Purpose...

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teak421

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All,

I just had an interesting and fruitless exchange in another forum here on Catholic.com. And, upon reflection, why do we post here? I mean, what are we trying to do? Learn? Change people’s minds? Does it foster the type of charity that Christ calls us to?
  • Michael
 
Michael it doesn’t always promote charity because people don’t always have charity in their hearts and sometimes get caught up in promoting their viewpoint and in demonstrating that they’re ‘right’, rather than in mutual respect.

But many who post here do so because they’re genuinely seeking reassurance or enlightenment or advice; and many post because they desire prayer in difficult circumstances.
It can be a bit frustrating at times where strong opinions clash, with charity as a possible casualty.

Take care of yourself, regards, Trishie :coffee::coffee:
 
It depends on what you post I would imagine.

For me it is nice to hang out with other Catholcis even if it is jsut online and also it gives me a chance to perform several of the spiritual works of mercy such as:

To instruct the ignorant;​

To counsel the doubtful;​

To admonish sinners;​

To bear wrongs patiently;​

To forgive offences willingly;​

Performing these works is practising the charity Christ has called us to.
 
PURPOSE: Converging (converting) closer to Christ.

Each of us is somewhere on that convergence spectrum (visualize a multi-line spiral). Some are ahead of us, some are behind us in various aspects of our convergence to Christ. Some times I teach, sometimes I learn by reading or thinking out loud as I write. Some readers/posters are trying, some are resisting, some are confused, some are not thinking at all. No doubt we have been at each position at some point in time for some length of time in our convergence journey.

Knowing this, I try to allow for a lack of style and try to focus on the substance as I hope others do for me but sometimes do not.

The best I can do is to try to SPEAK THE TRUTH IN THE SPIRIT OF LOVE AS BEST I CAN. Then I trust that the Holy Spirit will, in proper time, help that message get through. Yet I know that some (many) will reject it today just as they did when Jesus Christ said it Himself in person. Just as they have since the Apostles starting shaking the dust from their sandals when some chose to reject the word of God. Even the faithful were confused, argued passionately, and sought clarification. The Acts of the Apostles is a very interesting read.

Thus, I do not expect an instant spurt in greater understanding just because I read or wrote something. It is like chopping down a large tree. One whack does not usually fell the tree.

This Forum allows us to put our thoughts on the table along with thoughts from others. Each of us then is free to consider those thoughts and references as we choose and are mentally and emotionally able to deal with them.

Meanwhile I continue to trust in the Holy Spirit and constantly pray for an increase in Wisdom and Strength to know and do God’s Will. Not my will, but His Will be done.
 
I’m not sure what my initial purpose was, but the result has been that I’ve learned a tremendous amount. By having to dig deep to defend a position, or reading someones inspirational story, or becoming aware of the worst of anti-Catholic venom, or being corrected by someone more knowledgeable than I, or just by listening to the many opinions, I’ve come away with much.
 
teak421 said:
All,

I just had an interesting and fruitless exchange in another forum here on Catholic.com. And, upon reflection, why do we post here? I mean, what are we trying to do? Learn? Change people’s minds? Does it foster the type of charity that Christ calls us to?
  • Michael
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You are bound to have some fruitless exchanges because some participants have the sole intention of attacking Christianity and theism. Jesus told us not to cast pearls before swine and to shake the dust off our feet - metaphorically in this case.

Charity does not mean weakness. It means being concerned about what is true, good, right and just. No holds are barred when it comes to attacking falsehood, evil and injustice. Jesus Himself denounced the Pharisees as “a brood of vipers” and drove the moneychangers out of the temple. To remain silent when some one asserts “We are no different from apes” is uncharitable because silence implies assent. We have a duty to expose the absurdity of that assumption - and the more forcefully we can do it the better! Otherwise abortion, euthanasia and crime will become even more rampant in our society…
 
teak421 said:
All,

I just had an interesting and fruitless exchange in another forum here on Catholic.com. And, upon reflection, why do we post here? I mean, what are we trying to do? Learn? Change people’s minds? Does it foster the type of charity that Christ calls us to?
  • Michael
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Thanks all for the responses… Awesome!
 
teak421 said:
All,

I just had an interesting and fruitless exchange in another forum here on Catholic.com. And, upon reflection, why do we post here? I mean, what are we trying to do? Learn? Change people’s minds? Does it foster the type of charity that Christ calls us to?
  • Michael
Click to expand...
In sharing we foster the sort of connections that make us a community…God is community, thus we are drawn to reach out to each other in the imitation of God.
 
James 5:20

let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

👍
 
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