Speaking Up in Class about Faith

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Mary_Katharine

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Hi,

A few months ago I asked a priest if I was required to speak up when someone indirectly kind of made a joke or was sarcastic about the Catholic faith. He said I should just say a prayers for them.

I am now in an history class where a few times the teacher brought up the Catholic faith during medieval times. She seems to be indirectly saying that some of the practices of the saint were ridiculous and some of the students would say things like “that’s crazy!” but not in a good way.

Is it a mortal sin to not say things against these people in my class? I stayed silent because of what the priest told me before and because I didn’t really know how to refute what they said since it was just opinion.

Please let me know what you think asap! Thanks!
 
i think it is situational. You have to know when to speak up, and if you have no facts with which to refute the comments it may not be a good time to speak up. That does not mean that you never speak up. Perhaps you go home, do some research, compose a response, and then go back to the teacher.

However, if they are simply making fun of or deriding something they do not know anything about, it can be appropriate to say something along the lines of not making fun of people’s faith and things you don’t understand-- that is simply prejudice and hate, not legitimate discussion.
 
1ke said:
i think it is situational. You have to know when to speak up, and if you have no facts with which to refute the comments it may not be a good time to speak up. That does not mean that you never speak up. Perhaps you go home, do some research, compose a response, and then go back to the teacher.

However, if they are simply making fun of or deriding something they do not know anything about, it can be appropriate to say something along the lines of not making fun of people’s faith and things you don’t understand-- that is simply prejudice and hate, not legitimate discussion.
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Thanks for the quick reply! So do you think this situation would be a mortal sin?

Well even if I did do research on it, we move on to a different topic by the next class so I wouldn’t really have a chance to say what I knew on the topic.

They just thought it was “weird” like how some hermit monks would stay in one room their whole life and things like that and stories about how one saint stood on top of a pole for 40 years or something.
 
Mary_Katharine said:
Thanks for the quick reply! So do you think this situation would be a mortal sin?
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Why do you think it would be a mortal sin?
Mary_Katharine said:
Well even if I did do research on it, we move on to a different topic by the next class so I wouldn’t really have a chance to say what I knew on the topic.
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But that does not mean you cannot speak to your teacher about the inaccuracies.
Mary_Katharine said:
They just thought it was “weird” like how some hermit monks would stay in one room their whole life and things like that and stories about how one saint stood on top of a pole for 40 years or something.
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Yes, well, is that not intolerant?

Again, this is a matter of prudence. You might consider talking to your teacher and telling him/her these comments are offensive and make you uncomfortable. But, you know your teacher and we do not-- would that be received well or would you then be singled out and picked on by that teacher? We can’t tell you what to do on an anonymous forum where we do not know the full story. We can only give you things to think about.

Talk to your parents about it.
 
Mary_Katharine said:
Hi,

A few months ago I asked a priest if I was required to speak up when someone indirectly kind of made a joke or was sarcastic about the Catholic faith. He said I should just say a prayers for them.

I am now in an history class where a few times the teacher brought up the Catholic faith during medieval times. She seems to be indirectly saying that some of the practices of the saint were ridiculous and some of the students would say things like “that’s crazy!” but not in a good way.

Is it a mortal sin to not say things against these people in my class? I stayed silent because of what the priest told me before and because I didn’t really know how to refute what they said since it was just opinion.

Please let me know what you think asap! Thanks!
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I also struggle with similar issues as what you are describing here. We have to be courageous in situations like the one you are describing… We have to pickup our cross and defend our Lord even when it means that it will make us unpopular (in fact, especially when it will make us unpopular).

What we have to remember what the apostles were like after Pentecost. They had absolutely no fear of proclaiming the gospel in any situation even if it meant that they would be publicly persecuted for it. The reason why they did this is because by spreading the Truth they were reaching out to people and giving them the keys to salvation.

Now that doesn’t mean that we have get out our soap boxes and start reading scripture on the sidewalk, but we do have to take the opportunity to spread the Truth every time our Lord gives us one. This is especially the case when the Catholic faith is being attacked… If somebody is speaking out against the faith then who is to say that this person isn’t honestly looking for the Truth (maybe attacking the faith out of anger is the only way they know how to ask for help). Who are we to shy away from a chance to help free a person who is imprisoned by the shackles of mortal sin?? Just because a person doesn’t want to hear the Truth at this point in the their lives doesn’t mean that they won’t think back to what you said to them about the faith years later (possibly while they are on their death bed) and repent. I guarantee that on judgment day, it won’t be pretty for those of us Catholics who choose not to share the Truth with others just because we were afraid of being unpopular…

As Michael Voris says, being Catholics in today’s society means that we “DO NOT get to say nothing”. There is no place in heaven for cowards, and if you’re wondering whether or not to say something or remain silent always err on the side of moral courage and speak out! Many of the apostles gave their lives because their outspoken profession of the faith… who are we to remain silent just because we are afraid of the risk of mere social awkwardness?

God bless, my prayers are with you! Please also pray for me as I struggle with this same issue tremendously… I spent much of my life being the kind of person who very much preferred to remain silent and avoid all possible confrontation… the problem is that remaining silent isn’t an option when just about everybody I talk to during the day is walking around with the chains of grave sin with one foot in hell… How could I possibly remain silent in this kind of situation, as a Catholic who knows the path to heaven, and yet still claim to “love my neighbour”??
 
First, great name: Mary Katharine. I recommend you pray constantly to Mary and to St Catherine of Sienna, a doctor of the Church, for wisdom in how to defend our faith and in ways that may convince others they need to learn more before they comment thoughtlessly.

Second, I do not see how your silence, based on your lack of knowledge (you are still quite young) could be a mortal sin. But to be sure, ask a priest. Personally I find it hard to think your silence is a sin at all given your inexperience which is not your fault, being young. But surely your conscience is calling you to learn more to be ready in the future.

Third, an old adage: Praise in public and criticize in private. When I felt I had the proper answer ready, I would encounter the other in private, not in class. One against many in class may be brave but it is not prudent.

Fourth, I would get or at least borrow a good book on the lives of the saints. Some did live very spartan lives, rejecting ALL this world has to offer in deference to their great love of God.

Many people today see absolutely no reason for any type of personal sacrifice unless they can see it leading to some great and nearly immediate advantage to them. To volunteer to sacrifice for God is just too hard for them to understand.

Another old adage: Where ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise. So back to adage number one above: Research and offer better knowledge one on one in private outside class.

Just one man’s opinion.
 
1ke said:
i think it is situational. You have to know when to speak up, and if you have no facts with which to refute the comments it may not be a good time to speak up. That does not mean that you never speak up. Perhaps you go home, do some research, compose a response, and then go back to the teacher. …
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One thing to remember is that the burden of proof is on the ones making the assertion. They are the ones who have to have the facts first. Would it be asking too much to ask what evidence they have?

Some people make ridiculous claims. There is a companion thread about a Jehovah’s witness who claimed that in Medieval times, people with Bibles were burned with their Bibles because they were not allowed to have them. Someone pointed out that Bibles were hand-copied in those days and consequently very valuable and thus wouldn’t have been burned. The claim that the possessors were burned thus also goes up in smoke [pun intended].
However, if they are simply making fun of or deriding something they do not know anything about, it can be appropriate to say something along the lines of not making fun of people’s faith and things you don’t understand-- that is simply prejudice and hate, not legitimate discussion.
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👍

A way to determine this is for the OP to ask if the teacher would feel comfortable making similar statements about Islam. :sad_yes:
 
The previous posters have given good counsel. I would simply add a couple of verses I try to bear in mind.
Proverbs 26:4-5
“Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.”
Matthew 7:6
“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you."
 
If someone really stood on top of a pole for years and we can’t find that funny… well, what can we find funny?

There’s a difference between attacking the faith, and being amused at quirky practices.

Without being in the classroom, it would be hard for us to determine which this was.
 
I can’t tell if your teacher is being facetious or not…it’s hard to tell through just a post. I had a History professor who I loved, but he joked about the Ark of the Covenant and said that it “was a walkie talkie to God” and said the Israelites didn’t need to have an army…they just had to open the Ark and call for fire-support."

It could be taken as insulting, but his tone of voice was more of amusement rather than insidious.
 
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