The Catholic Way

[rinnie]

How are catholics supposed to interact to people of other faiths? To tell you the truth, that issue had never been part of my catholic schooling. Nor have I heard it from a mass sermon.

It was in mine, We were taught to never argue scripture. Never to push our faith on anyone, or attack other faiths. But we are taught to correct someone that is talking falsehoods against the church. But in the most dignified manner as possible. And to leave that person with a good impression of ourselves and the church in the best way possible. And we hear it in Mass constantly Love one another as God has loved you.

 

[Joe_5859]

Welcome!

How are Catholics taught to talk to people of other religions?

You might be interested in the Catholic Church’s Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions. Since you are a Muslim, you may find paragraph 3 of particular interest:

The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself; merciful and all- powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,(5) who has spoken to men; they take pains to submit wholeheartedly to even His inscrutable decrees, just as Abraham, with whom the faith of Islam takes pleasure in linking itself, submitted to God. Though they do not acknowledge Jesus as God, they revere Him as a prophet. They also honor Mary, His virgin Mother; at times they even call on her with devotion. In addition, they await the day of judgment when God will render their deserts to all those who have been raised up from the dead. Finally, they value the moral life and worship God especially through prayer, almsgiving and fasting.

Since in the course of centuries not a few quarrels and hostilities have arisen between Christians and Moslems, this sacred synod urges all to forget the past and to work sincerely for mutual understanding and to preserve as well as to promote together for the benefit of all mankind social justice and moral welfare, as well as peace and freedom.

 

[rpp]

I am a Muslim, and the Qur’an says in a few different places to treat people (non-Muslims) with kindness and justice, and to argue in the way that is best, and not to mock God or anyone’s concept of God.

Are there no teachings in Catholicism about how to talk to people of other faiths?

The answer your question in your last paragraph, the Bible teaches us we are to teach the entire world about the Truth of Jesus Christ.

As for the first paragraph I have quoted here, can you provide some references to the Qur’an?

Careful now, just because we are Catholics does not mean we do not understand Islam or are ill-informed as to what the Qur’an teaches.

(By the way, are you aware that there are many acceptable way to render the name of the Islamic holy book in English? Your spelling, which I have also used, is one of the more esoteric and little used ones. Other spelling include Quran, Koran, Qran, Quoran.)

 

[Sister_Amy]

The answer your question in your last paragraph, the Bible teaches us we are to teach the entire world about the Truth of Jesus Christ.

Thank you. How are you instructed to do that teaching?

As for the first paragraph I have quoted here, can you provide some references to the Qur’an?

I was just hoping someone would ask!! You see, I have been meeting with my sheikh (teacher/scholar) a lot lately and he has impressed this upon me several times. The reference is in Surat al-Mumtahinah, 60:8. The english translation reads: Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - **from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. **

What he explained to me, though, was that “being righteous” is not the best translation of the word (as used in this translation.) The word used is Arabic tabarruhum which means to deal with them with “barr” and that is the same word used in how Jesus treats his mother Mary–with “barr,” kindness.

Careful now, just because we are Catholics does not mean we do not understand Islam or are ill-informed as to what the Qur’an teaches.

I have spent the last few days explaining my beliefs and have found the case to be that the participants are in fact misunderstanding Islam and ill-informed as to what the Qur’an teaches.

(By the way, are you aware that there are many acceptable way to render the name of the Islamic holy book in English? Your spelling, which I have also used, is one of the more esoteric and little used ones. Other spelling include Quran, Koran, Qran, Quoran.)

I am a student of the Arabic language, and out of habit I will whenever possible and appropriate use the most accurate transliteration. The word “Qur’an” in Arabic begins with a letter for which there is no english equivalent, usually written as “qaaf.” It is definitely not the letter “kaaf” which is identical to the english “K.” Therefore, “Q” is a more appropriate rendering for the first letter than “K” which denotes another letter, and in fact it is most commonly used among Muslims whenever rendering an Arabic word in English.

The letter “u” is representative of a short vowel called a damma that is usually denoted as a “u” though some cultures pronounce it as more of an “o.” Typically Muslims will use a “u.”

The apostraphe represents a gutteral stop which is a letter in Arabic called a hamza, for which there is no real english equivalent. If I were to write “Quran” I would be leaving out this letter which would be incorrect.

I don’t mean to be secretive in my use of the word, but I don’t see a need to conform to an incorrect spelling (which infact is denotative of incorrect pronunciation) when there is a correct and more proper way to write the word. Now that you know why I spell it “Qur’an” and hopefully you understand that it is the only truly correct way to render it in English–and that it is, in fact, the most commonly used version among Muslims, especially those who are familiar with the Arabic language. You can adopt it as well now that you know, and tell your friends that it is the most appropriate and God willing we can educate the people!

 

[graceandglory]

Thank you. How are you instructed to do that teaching?!

Some people call it the “Great Commission.”
Matthew 28:20

Before Jesus ascended into Heaven, he “commissioned” his Apostles, saying: “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.”

This same commission can be found in the other Gospels: Luke 24:36-49 and John 20:19-23, and also in the book of Acts 1:6-8
.
We’ve pretty much been doing this for 2,000 years.

 

[Hisalone]

Amy Im sorry your getting nasty PMs.
That is uncalled for.
You may not like what I say about Islam but I will say it in the open.
As for your beliefs many understand what you believe but do not agree with you. What you will preport to be fact some of us will say is fiction.
For example you belive the bible is corrupt, I do not.

 

[Lapell]

Well, sister Amy, I think I get the meaning of PM now, but I still don’t know how to do them with people on the thread. Anyhow, unless you insist that I do, I don’t see the need for them right now!

 

[Lapell]

Amy Im sorry your getting nasty PMs.
That is uncalled for.
You may not like what I say about Islam but I will say it in the open.
As for your beliefs many understand what you believe but do not agree with you. What you will preport to be fact some of us will say is fiction.
For example you believe the bible is corrupt, I do not.

This post I can back 100%.

 

[Lapell]

Thank you. How are you instructed to do that teaching?

I was just hoping someone would ask!! You see, I have been meeting with my sheikh (teacher/scholar) a lot lately and he has impressed this upon me several times. The reference is in Surat al-Mumtahinah, 60:8. The english translation reads: Allah does not forbid you from those who do not fight you because of religion and do not expel you from your homes - **from being righteous toward them and acting justly toward them. Indeed, Allah loves those who act justly. **

What he explained to me, though, was that “being righteous” is not the best translation of the word (as used in this translation.) The word used is Arabic tabarruhum which means to deal with them with “barr” and that is the same word used in how Jesus treats his mother Mary–with “barr,” kindness.

I have spent the last few days explaining my beliefs and have found the case to be that the participants are in fact misunderstanding Islam and ill-informed as to what the Qur’an teaches.

I am a student of the Arabic language, and out of habit I will whenever possible and appropriate use the most accurate transliteration. The word “Qur’an” in Arabic begins with a letter for which there is no english equivalent, usually written as “qaaf.” It is definitely not the letter “kaaf” which is identical to the english “K.” Therefore, “Q” is a more appropriate rendering for the first letter than “K” which denotes another letter, and in fact it is most commonly used among Muslims whenever rendering an Arabic word in English.

The letter “u” is representative of a short vowel called a damma that is usually denoted as a “u” though some cultures pronounce it as more of an “o.” Typically Muslims will use a “u.”

The apostraphe represents a gutteral stop which is a letter in Arabic called a hamza, for which there is no real english equivalent. If I were to write “Quran” I would be leaving out this letter which would be incorrect.

I don’t mean to be secretive in my use of the word, but I don’t see a need to conform to an incorrect spelling (which infact is denotative of incorrect pronunciation) when there is a correct and more proper way to write the word. Now that you know why I spell it “Qur’an” and hopefully you understand that it is the only truly correct way to render it in English–and that it is, in fact, the most commonly used version among Muslims, especially those who are familiar with the Arabic language. You can adopt it as well now that you know, and tell your friends that it is the most appropriate and God willing we can educate the people!

I am grateful for the pieces of information you provide to help us understand your faith from within. I suppose the passage about the previous sacred books being “corrupt” got me worked up! For good reasons though!

 

[LaMar]

The Qur’an accuses Jews of “falsehood" (Sura 3:71) and “distortion” (Sura 4:46). It says they have been cursed by Allah, as well as by David and Jesus (Sura 2:61/58, Sura 5:78/82). It says that Allah was so disgusted with Jews that he transformed them into apes and pigs, “despised and rejected”. (Sura 5:60/65, 2:65 and 7:166).

Other than that, I have no reason to question what you’ve said.

That’s OK. The New Testament repeatedly claims that Christians are the true Jews, and any Jews who keep to the traditions of their ancestors are hard-hearted pharisees who have God’s blood on their hands.

I’d bring out the “synagogue of Satan…who say they are Jews but do lie” quotes, which appear in several different places, but I doubt I could do better than this page.

messiahtruth.com/anti.html

 

[The_GreyPilgrim]

I would ask every Catholic and every Christian on this board to follow the advice of St Peter:

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;”(1 Peter 3:15)

 

[theistgal]

I would hope no one would judge Catholics - or non-Catholics, or atheists, or agnostics, or any other group for that matter - based solely on how they have interacted with a few members of that group on the Internet!

Unfortunately, many people behave differently online (and in traffic on the freeway ) than they do on a one-to-one, in-person basis.

 

[Ceil-1]

I just attended a retreat given by a wonderful priest from China. He taught us about agothos vs. kalos.

Agothos is a good deed. Kalos is the “lovely deed”. The extra mile Jesus demanded of us in the Gospels.

Agothos is opening the door for someone. Kalos is carrying their groceries to the car. It is going the extra mile when one will do. Remember the Good Samaritan. The widow’s mite. Turning the other cheek.

We, as Catholics, are required to do Kalos at all times. It is by living this out that we speak to others. It is the Gospel in action. If we go around preaching and arguing and not doing Kalos, we are not doing the Will of God.

Kalos is the Catholic Way.

 

[Sister_Amy]

That was a very nice post, Ceil-1, thanks for writing it!

 

[Claire_from_DE]

In Catholic school in Baltimore in the 1950’s we were taught to talk to and about everyone with respect because we all have human dignity from God. This came up especially when when a student would make a racist remark. We weren’t specifically instructed how to talk to those of other faiths and weren’t given good guidelines on how to share our faith other than by our daily example. We were taught our own faith and a little about how to ‘defend’ our beliefs if someone tried to attack them.

All of the people of other faiths that I knew were Protestants. We knew they were different because their ancestors had separated from the Catholic church a long time ago. But they believed in Jesus so we had a lot in common with them.

As for the Jews, I thought they must be extra special (like Moses and Abraham and Esther). I felt sorry they didn’t know the messiah had already come. And I felt sorry for the pagans who didn’t really know about God.

As for any religions that began after Jesus, we were taught they were false. Maybe some men invented them or really thought God had spoken to them but it was just their own imaginations or an evil spirit. These were wrong religions but their followers were still created by God and we should treat them like neighbors.

Now I would imagine most of the posters grew up later than the 1950’s but the idea of ‘defending’ our beliefs may sometimes come across as an attack rather than a polite explanation. I’m sorry if this happens.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

That’s OK. The New Testament repeatedly claims that Christians are the true Jews, and any Jews who keep to the traditions of their ancestors are hard-hearted pharisees who have God’s blood on their hands.

I’d bring out the “synagogue of Satan…who say they are Jews but do lie” quotes, which appear in several different places, but I doubt I could do better than this page.

messiahtruth.com/anti.html

I totally disagree with you on this. You are not reading the bible as a Catholic would. There is no condemnation of Jews for being Jews there. Jesus criticizes certain groups, not for being Jews but for not living up to their own faith, who followed only the outer form of the law or who told others they should obey the law but didn’t do so themselves. It doesn’t say Christians are the true Jews. It does say Abraham is our spiritual father. That would make sense to Christians since Jesus is descended from Abraham and David in the flesh and is the fulfillment of the prophesies in the scriptures.

 

[IAmEdmund]

How are Catholics taught to talk to people of other religions?

With a true witness of Christ.

When necessary, to use words. ;]

 

[Lapell]

I would ask every Catholic and every Christian on this board to follow the advice of St Peter:

“Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;”(1 Peter 3:15)

AMEN to that!

 

[Lapell]

I totally disagree with you on this. You are not reading the bible as a Catholic would. There is no condemnation of Jews for being Jews there. Jesus criticizes certain groups, not for being Jews but for not living up to their own faith, who followed only the outer form of the law or who told others they should obey the law but didn’t do so themselves. It doesn’t say Christians are the true Jews. It does say Abraham is our spiritual father. That would make sense to Christians since Jesus is descended from Abraham and David in the flesh and is the fulfillment of the prophesies in the scriptures.

Thanks for this post, Claire from DE…

 

[Lapell]

Well, it’s Holy Thursday, so I would like to wish every one Christian (including everyone Catholic) a very good Paschal Triduum. Happy Resurrection Day, and God bless you all, whoever you are. Peace be with you!