On Not Correcting People

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Melodeonist

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I hate correcting people. I don’t like telling people how to live their life.

Today I was talking to one of my bosses’s wife (who is also a manager/boss) and she was talking about reincarnation. I believe she is a Catholic. She was talking about NDE’s and seeing light at the end of a tunnel. She said it sounds like being re-born. I said that it is like being “reborn” into the light at Judgement, Purgatory, Heaven, etc. However, she then proceeded to talk more about reincarnation.

I did not correct her. I hate correcting people. I feel that if people told me how to live my life I’d be annoyed. That’s why I don’t correct people. I feel correcting people is kind of pushy. I don’t know if this is a sin of omission, or if I did not “Admonish the Sinner”. As I am doubtful, I doubt I have full knowledge.
 
I usually say something like “I’m catholic, we don’t believe in multiple reincarnations”
 
Melodeonist said:
I did not correct her. I hate correcting people. I feel that if people told me how to live my life I’d be annoyed. That’s why I don’t correct people. I feel correcting people is kind of pushy. I don’t know if this is a sin of omission, or if I did not “Admonish the Sinner”. As I am doubtful, I doubt I have full knowledge.
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Socrates was one of the wisest men to ever live. His method was not to admonish or pontificate, but rather to question. If I find myself in a situation like you describe, I might try to ask simple and gentle questions that lead a person to examine what they are saying or believing, and let them than evaluate their position. It takes some skill, but I find it charitable and hopefully thought provoking.

As any good salesman (or woman) knows, once someone says no, it is virtually impossible to get them to change their mind. I have never succeeded in a discussion where I have stated the position I would like someone to arrive at, when the other person,somewhere along the line, directly rejected my position when he or she perceived I was critical of their stance or idea.

Might be worth a try??
 
I don’t think it’s a wise to have conversations like this in the workplace.
 
It is not our place to correct others.

We are but servants. Here to sow seeds of Faith. It would have been a great opportunity just to say we believe we will be resurrected body back to soul on the last day. Leave it at that.

Of course it is the place of our Bishop, our Shepherd, and our Priests to correct us, esp in Confession.

And the place of the Pope.
 
Of course if she is a boss, you don’t want to have a confrontation with her over reincarnation. It is silly and whatever she thinks, she thinks. There is very little you can say to change her mind. A lot of people believe you can come back after you die, even come back as an animal or inanimate object.

That gives a new meaning when you say to someone, “You rock!”

Some things are just not worth getting into a spat over. If one believes the moon is made out of cheese, you won’t convince them otherwise if their ears are closed.
 
Instructing the ignorant is one of the Spiritual Works of Mercy though and correcting someone can be the same as instructing the ignorant.
 
Thanks for the replies! 🙂
DeniseNY said:
I don’t think it’s a wise to have conversations like this in the workplace.
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Our workplace is different. We are a small local store. Often times managers/owners will start conversations. They don’t seem to mind having conversations. They are all friendly people. I’m a talkative person, they’re talkative people. 👍

Edit: I think I should add a little background. The owner’s wife was telling me stories about her childhood and her family. She was talking about the death of her mother. The doctors and nurses didn’t realize she was dying and left her and her mother in the room. Her mother asked her not to close the door. She interpreted it that her mother saw the light at the end of a tunnel. I said it’s the light of heaven, judgement, etc. I believe after I told her my take (or after another short story) that she realized that if there’s reincarnation then that leaves heaven out.

I feel she may be confused in her faith (she is a Catholic). Please pray for her. Thanks. 👍
 
Melodeonist said:
… I believe after I told her my take (or after another short story) that she realized that if there’s reincarnation then that leaves heaven out.

I feel she may be confused in her faith (she is a Catholic). Please pray for her. Thanks. 👍
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Thanks for those additional remarks! That is a good assessment, and prayer is a wonderful suggestion.
 
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