Timid About Faith

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acatholicguy

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What are steps I can take to be more open about my faith? I am often scared to share and be open about Catholicism with others. I worry that I will be hated by some people I know if they learned what the church teaches on gay marriage and abortion and that I believe in church teaching. I know what the Bible says and the great reward you receive when you are hated because of God, but do you have any steps I can take to be more open about Catholicism.
 
I have found consistently that most people are not interested in what I believe - and that is well over 60 years of experience.

If you want to share your faith, you might start by learning as much as you can.

Then, you may look for opportunities to share it - which means that they are open to you sharing it to begin with, not with you going out and giving people a proverbial poke on the arm and saying “You know what I believe?”

Your life - and how you live it - should be clear to many of what you believe. Or as St. Francis did not say, but is constantly attributed to him: “Preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words.”
 
IME, it was submitting to the Holy Spirit via the laying on of priestly hands at a Catholic charismatic meeting.

No looking back.
 
I’m not afraid to show visible signs of Catholicism - ashes on forehead, rosary in my hand, or mention that I need to get to Mass or to church.

If people ask me about Catholicism (and quite a few do), I’m open with them about it.

If they don’t ask me about it, then I don’t make speeches about it. I let my actions speak for me.

I think that’s the best way. Nobody really wants to hear speeches.
 
Yup.

You don’t need to mention Catholicism in all your interactions. It’ll come off as obnoxious. People who get to know you will inevitably learn naturally. Those who are interested will ask. Those who aren’t won’t.
 
As for gay marriage and abortion, learn as much as you can about the issues to be able to be articulate and persuasive when speaking about the issue, so any conversation does not turn into a heated emotional screaming match. Abortion is not a women’s issue, it is a human an issue and we have to have the courage to speak up and defend the sacredness of human life. Today you can share your views with others by sharing articles and videos with them. THIS VIDEO May help you touch those who are open to the truth about abortion.

The nucleus of a healthy society is the natural human family, where the male-female, masculine-feminine, man-woman, husband-wife, father-mother paradigm creates the natural nest for new little baby boys and girls to come into this world, having the influence of both father and mother. The tragic reality is that most of society’s ills are rooted in the breakdown of the family; the vast majority of people in prison today come from broken families, children who had no positive father figures. As the family is torn apart so goes society. Gay marriage and the normalization of sodomy as a virtue and masqueraded as a “sacred institution” only furthers the destruction of the natural paradigm and lead to atrocious psychological damage to children that are pulled into such relationships.

As for your faith in Jesus Christ and what the Church teaches, learn your faith and live your faith and always be ready to give reasons for your faith, and defend it when others speak against it. Be aware that Scripture says much about cowardice, and Christ Himself said _Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels_Lk9:26
 
“Tis_Bearself said:
Nobody really wants to hear speeches.
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one doesn’t have to give speeches, but one must speak up when necessary. 'Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless.Not to speak is to speak.Not to act is to act.’ -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
 
Yes; though it is common these days to go to a restaurant or shopping these days, while there is an abortion mill a block away. When evil is normalized it makes it easy for people to turn a blind eye or simply go with the crowd. There are ways to get involved to counter evil, and a civic duty to never support those who rationalize the murder of kids.
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Gab123 said:
Yes; though it is common these days to go to a restaurant or shopping these days, while there is an abortion mill a block away.
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I have been on the Rosary marches where we pray outside the “abortion mill”. They happen every month. If someone brings up the topic of abortion I am happy to give my opinion that it is murder and that the Catholic Church teaches it is murder.
I don’t feel a need to make a speech out of the blue about Planned Parenthood being 2 blocks away every time I have lunch in the French restaurant nearby
I hardly think that qualifies as “not getting involved”.

You are being a bit overdramatic. You also brought up Hitler, and you know what they say about Hitler on the internet.


Given that extreme views have entered the thread, I am going to kindly invite myself out, and you are free to think I’m lukewarm or a bad Catholic or whatever. Have a nice day.
 
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I’d say depends on the setting. Not every situation is one where someone’s faith should be a topic. Having said that, you’d be surprised about people’s reactions. Some, who you think wouldn’t care, will turn out to be critical and some, who you think are intolerant, will show respect for your beliefs. So in my experience, it is good to be open and let people’s true colors show.
 
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Go to confession frequently. That helps remove fear and gives you a lot of graces.
 
It is sad that there were cards at the back of my church showing two pictures if an abortion clinic and the earlier picture was the same building which was a catholic chapel. Satan must have loved that one.
 
@acatholicguy Pray for the grace of Fortitude. Praying the Holy Rosary consistently and devoutly is the surest way of gaining great spiritual strength. If you focus on God through prayer then you will no longer have to worry about being open about Catholicism. As you grow in prayer you will grow in the love of God, and before you know it openness about Catholicism will be as natural as breathing.
 
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