you aren’t doing anything wrong. You wouldn’t sin by walking past somebody handing out anti-Catholic pamphlets on the street.

catholicculture.org/culture/reviews/

Anyways, you might find this useful. This is only about Catholic websites, but it will tell you which sites are OK and which sites are sedevacantist or unorthodox in any other way.

 

[AdorateDominum]

What other things could be done to limit these nagging feelings?

Anyone who thinks about these matters, to one extent or another, will have nagging feelings now and again. As Cardinal Ratzinger once pointed out, even the atheist who cultivates doubt has to respond to the question that rings in his head on occasion: but what if it’s true?

I would humbly recommend you keep a steady diet of apologetics. Read about little things here and there, things that may not necessarily be relevant to questions you might have or that you see raised. This will help you to see that there are very reasonable ways of approaching the Faith, and it will give you a human confidence in the Church.

The spiritual component is also important, since faith is a gift, and we can only dispose ourselves to it. I think the vast majority of us are in no way abandoning ourselves to God as we ought to. The more we do so, the closer to God we grow, and the more our sanctifying grace increases.

Living a Sacramental life, with regular Confession and regular reception of Holy Communion, are just the beginning. It is much harder to daily take up our cross, and this is where real Christianity exists. I think we would be surprised to see how much our supernatural faith would increase if we would only see God’s will in all things, seek to do it, and throw away our constant whining and complaining.

 

[kdbueno]

Faith can be learned but not on a series of divine levels. It must be based on pure divine and true Catechism.

 

[oldgraymare2]

Many times when I search for Catholic videos on YouTube, there will always be some “documentary” titled something like FALSE TEACHINGS OF CATHOLICS or CHURCH IS EVIL . Also when I google for catholic resources for answers to questions, I will get the same anti-catholic titles in the searches. I know those things are wrong, and I ignore them to the best of my abilities, but there is always that nagging feeling of , “are they right?” . I push that out of my head, but those feelings still nag at me. I pray every day and thank God for bringing me into the Church (came in 2 Easter Vigils ago), but I am still extra-sensitive about these matters. What other things could be done to limit these nagging feelings? Thanks for any help.

I agree with pianistclare’s post, regarding website resources.

Another thing that you can do is to take advantage of any parish classes/resources that would be beneficial for you. For example, Bible Study classes.

If you’re in a certain age group, Youth Group or Young Adult activities at your parish–anything that can help to nourish your faith.

What can also help your faith is to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, or to have it on hand to refer to, as a reference when you need it.

It’s available online if you don’t have an actual hard copy of it, but it’s also both available in paperback and hardcover if you would like to get an actual copy of it, too.

Another good website for a reference is the Vatican’s website, too:

w2.vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html

 

[adamhovey1988]

Do what I do (although it varies), make blogs and videos countering their arguments. I don’t bother watching them because I have seen them; they are very predictable.