Temporary Care giving in a pagan household

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RosalieM

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I’m not sure this is the proper place for this topic.

I recently agreed to take care of an older man while his regular care givers are away for about a week. This would involve simple tasks like making nutritional shakes, getting food and water and seeing he has his medicine.

The thing that concerns me are all the photos in his place of false gods, goddesses, (especially the terrifying image of Kali with skulls around her neck and who knows what.) :eek: There are many photos of an Indian guru who was proven to be a false prophet but this man still holds him as his savior. 🤷

Should I try to get out of this? I already made the commitment. I feel something more than just uncomfortable. Should I bring holy water and sprinkle it around unbeknownst to this man I am caring for? Shall I leave him a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Or is this beyond me and maybe I should just make my visits quick and do the needful then leave asap? Any suggestions or (name removed by moderator)ut will be welcome…because frankly, now I’m a little frightened. Thank you.
 
You are the light in his darkness. Pray before entering his home. Pray before giving him his meals. If he mentions his idols, tell him you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. That may be a segue to sharing the gospel. Do not be afraid. Christ has conquered death, it may be something you can share with this poor soul.
 
Casilda said:
You are the light in his darkness. Pray before entering his home. Pray before giving him his meals. If he mentions his idols, tell him you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. That may be a segue to sharing the gospel. Do not be afraid. Christ has conquered death, it may be something you can share with this poor soul.
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Thank you Casilda. Your reply brings tears to my eyes. I will copy and paste and read it before I make my visits. God bless you.
 
RosalieM said:
I’m not sure this is the proper place for this topic.

I recently agreed to take care of an older man while his regular care givers are away for about a week. This would involve simple tasks like making nutritional shakes, getting food and water and seeing he has his medicine.

The thing that concerns me are all the photos in his place of false gods, goddesses, (especially the terrifying image of Kali with skulls around her neck and who knows what.) :eek: There are many photos of an Indian guru who was proven to be a false prophet but this man still holds him as his savior. 🤷

Should I try to get out of this? I already made the commitment. I feel something more than just uncomfortable. Should I bring holy water and sprinkle it around unbeknownst to this man I am caring for? Shall I leave him a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Or is this beyond me and maybe I should just make my visits quick and do the needful then leave asap? Any suggestions or (name removed by moderator)ut will be welcome…because frankly, now I’m a little frightened. Thank you.
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I would think it would be someone who is not worried as being the one who should be worried. As has been said, you are the light in the darkness. You may be the only person from whom he hears the Gospel message (or the one God has chosen to bring him the Gospel!)

Prayers said for your endeavor.
 
DaddyGirl said:
Kali is not a “false goddess”…she is a goddess in the Hindu faith.
This person sounds like he is HINDU, not “PAGAN”. This religion is the third largest religion in the world! Over 1 billion people are Hindu.
Do you listen to the Beatles? George Harrison was Hindu.
There is nothing to feel uncomfortable about. You don’t think it’s “terrifying” for non-christians–and many christians, for that matter–to consistently see the statue of a man being crucified with nails to a cross and bleeding, tortured, all over the place?
It is. But people deal with it.

Which Indian guru in the photos has been “proven” as a false prophet? That’s pretty rare…someone being definitively proven as a false prophet. I’m curious who this is.

Oh my goodness. Please,* do not do that. *
Have you never been around people of other faiths before?
If you feel so uncomfortable around someone of another religion and his religious art, let someone else be the caregiver–*-please. It would be better for the older man.
*

.
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With the exception of the bit about Hindu goddesses not being false, I agree with the rest of this post. Helping others is what we are called to do and you’ve already made the commitment. I don’t think there is any reason to believe that artwork and images associated with another person’s sincerely held faith are likely to be harmful to you in any way.
 
Were you perhaps referring to Sathya Sai Baba?:confused:

Anyway, I think the best way to spread the Gospel is by being a shining example of it yourself.

“Always preach the Gospel, and when necessary use words.”

Generally speaking, nothing else seems to work.🤷 I would say just help him as much as you can with meals and medicine and whatnot.

People can sense genuine kindness and holiness.
 
Rosalie -

Why are you afraid? The gods cannot hurt you. But they are a comfort to the elderly man, so don’t say anything against them. Pray for him before and after your visits, be cheerful, and do your job.

I remember one of my mother’s caregivers with fondness. She was cheerful and was able to make my mother laugh - not an easy thing to do! The subject of religion never came up, so I don’t know if she was a Christian.
 
Casilda said:
A definition of a Pagan: A follower of a polytheistic or pantheistic nature-worshipping religion.

Hindu is polytheistic, therefore pagan.

(This is a Catholic spirituality sub- forum, on a general Catholic website. Just as Christ on the cross offends a pagan, an image of a pagan deity offends a Catholic)

http://bustedhalo.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/crucifix-2-flash.jpg
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I don’t believe most Hindus consider their religion to be polytheistic. Perhaps either pantheistic or panentheistic.
 
RosalieM said:
I’m not sure this is the proper place for this topic.

I recently agreed to take care of an older man while his regular care givers are away for about a week. This would involve simple tasks like making nutritional shakes, getting food and water and seeing he has his medicine.

The thing that concerns me are all the photos in his place of false gods, goddesses, (especially the terrifying image of Kali with skulls around her neck and who knows what.) :eek: There are many photos of an Indian guru who was proven to be a false prophet but this man still holds him as his savior. 🤷

Should I try to get out of this? I already made the commitment. I feel something more than just uncomfortable. Should I bring holy water and sprinkle it around unbeknownst to this man I am caring for? Shall I leave him a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Or is this beyond me and maybe I should just make my visits quick and do the needful then leave asap? Any suggestions or (name removed by moderator)ut will be welcome…because frankly, now I’m a little frightened. Thank you.
Click to expand...
A quote I heard on Catholic radio the other day: “Let’s not worry about bringing sinners to Jesus. Let’s bring Jesus to sinners.”. (which we ALL are)

Be Jesus to him. Remember, Blessed Mother Theresa took care of those in need regardless of their religion.

🙂
 
Casilda said:
You are the light in his darkness. Pray before entering his home. Pray before giving him his meals. If he mentions his idols, tell him you are a follower of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. That may be a segue to sharing the gospel. Do not be afraid. Christ has conquered death, it may be something you can share with this poor soul.
Click to expand...
ChurchSoldier said:
I would think it would be someone who is not worried as being the one who should be worried. As has been said, you are the light in the darkness. You may be the only person from whom he hears the Gospel message (or the one God has chosen to bring him the Gospel!)

Prayers said for your endeavor.
Click to expand...
lax16 said:
A quote I heard on Catholic radio the other day: “Let’s not worry about bringing sinners to Jesus. Let’s bring Jesus to sinners.”. (which we ALL are)

Be Jesus to him. Remember, Blessed Mother Theresa took care of those in need regardless of their religion.

🙂
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👍👍👍

:harp:
 
Mother Theresa lived in India for many years and was not one bit concerned about their Hindu beliefs. She brought many to Christ through her charity and Christian example. This is your chance.
 
Sorry, but this is the first thing that came to mind:

Homer: “Hey Apu, why are you not in church?”
Apu: “Oh, but I am in church! I have built a small shrine to Ganesha, the Hindu god of wisdom, located in the employee’s lounge.”
Apu shows Homer his handmade shrine
Homer: “Hey Ganesha, want a peanut?”
Apu: “Please do not offer my god a peanut.”
 
I’ve read all the additional posts so far. I’m not mentioning the guru’s name because that would be detraction.
Believe me, I am a far cry from the great Blessed Mother Teresa!
I am tolerant of others’ beliefs but find these images disturbing. False prophet, false gods…their images are nothing more or less than this and they didn’t bother me until I was in the man’s home.
So I’m going with the first response post and praying. Leaving this thread, thank you all. 👍
 
My recent understanding of Hinduism is that they believe in one divine being, God.

We in Christianity misinterpret their images as being a belief in many false gods, but their images are merely the reflection of the different ways God has revealed himself to others over the course of human existence.

They do not pray to these statues anymore than we pray to the statue of the Blessed Mother.

As far as the OP, you must be the light of Christ in this man’s home.

Don’t try to convert him to Christianity, but rather, allow Him to see Christ through you.

Jim
 
RosalieM said:
I’m not sure this is the proper place for this topic.

I recently agreed to take care of an older man while his regular care givers are away for about a week. This would involve simple tasks like making nutritional shakes, getting food and water and seeing he has his medicine.

The thing that concerns me are all the photos in his place of false gods, goddesses, (especially the terrifying image of Kali with skulls around her neck and who knows what.) :eek: There are many photos of an Indian guru who was proven to be a false prophet but this man still holds him as his savior. 🤷

Should I try to get out of this? I already made the commitment. I feel something more than just uncomfortable. Should I bring holy water and sprinkle it around unbeknownst to this man I am caring for? Shall I leave him a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

Or is this beyond me and maybe I should just make my visits quick and do the needful then leave asap? Any suggestions or (name removed by moderator)ut will be welcome…because frankly, now I’m a little frightened. Thank you.
Click to expand...
Why not use this as an opportunity to evangelize…

Ask the man about his statues and pictures and let him tell you about them…then tell him about the catholic church and about how we pray and about Jesus and Mary and saints etc…
 
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