Should I tell Protestants to buzz off?

[Flopfoot]

Sometimes Protestants will start a religious discussion with me, ususally having something to do with salvation. I don’t really want to discuss it but in order to be polite I just let them talk. And I figure that I can at least tell them what I believe, even though sometimes I have to say ‘I don’t know’ and sometimes I can’t back up what I say. But thing is I didn’t choose the conversation, because I’m no apologist and don’t really want to be one. So should I just tell them to buzz off, tell them that I don’t want to talk about it, instead of being polite? Talking about the same things all the time and them always asking me to prove everything I say with bible quotes (and I don’t know quotes, I haven’t even read it for years) is driving me nuts.

I guess there is also the worry that if they spout there rubbish enough I might start to believe it. Although that’s not the main problem, coz I’m far too stubborn / fortituous to get converted I reckon. It’s not like I don’t have the time either (otherwise I would just use that as an excuse). It’s just that I don’t want to and I know that in the end we are still going to disagree as much as when we started so what is the point? And they frustrate me with the most basic things… sif anyone doesnt know the difference between original and actual sin, thats just ridiculous.

 

[mpav]

I have a born again cousin who is like that, into Bible study and seking to make points. I can’t counter him on Bible study and avoid dsicsuuions with him about religion. I hardly ever se him anyway.
here are some suggestions:
#1 ask the Holy Spirit to be at hand when you can’t avoid these discussions
2 get a supply of pamphlets which address common points Protestants like to bring up. Say frankly that you aren’t a Biblical scholar but are satisfied with the explanation provided by Church authorities and would hope they would be open minded enough to read the explanation themselves
3 Invite them to watch The Journey Home on EWTN where one-time Protestants explain why they are no longer Protestants. They probably won’t do it, but it never hurts to ask.

pray pray pray

 

[thistle]

mpav:

I have a born again cousin who is like that, into Bible study and seking to make points. I can’t counter him on Bible study and avoid dsicsuuions with him about religion. I hardly ever se him anyway.
here are some suggestions:
#1 ask the Holy Spirit to be at hand when you can’t avoid these discussions
2 **get a supply of pamphlets which address common points Protestants like to bring up./**B] Say frankly that you aren’t a Biblical scholar but are satisfied with the explanation provided by Church authorities and would hope they would be open minded enough to read the explanation themselves
3 Invite them to watch The Journey Home on EWTN where one-time Protestants explain why they are no longer Protestants. They probably won’t do it, but it never hurts to ask.

pray pray pray

That’s a good idea. At the website below you can print off the stuff you need.
www.scripturecatholic.com/

 

[scriabin]

Although it’s best to at least *try *to talk to them, sometimes it does come down to just telling them to buzz off.

 

[Marquette]

Flopfoot:

with bible quotes (and I don’t know quotes, I haven’t even read it for years)

Do you mean to say you haven’t read the BIBLE for years?

 

[Della]

Marquette:

Flopfoot:

with bible quotes (and I don’t know quotes, I haven’t even read it for years)

Do you mean to say you haven’t read the BIBLE for years?

While I too believe we ought to read the Bible (at least the daily Mass readings), the way these Evangelicals are interpreting certain verses is really the problem here. The OP could know the Bible by heart, but it wouldn’t help him deal with their presumptions about what this or that verse or passage means. It is an exercise in futility with some of these people.

We are not required to be apologists like G. K. Chesterton or even Fulton Sheen. What God does ask of us is to “be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within us.” And all that means for most Catholics is to be able to say, “I trust the Church Christ founded in matters of faith and morals, while you don’t. I think I’ll stick with the Church, thank you just the same.”

 

[Marquette]

Catechism of the Catholic Church:

#133 The Church FORCEFULLY and SPECIFICALLY exhorts all the Christian faithful…to learn ‘the surpassing knowledge of Jesus Christ,’ by FREQUENT READING of the divine Scriptures.’ Ignorance of the Scriptures is IGNORANCE OF CHRIST."

 

[ridesawhitehors]

Flopfoot ~ (Love that name)

Hey mate, I have read the bible for years and know lots of it.
But even I have to admit it is dang hard to keep up with the gymnastics of bible-only thinking.

I think that yes, you either tell them to ‘buzz off’ - or you resolve to get into the scriptures and get ready to defend your faith from the scriptures and tradition.

I suggest first off when they begin this torture you start right out by telling them you reject the invention of Sola Scriptura. Study up and be ready to defend why, it isn’t hard to defend the catholic truth here on this.
Then you need to be ready to ask them “where do you get your authority to interpret scripture? Who is your authority? Where do they get their authority?”

If you can answer these questions it is a good start. But they must be clear that you don’t accept Sola Scriptura.

Otherwise, if you can’t work this out, and they continue to badger you… tell them to buzz off.

 

[KatieD]

I have had a similar experience. I have fundamentalist relatives who really can’t stand the Catholic Church. Over the years, we have just avoided talking about it for the most part. Then a cousin, who happened to be a Catholic convert, invited everyone to his son’s wedding, in a Catholic Church. To my surprise, a couple (not many, but hey it’s a start!) of them started asking questions about what we do at Mass and the significance. In fact, they were asking my husband, who is not Catholic but is studying the Catechism, and he answered their questions about the Real Presence in the Eucharist, etc. We’ve been married 25 years - and I find that what they don’t like about the Church is not what they know, but what they THINK they know. I’ve heard so much misinformation and wrong thinking about our faith, but all we can do is patiently correct them and then not worry about whether they like the Church. It is their loss not to understand.

 

[Jason_Hurd]

This happens a lot with me, especially online, and as I’m not the world’s greatest apologist I generally refer the challenger to his parish priest or local Catholic University, explaining that they’ll probably get clearer answers there than I could give them.

 

[Aurelio]

Hello, Flopfoot!

Man, I really like what you are saying, because you make good and clear your actual circumstances, which seem to be that, in a matter of speaking, your work space is in the heart of “enemy territory.”

Why?

Because if it wasn’t, your co-workers would leave you very much alone.

My own case is no ways similar, because my “planet” is “el mundo latino” or to put it correctly, “The Latin World.”

Unhappily, perhaps, in the “Latin World” you can be a declared enemy of the Faith, or some sort of practicing Catholic. Period.

But! If you start militating an aggressive form of non-Catholic Christianity, both these former “extremes” will curtly dismiss you out of hand - if you so much as TRY to convert people on the job --as literally a “biblical fool,” and generally say so to your face, mincing no words and with a fine disregard for “ecumenism,” whatever Anglo America means by THAT curiously ambigious term.

Now: how do I react personally when young, nervous, and totally sincere Spanish-speaking non-Catholic missionaries show up on my own doorstep?

With open arms and a profuse welcome!

As I swing wide the front door their eyes are drawn to one of two fine flamboyantly colored portraits of Our Lady of Guadalupe being ceremoniously crowned by reperesentatives of Mexican labor and management.

We have it facing the door, so they can get the picture.

Pow! Just like that!

We then pull out our prized Gideon English Bible with St. Montfort’s famous quoation on the front cover and St. Paul’s “Boastful Resume” on the back.

Then we establish ready raport by asking them if they believe their own bibles were worthy of credence, and if so, do they believe every word?

They’d better say yes!

Then we go on from there: Do you believe in John 3:16? Cool! Suave! Do you believe what YOUR bible says about 2nd. Peter 3:16? You don’t? Why not? What does John 6:37 to 6:53 mean to you, in YOUR bible? John 6:54 to 6:75 (or whatever)?

The exception to this is the older generation of thoroughly Anglicized Roman-Catholic hating hard cases. When THOSE clowns come around THIS neighborhood, they are received correctly wih a distinct chill, whatever they have to offer is politely accepted, and a gesture directs their morose attention to the picture of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

This is done with the pointed reminder that they are too old to have any real excuse “for betraying the faith of your forefathers, and if you do not repent the penalty may well be very severe indeed. Nonetheless, we hereby recommend your souls to our spiritual mother, so that she may help you repent of your foolishness and pride leading to said cultural-linguistic betrayal, and all the above in God’s good time.”

This does the trick, Mr. Flopfoot, and those guys NEVER ring our door bell again.

More, we become so radioactive within that community, that far from merely “glowing in the dark” – it’s more like we “glow in mid day.”

Thanks! Hope this helps!

Aurelio

 

[byHisGrace]

Flop,
At the least, show them that you love them (even if misguided, they may be doing it out of motivation of caring for you) because that is one way you can be a witness of Christ’s love to them. Through kind (but firm if necessary) words, tell them that you appreciate that they would care enough about you to want to witness to you. Then you can gracefully point them to some of the things recommended here, or ask them to read Catholicism & Fundamentalism by Mr. Keating. Tell them you may not be able to articulate as well as Mr. Keating, but that you hold with what he has written there.

You might also consider that this may be the Holy Spirit prompting you to delve more deeply into your faith, even if you never desire to become an apologist or debate these issues with your friends. Sometimes these kind of circumstances are God’s way of working with us in ways we may not foresee.
May God Bless you!