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mozier
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But at the same time, I do not see the need, or the point, of defending the Roman Catholic faith to heretics who hate our faith and attack it without mercy.
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TamaraS
Guest
mozier- Maybe you could have been a little more charitable, but I completely understand. I feel the same way. I will never stop defending the Catholic church, and I will always try to do it with charity. But I decided awhile back that the burden of proof is on them, not me. When questions come at me from people I know I will always try to give them the answer, but I will not allow myself to feel like I have to prove something to folks like that anymore. It has given me more peace.
By the way- here’s a quote I love- “Preach the Gospel at all times… if necessary use words” (hope that’s how it goes!)
St. Francis of Assisi
By the way- here’s a quote I love- “Preach the Gospel at all times… if necessary use words” (hope that’s how it goes!)
St. Francis of Assisi
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aurora77
Guest
I understand where you’re coming from; I’ve been asked if I was saved one too many times and I know your frustration. My advice would be to avoid discussing your religion with people you don’t know well. I have several protestants that I talk religion with, and we approach things from a mutual respect so it’s OK. I’m not advocating hiding your faith; I wear my crucifix proudly outside my shirt, but there’s a time and a place for certain discussions.
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RiverRock
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Yes, lets, shall we? So when are you going to unite under Christ in the Church HE started and come home to the REAL Church? Can’t quite leave that “ear ticklin” religion? You belong to a “bible only church” or an entertainment based mega-church with theaters and coffee shops?
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the_phoenix
Guest
Hail and well met, allhers!
Many thanks for posting the prayer to St. Peter. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen on the forum all day. Am posting to this thread both to compliment you and also so that I’ll be better able to find this thread and this prayer.
~~ the phoenix
Many thanks for posting the prayer to St. Peter. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen on the forum all day. Am posting to this thread both to compliment you and also so that I’ll be better able to find this thread and this prayer.
~~ the phoenix
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Church_Militant
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I suspect that most all of you know me at least somewhat and so you know that I don’t play when it comes to the defense of the faith, right?
That said… I can well understand Mozier’s distress because I’ve had my days when I have felt the same way.
Apologetics can be tough. That’s just the way it is guys…
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But** (You all knew there was one of these comin’, right?) given the vehement and vitriolic nature of some of the folks who “witness” to me and other Catholics and the level of lies and (apparently) deliberate deception/misinformation that is used to attack Catholic belief and practice it becomes very frustrating to deal with…especially since the Catholic Church has been answering these new winds of doctrine for the last 500 years…
As most of us have seen again and again, there are great answers to non-Catholic questions and assertions right here in the main page Library but few of those who post “questions” seem to bother to access them. Instead they post their rhetoric on the forums and in many cases do so with very thinly veiled efforts to evangelize Catholics away from our most holy faith.
These are the facts of life IMO.
I try real hard to be charitable in all my dealings with those I talk to. Sometimes it’s really hard, especially when they are not charitable themselves. In the end I tend to just blow off those who just want to argue or bash the church and spend my time more in talking to those non-Catholics (like my friend SinginBeauty up there) who are interested in actually talking about our faith and not out to evangelize us.
I won’t ever back down from apologetics and the defense of the faith. It comes with the turf…
Just kick back, take a long deep breath and offer a smile…then get back in the trenches.
Pax vobiscum,
That said… I can well understand Mozier’s distress because I’ve had my days when I have felt the same way.
Apologetics can be tough. That’s just the way it is guys…
**
But** (You all knew there was one of these comin’, right?) given the vehement and vitriolic nature of some of the folks who “witness” to me and other Catholics and the level of lies and (apparently) deliberate deception/misinformation that is used to attack Catholic belief and practice it becomes very frustrating to deal with…especially since the Catholic Church has been answering these new winds of doctrine for the last 500 years…
As most of us have seen again and again, there are great answers to non-Catholic questions and assertions right here in the main page Library but few of those who post “questions” seem to bother to access them. Instead they post their rhetoric on the forums and in many cases do so with very thinly veiled efforts to evangelize Catholics away from our most holy faith.
These are the facts of life IMO.
I try real hard to be charitable in all my dealings with those I talk to. Sometimes it’s really hard, especially when they are not charitable themselves. In the end I tend to just blow off those who just want to argue or bash the church and spend my time more in talking to those non-Catholics (like my friend SinginBeauty up there) who are interested in actually talking about our faith and not out to evangelize us.
I won’t ever back down from apologetics and the defense of the faith. It comes with the turf…
Just kick back, take a long deep breath and offer a smile…then get back in the trenches.
Pax vobiscum,
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josiecoe
Guest
Great thread!
There is a time to tip the tables over and show, with force, the conviction that you bring.
I very much appreciate the angle and tact that you brought …(not always and everywhere) we are making progress for God when we are upset FOR HIM (not ourselves).
We are making progress when we think ‘outside the box’ tacticaly.
It is incumbent to ask “Why don’t you believe in these fundimental things” that are somewhat obvious to Catholics.
Cheers to you for your wonderful excitment (Just not always and everywhere)
May almighty God bless you
There is a time to tip the tables over and show, with force, the conviction that you bring.
I very much appreciate the angle and tact that you brought …(not always and everywhere) we are making progress for God when we are upset FOR HIM (not ourselves).
We are making progress when we think ‘outside the box’ tacticaly.
It is incumbent to ask “Why don’t you believe in these fundimental things” that are somewhat obvious to Catholics.
Cheers to you for your wonderful excitment (Just not always and everywhere)
May almighty God bless you
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Shlemele
Guest
If having shops in church is any indication there are plenty of Catholic parishes with book and gift stores in them, more so I would say than most protestant churches. Although I have heard of coffee shops I have never heard of a theater in the church, I would think this would raise some serious issues but I digress.
The point is that EVERY church has its short-comings. Take a look at the state of the world. Calling each other heretics isn’t going to keep kids off drugs, get sex off the TV, or prevent any of the other multitudes of sins that have woven themselves deep into our society.
However if we can get our heads out of our collective you-know-whats and acknowledge the fact that bailing water INTO each others boat isn’t such a smart idea we might actually do some damage to this culture of sin around us. You want to really witness for Christ, live in such a way that people ask you why you live the way you do. When we are all at the point where we are witnesses solely by our actions… oh boy, the world won’t know what hit it!
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Singinbeauty
Guest
You know I WAS going to ignore this post… such hatred, sarcasm, and disrespect it made me want to vomit. But then I thought, no, how else is someone going to learn that anti-protestantism is not the way to travel just like anti-catholocism is not.
Again, you and others with your horrible and disrespectful attitudes towards my core beliefs and my heart-felt faith, have confimed why I am not catholic or even denominational. I do have to say that the hatred in your post does not reflect Christ and you need to simmer down. I HAVE joined under the CHURCH that Christ started. It’s called CHRISTIANITY, the Body of Christ.
Do you KNOW what church I attend? If you did you would know that there is NO coffee shop and NO theatre. Where did you get this dribble? My church is not built soley on the bible but on the Word of God. There is a difference.
I just don’t see how there are ‘christians’ out there who will beat down their brothers in the name of Christ. It makes no sense to me. Everything you do to another human being you also do to Christ… remember that.
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RiverRock
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Exactly what did I “do” to you? Just sharing the truth, that’s all. It’s you who reject Him through rejecting His Church. Hatred, No. Sarcasm, maybe a little. The word of God is through the Bible, that the Catholic Church created, and through sacred tradition that is in the Catholic Church. Even if you hate me, you would reject His Church because of me? I doubt that I have that much power. You should look into the Church because its the truth. And something must keep bringing you to a Catholic website. What is it? Yet, you are offended when I talk about Catholic teaching. Odd.You know I WAS going to ignore this post… such hatred, sarcasm, and disrespect it made me want to vomit. But then I thought, no, how else is someone going to learn that anti-protestantism is not the way to travel just like anti-catholocism is not.
Again, you and others with your horrible and disrespectful attitudes towards my core beliefs and my heart-felt faith, have confimed why I am not catholic or even denominational. I do have to say that the hatred in your post does not reflect Christ and you need to simmer down. I HAVE joined under the CHURCH that Christ started. It’s called CHRISTIANITY, the Body of Christ.
Do you KNOW what church I attend? If you did you would know that there is NO coffee shop and NO theatre. Where did you get this dribble? My church is not built soley on the bible but on the Word of God. There is a difference.
I just don’t see how there are ‘christians’ out there who will beat down their brothers in the name of Christ. It makes no sense to me. Everything you do to another human being you also do to Christ… remember that.
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Michael_Francis
Guest
This is a call to charity for all concerned.
Please maintain the very soul of charity with each other in all your posts on this very good thread. (Which I have indeed been monitoring with interest and some pleasure as I feel that you are all seeking to come to an amicable understanding in your dialogs with each other.)
Let’s not now descend into something that would end that dialog with hurt.
Peace be with you all.
Your servant in Christ,
Michael Francis
Please maintain the very soul of charity with each other in all your posts on this very good thread. (Which I have indeed been monitoring with interest and some pleasure as I feel that you are all seeking to come to an amicable understanding in your dialogs with each other.)
Let’s not now descend into something that would end that dialog with hurt.
Peace be with you all.
Your servant in Christ,
Michael Francis
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bookgirl
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Yes, there is. Up to this point, the Catholic Church was the only one having picked up on that fact
, or so I thought. Which Church do you go to? And what are your fellow “Words of God” (in other words, what is the difference you’re speaking of?) — These are VERY sincere questions by the way, clarifying to make sure they didn’t come off sarcastic or rhetorical.
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mlchance
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Prodigal_Son said:
Quoting a hack of a philosopher isn’t a good way to make a point.
“I am eaten up with zeal for the house of the Lord.” - Jesus Christ.
– Mark L. Chance.
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Singinbeauty
Guest
There isn’t much I am going to address in your post because, well, I may not keep my reputation of being nice about my answers.
But I did want to answer this question that you posed. I am here to learn about the Catholic faith. That is why I keep coming back. I believe that I can learn a lot from many different denominations. Again, I believe that the Church that Jesus Christ started was Christianity. Plus, I am finding new friends here so I like to come back and say hi. As for me being offended, you weren’t talking about the teachings so much as you were almost condemning me for the beliefs I hold very dear. I DO NOT reject Christ in ANY way. He is the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE. I follow HIM not a church. And as I have already stated, just so that you can’t bring up the argument of the catholic church being Christ’s one and only church therefore rejecting it would be rejecting Christ, I believe that Christianity is Christ’s church NOT a denomination. God does not see denominations, He sees our hearts.
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RiverRock
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Great, glad that you’re here! The Catholic Church is not a denomination, by the way. Every other Christian faith is. It never “split” from anybody. It is the trunk of the tree, complete with the roots, reaching back 2000 years. That’s not a cheap shot. It’s TRUTH.There isn’t much I am going to address in your post because, well, I may not keep my reputation of being nice about my answers.
Partially true. Christianity was created in The Catholic Church in the year 33 A.D. All Christians (except the Orthodox) were Catholic until the 15th century. It’s only been since the Reformation that we have to call ourselves Catholic Christians instead of just “Christians”. But, we still are Christians, the Originals, by the way. The Catholic Church preserved tradition and passed on the faith with no help from a new Testament until the 4th century. And when sacred scripture was written, all the writers were Catholic. And it was the Catholic Church that canonized it and protected it. If not for the Catholic Church, you wouldn’t have a bible. Even if your edition has deleted books and re-written words.
I’m sorry if it came across that I was condemning YOU. I can’t condemn anyone, least I be condemned. As for rejecting Christ-Oh, but you do, and you don’t even know it. There may even be other Catholics here that think that all faiths are just as good as another, but it simply isn’t true. While I’m sure your faith has partial truth, it comes up empty when it’s time to deliver the goods. The emperor has no clothes. Christ told Peter and the Apostles that if people reject them, they reject HIM. That’s exactly what you ARE doing by rejecting His Church. Read John 6, for instance. But there’s so much more.
So do we. We just do it the way it was always done, the way He commanded Peter to “Feed My Sheep”. The Catholic Church has not created new ear ticklin’ winds of doctrine, likened to our own personal tastes for every personal preference. It’s also not about US and what WE like. Pope Benedict is still Christ’s Shepherd on earth, tending to the flock. If you were with me at Mass today, you would have seen that we follow only Christ. And we just don’t reject Christ’s family and appointees to do it. I don’t think He would like that.
Whatever “denomination” you belong to, if any, did not exist at least before the 15th century. It simply isn’t the true Church. I’ll pray that one day your eyes are opened.
Oh, I prayed for Aaron at Mass today, by the way.
JMJ,
George
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Psalm45_9
Guest
I know how you feel, just last night I had one member from that anti-Catholic group that comes into the restaurant where I work made a comment about the Eucharist. That caught my attention and I looked over, he saw me and raised his hands mimicking the raising of the host and had this sarcastic look of praise on his face. Then he looked at me with a big grin, he wasn’t the least bit remorseful that I saw and heard that. Needless to say, I’m putting in my two week’s notice, enough’s enough.
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Psalm45_9
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Church Militant:
You must be speaking of the Yaquism method…
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Tonks40
Guest
Psalm45:9:
May God have mercy on his soul.
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Psalm45_9
Guest
For the past year and half I have been taking the bullets of this group. I only work at the resturant on Saturday nights, and they have been coming in every Saturday. I bit my tounge around them because, 1; I’m at work, 2; there are so many of them that I would be stoned to death. I know that what they are saying is uneducated rhetoric and I know how to defend the faith from their comments, but it still hurts; enough’s enough, I don’t need this job anymore.May God have mercy on his soul.
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MikeinSD
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Psalm45:9:
Please contact yr HR dept. These people are creating a hostile work environment which is against federal and most state law. Harrassing an employee because of his religion falls under civil right protection laws. And I’m sure your employer will not like facing and multi-million dollar lawsuit. And on a personal note, I’m sorry that you’ve been abused like this.
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