The Christian Civil War

[piscotikus]

I have recently taken more of an interest in my Catholic faith. It seems to me that most Catholics and most of the Catholic call in shows take questions and try to defend the Church from protestants. Do not protestants at least have faith in Jesus Christ?

Why then to we spend time defending the Church form protestants instead of trying to get more people to know Christ? This world is full of athiests, Muslims, Jews and many other religions that do not know the love of Christ. Even young adults raised Catholic that have no relationship with God but are thinking of only their lusts.

I feel our battle is not against the protestants at this time. It is for God to decide who gets to heaven. By at least knowing the Cathoilc faith exsists allows all protestants the free will to decide wether or notto join out true Church. We need to focus on those who have lost touch with Jesus or who do not know Him.

 

[petra]

piscotikus:

I have recently taken more of an interest in my Catholic faith. It seems to me that most Catholics and most of the Catholic call in shows take questions and try to defend the Church from protestants. Do not protestants at least have faith in Jesus Christ?

Yes, they certainly do!

Why then to we spend time defending the Church form protestants instead of trying to get more people to know Christ? This world is full of athiests, Muslims, Jews and many other religions that do not know the love of Christ. Even young adults raised Catholic that have no relationship with God but are thinking of only their lusts. I feel our battle is not against the protestants at this time.

I think there are 2 aspects to this: promoting and defending. I agree that there is much wasted energy spent by Protestants and Catholics battling each other. You are right on target to point out that there are much greater needs: evangelism to people of religions that are decidedly non-Christian and evangelism to people that are ensnared by the world. I think the majority of our energy should be directed there.

But a smaller proportion of time and energy should be directed to dialog with Protestants about key doctrines. I hope and pray that someday we will all be united again under one faith, and this can only be accomplished by respectful dialog. This has relevance to the above objective, as well, as the more unified Christendom is, the more effective we may be in reaching truly lost people. Finally, Catholics have every right to respond to misinformation about the Church. But we should hold emotions in check and stick to a reasoned discussion about the issues.

It only turns into a war when people get nasty and disrespectul. There is never an excuse for that.

 

[Genesis315]

piscotikus:

Why then to we spend time defending the Church form protestants instead of trying to get more people to know Christ?

Because they keep attacking. You can’t defend unless there is an attack.

This world is full of athiests, Muslims, Jews and many other religions that do not know the love of Christ. Even young adults raised Catholic that have no relationship with God but are thinking of only their lusts. I feel our battle is not against the protestants at this time.

When some protestants say that Catholics are evil idolators and are not Christians, we need to defend ourselves and dispell those myths so that other people can know the true Church.

I feel our battle is not against the protestants at this time. It is for God to decide who gets to heaven. By at least knowing the Cathoilc faith exsists allows all protestants the free will to decide wether or notto join out true Church. We need to focus on those who have lost touch with Jesus or who do not know Him.

I totally agree. Personally, I feel we need to evangelize nominal Catholics first. So many Catholics really have no idea what the faith and the Church are all about. I know, I used to be one of them.

This comment of yours is what the true spirit of Vatican II is all about. We can talk with people of other religions and let them know the Truth, and then it is up to them to follow the Holy Spirit from there.

 

[Fidelis]

Genesis315:

Because they keep attacking. You can’t defend unless there is an attack…When some protestants say that Catholics are evil idolators and are not Christians, we need to defend ourselves and dispell those myths so that other people can know the true Church.

This is exactly how I explain it to people. If there were no anti-Catholics attacking the Catholic Faith and presenting Catholic teachings in a distorted way to try to draw people away from the Church, there would be no need for apologetics.

Notice there is no Catholic equivalents to the anti-Catholic groups “Missions To Catholics,” “Christians Evangelizing Catholics,” Jack Chick, James White, etc, etc, etc. Catholic apologetics is purely defensive.

In your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. 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

 

[Rand_Al_Thor]

i think it’s sad that there is a need for people to be a catholic apologist. not that it’s a bad thing to know the church inside and out, of course. it’s just that there shouldnt be the need for a profession that defends the church. what’s even sadder is that there are people who spend their lives attacking the church; that’s their career.

 

[Cubsfan]

Unfortunately, we as Catholics get caught up in the moment and say things against protestants that may make us feel good at the moment, but utimately serve to only strengthen our protestant bretheren in their disdain for all things Catholic. I know since I have on occasion done this in some of these forums.

That said I believe that the Catholic Church is the one true way to God. I think that we have to address statements and beliefs that may hinder one from receiving the truth, but so so in a manner that invites not drive one away.

 

[Franze]

Without protestantism and the union with orthodoxy, the “second lung”, we could evangelize atheists, agnostics and muslims, but with desunion, there are a lot of problems and there aren´t enough priests, apologists and well formed people. It´s a pity.