People please help me with this one before I go insane

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Righteousone

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Today I had a debate with a Protestant from a church called “The Bridge of Christ” or something like that. She said that I was crazy in telling her that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
Well, I never heard such hatred toward me with her name calling and saying that I was the one who was a kook for saying this. She went on and on, quoting Scripture, everything was the bible, bible, bible. I tried to tell her about the Catacombs with their early church writings on the wall from the saints, and about the Early Church Fathers. She simply called me a f------jerk and said satan was attacking me. Even tho I told her sola scripture was not biblical, she refused to think anything else. She was so angry that I couldn’t believe she could act as she did. I was calm and just told her historical facts, then she said “screw history”. What else can convince her that our church is the one and only church? I am xhausted from telling her the same old thing, you know, 2,000 years in existence, unbroken link…is there anything else I can do to basically shut her up and start thinking about it?
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
 
I don’t condone this person’s behavior, but why do you feel a compulsion to bludgeon her intellectually into accepting the truth of your Church? Wouldn’t a little restraint and tolerance go a long way toward getting her to behave more reasonably?

Edwin
 
Don’t debate to win an argument. It will hurt yourself more down the road.

Pray first.
 
Hey You may Bring up these Scriptures:
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                 “And I say to thee: That thou art                      Peter; and upon this rock                      I will build my church, and the gates of                      hell shall not prevail against it.” *Matthew* 16: 18 DRB]
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                 “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: **and behold I am with you all days,                      even to the consummation of the world.”** *Matthew* 28: 20 DRB]

     We must remember that Our Lord said, “I am the Truth.”   What is truth?   Truth omits          error, it is conformity to reality or actuality.   He founded his Church and said, “And if he          will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen” *[Matthew 18: 17]*.  Again He told His Apostles, “he that despiseth you,          despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me” *[Luke 10: 16]* and,          “He that is not with me, is against me” *Luke 11:23; Matth. 12:30*].
**Our Lord Founded His church through Pope Saint Peter (the Apostle) not Martin Luther, or King Henry VIII, etc. But through Peter.

**Ask Her this:

Now Why would Our Lord give us His Church if one does not need it to make it to Heaven?
** And why does He say “And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen” if one does not need to be apart or does not need to listen to the teachings of HIS CHURCH?**

**
This tells us that those who break away from Rome contravene what our Lord has ensured us about his Church, that She will never fall.**

You can ask Here what the Bible says about Tradition.

Tradition is even in the Bible, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast; and hold the traditions which you have learned, whether by word, or by our epistle” 2 Thessalonians 2:14].

and What does Saint Peter say about reading the Bible (scriptures):

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are certain things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, to their own destruction. [2Ptere 3, 16]
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    Saint Paul, in his Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, [1 : 7–10], states:         
    
    “And to you who are troubled, rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven, with the angels          of his power: In a flame of fire, giving vengeance to them who know not God, and who obey not the gospel of          our Lord Jesus Christ.   Who shall suffer eternal punishment in destruction, from the face of the Lord,          and from the glory of his power: When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be made wonderful in          all them who have believed; because our testimony was believed upon you in that day.”         

    Also, in the same Epistle [2 : 8–11] Saint Paul says:         
    
    “And then that wicked one shall be revealed whom the Lord Jesus shall kill with the spirit of his mouth; and          shall destroy with the brightness of his coming, him, Whose coming is according to the working of Satan, in          all power, and signs, and lying wonders, And in all seduction of iniquity to them that perish; because they          receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Therefore **God shall send** them the operation of error, to believe lying:          That all may be judged who have not believed the truth, but have consented to iniquity.”
I compiled these awhile ago it should Help you out:
The Bible is a Catholic Book (PDF)
The Catholic Contributions to the Bible (PDF)
Where we got the Bible (PDF)

What Bible Should you Read?
 
I wouldn’t attempt to reason with someone who thinks I’m possessed by the Devil. The best thing at this point is just to say, “Well, I guess we see things differently,” and just leave her alone.
 
This is what I would suggest…works for me all the time.

"I am going to go home right now and pray for you!"
 
In my experience discussing apologetics, it’s usually better to ask questions than to state facts.

For example, instead of telling her–
Righteousone said:
that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
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you might instead have asked, “Where did the Bible come from? Who decided which books would be included in it, and when was this decided?”

I’ve found that this:
  1. Takes the burden of proof off you and puts it on your opponent.
  2. If your opponent takes offense, you can honestly say, “Hey, I was just asking a question.”
  3. If your opponent comes back with an answer that seems off, you can reply with, “Gee, I always heard X was right instead. Tell you what. I’ll look into it and get back to you.” Then you go do some research. Later, when you show her the results of your research, it’s no longer you vs. her. It’s the authorities you found in your research vs. her.
The debate should never be about who is right. The debate should be about what the truth is.
 
I was raised in Nebraska and we had a saying:“no use beating a dead horse”.Seriously though you gave your friend a lot of info to digest all at one time.I would reccomend a lot of prayer and patience.Praying for both of you.
 
Someone who says ‘screw history’ and can only respond with personal insults and accusations that you’re possessed by the devil is clearly not in a mood to listen to any amount of reasoning or facts, or anything else for that matter.

I would leave it for a while, if not permanently, as your friend is unlikely to feel or behave any differently for some time to come. And perhaps for future the approaches suggested above - eg beginning by asking them questions - may be helpful.
 
Righteousone said:
Today I had a debate with a Protestant from a church called “The Bridge of Christ” or something like that. She said that I was crazy in telling her that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
Well, I never heard such hatred toward me with her name calling and saying that I was the one who was a kook for saying this. She went on and on, quoting Scripture, everything was the bible, bible, bible. I tried to tell her about the Catacombs with their early church writings on the wall from the saints, and about the Early Church Fathers. She simply called me a f------jerk and said satan was attacking me. Even tho I told her sola scripture was not biblical, she refused to think anything else. She was so angry that I couldn’t believe she could act as she did. I was calm and just told her historical facts, then she said “screw history”. What else can convince her that our church is the one and only church? I am xhausted from telling her the same old thing, you know, 2,000 years in existence, unbroken link…is there anything else I can do to basically shut her up and start thinking about it?
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
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Ok, let me get this straight. You’re talking religion/faith, and this person dropped the F bomb?

Where did this happen?

If someone knocked on my door trying to evangelize, and did this, I would be taking my little rear end right down to their church and having a talk with their pastor. I would proceed to tell him that if any of his “people” showed up again, they’d be in jail for criminal trespass.

If it was just a casual conversation and they dropped the F bomb, I would just say, “Nice mouth, you kiss your kids with that mouth?”

That kind of behavior and languange is reprehensible when talking about faith, scripture, religion.

You were kinder than I would have been.
 
Hi there i think you should just leave this woman to her own faith and her own views to be honest you dont have to justify your faith to anyone the whole point in faith is about you and what you believe.
I have said this before on another thread so forgive me for repeating myself.
Everyone who has faith defends their faith and believes that their faith is the best thats what faith is all about because if you didnt believe that then you wouldnt be practicing that faith.
Obviously this woman feels her faith is the right way etc and nothing you do will change that just like nothing she will do will change your view on your faith.
Agree to disagree and leave it lie turn the other cheek at her outpourings.
Pray that she sees the error of her ways with regards to the horrid things she said to you i think she needs it.
🙂
x
 
Righteousone said:
Today I had a debate with a Protestant from a church called “The Bridge of Christ” or something like that. She said that I was crazy in telling her that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
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I have an answer for you…
She went on and on, quoting Scripture, everything was the bible, bible, bible.
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What’s wrong with this statement above?
What else can convince her that our church is the one and only church?
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…still have an answer for you, but you will have to read it for yourself; it is lengthy.
I am xhausted from telling her the same old thing, you know, 2,000 years in existence, unbroken link…is there anything else I can do to basically shut her up and start thinking about it?
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
…and here is the link for your answer. apologeticspress.org/articles/1972
 
Righteousone said:
Today I had a debate with a Protestant from a church called “The Bridge of Christ” or something like that. She said that I was crazy in telling her that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
Well, I never heard such hatred toward me with her name calling and saying that I was the one who was a kook for saying this. She went on and on, quoting Scripture, everything was the bible, bible, bible. I tried to tell her about the Catacombs with their early church writings on the wall from the saints, and about the Early Church Fathers. She simply called me a f------jerk and said satan was attacking me. Even tho I told her sola scripture was not biblical, she refused to think anything else. She was so angry that I couldn’t believe she could act as she did. I was calm and just told her historical facts, then she said “screw history”. What else can convince her that our church is the one and only church? I am xhausted from telling her the same old thing, you know, 2,000 years in existence, unbroken link…is there anything else I can do to basically shut her up and start thinking about it?
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
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She sounds like a bitter ex-Catholic. Plenty of people hate the Catholic Church, but the ones who do so from a place of rage and fury are often ex-Catholics.

Don’t throw your pearls before swine. If you want to witness to her, do it by your actions, not by your words.
 
Salamander said:
I have an answer for you…
What’s wrong with this statement above? …still have an answer for you, but you will have to read it for yourself; it is lengthy. …and here is the link for your answer. apologeticspress.org/articles/1972
Click to expand...
This website contains and article on Martin Luther and baptism which says, in reference to Luther, “Indeed, he and the other reformers challenged the Catholic Church that sold indulgences and offered a “works-based” type of salvation.” What? I wouldn’t recommend this website as an accurate source of Catholic teaching.
 
Righteousone said:
Today I had a debate with a Protestant from a church called “The Bridge of Christ” or something like that. She said that I was crazy in telling her that her bible came from the Catholic church, that it was compiled by the Roman Pontiff in 397 A.D. at the Councl of Carthage.
Well, I never heard such hatred toward me with her name calling and saying that I was the one who was a kook for saying this. She went on and on, quoting Scripture, everything was the bible, bible, bible. I tried to tell her about the Catacombs with their early church writings on the wall from the saints, and about the Early Church Fathers. She simply called me a f------jerk and said satan was attacking me. Even tho I told her sola scripture was not biblical, she refused to think anything else. She was so angry that I couldn’t believe she could act as she did. I was calm and just told her historical facts, then she said “screw history”. What else can convince her that our church is the one and only church? I am xhausted from telling her the same old thing, you know, 2,000 years in existence, unbroken link…is there anything else I can do to basically shut her up and start thinking about it?
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
If I were you I would do two things. First, I would read Matthew 7:6 and remember there are demons out there who you are not going to convert. Second, I would remind your friend about Matthew 7, concentrating on the first verse.
 
First of all, calm down, and when you meet again, arrange a prayer before entering talks, remember where two or more are gathered in his name, their Jesus will be. Have a bible study. Pick a topic, and then search the scriptures together on each topic. Try not to eat the whole 2000 years of Christianity in one sitting. This will take time.

Maybe share with each other when did each ones church begin. Let her tell you her side, but dont argue with her, accept what she is telling you. And ask her to do the same, let here hear your History. You will need your scriptures to support your catholic claims.

It is common knowledge of where the bible came from, the Catholic church. Don’t let her take your word for it, she will have to see outside sources to support your claim, this is mainly because she knows you.

Another words do exchange with each other in sharing each others beliefs and why. History is very valuable here. Then move on to the sacraments through the bible etc.

Maybe ask her, what is the main reason she dislikes the Catholic faith, and move on from that topic. Many people dont like the Catholic church because they dont understand the body of Jesus Christ, secondly she is only reacting to what she has been misinformed about the Catholic faith, it is up to us to live our faith by example before we can share what we have to give.

Dont lose a friendship over misunderstandings, gain a friend by giving her the gift of life. Jesus in the Eucharist.

Praying for you both. God bless you and protect you in all truth, and may the Holy Spirit guide you both to enlightenment to God’s holy mystical bride of Jesus christ, the Catholic church.

Peace be with you.
 
Righteousone said:
Please don’t say it’s hopeless, i will see her again. Thanks.
Click to expand...
When you bring up as fact a possibility that assails the underpinnings of someone’s dearly-held beliefs, most people find that intensely uncomfortable. Anger is a likely reaction to the anxiety that causes. Unless it turns out that you are instead giving evidence for something they had not dared hope was true, gratitude is an entirely unlikely initial response.

Imagine, for instance, that you broke it to someone that their beloved father isn’t really their father, and that their real dad is that neighbor who always took an interest in them but that they can’t stand…not to be mean, but you just thought they knew. If they accused you of lying, I don’t think that they’d be interested in having you show the passages in their dead mother’s diary that prove you are right.

It would be better to find common ground. “Listen, I’m sorry if I upset you. We might disagree on where the Bible came from and what it means, but we both love Jesus and we both love the Scriptures God gave us. Why don’t we just try to share that?” If she is too suspicious of you to want to do that, then simply say, “Well, then, I tell you what. I’ll pray for you, and I would be happy if you would pray for me. Where two or three pray in my name, you know. The evil one won’t come where Jesus is.”

For the time being, leave it at that. Be firm in your faith, but be very compassionate and refuse to get into another conversation that pushes her buttons, or yours.
 
These are truly the BEST answers. Thank you for coming to my aid. You all guessed it, that she WAS a Catholic and wandered off.
Her gripe with me was about the bible and where we got it. She insists that God dropped it down from heaven…she refuses to believe the church came before the NT…I am spiritually exhausted.
I in no way tried to sway her back to the faith, it was simply about the bible. It is scary what these people are being taught in these churches. The anger, her face was beat red, almost like satan was saying these things…:eek: I didn’t mean to rile her up, I just know my history. (of my church).

These answers are great, I will print them out.🙂
 
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