NFP as evangelistic tool?

[janelle]

My SIL recently told me that she and her husband have decided that ABC is wrong, and they will trust God to decide how many kids they will have. I don’t think they used the Bible to decide this, but felt it was more of a natural law.

We’ve talked a little bit about NFP, and I’d like to use it as a bridge to help them consider what else the Catholic Church might have right. They’re currently attending a Baptist church. They aren’t anti-Catholic, but they think we’re being misled. Two days after we told them we were becoming Catholic, they said they had prayed about it and looked at a few websites, and Catholicism “just feels wrong and creepy” to them.

Has anyone been able to use NFP as an evangelistic tool? Any ideas for me? Any books I should get them for Christmas?

Thanks,
Janelle

 

[SemperJase]

janelle:

they said they had prayed about it and looked at a few websites, and Catholicism “just feels wrong and creepy” to them.

Has anyone been able to use NFP as an evangelistic tool? Any ideas for me? Any books I should get them for Christmas?

It seems to me that using NFP in an evangelical sense is “creepy”.
I just don’t see the reason to advertise one’s sex life. I’m not sure how that would work.

Then again, I’m one for keeping everyone else (including the church) out of the marital bedroom.

 

[DJgang]

This may come as a surprise…but I learned of NFP from someone that I went to high school with. She was a non-denominational, more like Church of God (if you know what that is). People are becoming more aware of ABC and its effects.

As for evangelistic tool…well, I don’t really think that NFP might bring couples to the Catholic church in and of itself. Again, there are alot of Protestants who no longer use ABC and use NFP, forgot to mention that my SIL and brother do now…they too are non-denominational.

I think it’s more of …can’t keep a good thing down. Let me explain. A lot of Protestants are starting to reconize Lent, Advent, All Saints Day and many other “traditional” type of religious “stuff”…it’s funny to hear someone Protestant talk about 40 days of Purpose… and when you mention Lent, they say “what?” So, in a round about way…tradition is finding its way to the Protestants and I wonder if they even know it. Even some Protestant churches are starting to have the Lord’s Supper evey Sunday…again, can’t keep a good thing down.

Don’t be surprised when and if you start coming across more and more couple who are using NFP and are not Catholic. But I think it may be a opportunity for you to talk your Catholic Faith…maybe even compare their 40 days of Purpose aka Lent, their day set aside for the deceased aka All Saints, etc to let them know…hey maybe Catholic aren’t as “creepy” as they think.

Boy, I sure hope I expressed myself good. It’s late! and I’m sleepy…:yawn:

 

[1ke]

janelle:

My SIL recently told me that she and her husband have decided that ABC is wrong, and they will trust God to decide how many kids they will have. I don’t think they used the Bible to decide this, but felt it was more of a natural law.

We’ve talked a little bit about NFP, and I’d like to use it as a bridge to help them consider what else the Catholic Church might have right. They’re currently attending a Baptist church. They aren’t anti-Catholic, but they think we’re being misled. Two days after we told them we were becoming Catholic, they said they had prayed about it and looked at a few websites, and Catholicism “just feels wrong and creepy” to them.

Has anyone been able to use NFP as an evangelistic tool? Any ideas for me? Any books I should get them for Christmas?

Thanks,
Janelle

The website www.omsoul.com has good resources.

Books I’d suggest specifically about NFP and Catholic sexual ethics include The Art Of Natural Family Planning by the Kippleys and Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn as well as The Good News About Sex and Marriage by Christopher West.

 

[aterrell]

SemperJase:

It seems to me that using NFP in an evangelical sense is “creepy”.
I just don’t see the reason to advertise one’s sex life. I’m not sure how that would work.

Then again, I’m one for keeping everyone else (including the church) out of the marital bedroom.

Well this is not a very Catholic attitude… The Church was given to us by Christ to guide us. By keeping the Church out of any area of your life, you are keeping Christ out of that area.

 

[aterrell]

I know that my first step toward the Church came from learning about NFP and the Church’s teachings on artificial birth control. I just started wondering, hmmm… if they are right about this, what else could they be right about? It really said something to me that the Catholic Church is the only church that stayed with the teaching against ABC when others slowly one by one gave into the contraceptive mentality.

From reading “Home Sweet Home” by Scott Hahn, it seems that his wife Kimberly had a similar experience.

One good evangelistic tool is the cd by Dr. Janet Smith (I think that is correct) that comes in the CCL NFP package when you take the class. I think it is just called “Birth Control: Why Not?” I’m sure you can order it from the CCL website. It doesn’t promote Catholism per se… But has some good points in there if I remember correctly about Church teachings and why…

 

[janelle]

aterrell:

I know that my first step toward the Church came from learning about NFP and the Church’s teachings on artificial birth control. I just started wondering, hmmm… if they are right about this, what else could they be right about? It really said something to me that the Catholic Church is the only church that stayed with the teaching against ABC when others slowly one by one gave into the contraceptive mentality.

This is what I’m hoping will happen with my SIL. Thanks for the encouragement!

1ke:

The website www.omsoul.com has good resources.

Books I’d suggest specifically about NFP and Catholic sexual ethics include The Art Of Natural Family Planning by the Kippleys and Life Giving Love by Kimberly Hahn as well as The Good News About Sex and Marriage by Christopher West.

I’ll check these out; maybe one or two will be perfect for Christmas.

DJgang:

I think it’s more of …can’t keep a good thing down. Let me explain. A lot of Protestants are starting to reconize Lent, Advent, All Saints Day and many other “traditional” type of religious “stuff”…it’s funny to hear someone Protestant talk about 40 days of Purpose… and when you mention Lent, they say “what?” So, in a round about way…tradition is finding its way to the Protestants and I wonder if they even know it. Even some Protestant churches are starting to have the Lord’s Supper evey Sunday…again, can’t keep a good thing down.

Good point! Last year our protestant church celebrated Lent quite officially, and almost everyone loved it.