Traps, lies, and deceptions

  • Thread starter Thread starter cestusdei
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

cestusdei

Guest
Often fundamentalists and cultists use traps, lies, and deceptions to convert Catholics. I would be interested in hearing your stories of examples of this kind of behavior. That way we can warn each other and learn more about their tactics. I will start:

In my area a group rented a building. They advertized it as a non-denominational Bible center. They offered free Bible study materials. I went in to check it out. All of the materials without exception were Seventh Day Adventist. But they had no signs indicating their real affiliation. And they insisted their were non-denominational even when I pointed out all they had was SDA study guides. They are notorious for this. Their “Amazing Facts” seminars are held off church property and it is not mentioned they are SDA. When I finally got them to admit they were, but only after extensive questioning. Their excuse was that they thought people had a negative view of the SDA’s and wouldn’t come it they knew who sponsored the seminar. And they wonder why we have a negative view of them? How about lying about who they are for starters?

Anyone else have stories?
 
we live in a resort area, so we get lots of company, family and non. a business colleague of my husband’s came down to golf for a week, since our trailer was full of grandkids, my in-laws graciously offered their spare room, no charge, provided breakfast each day, soft drinks etc. He has known us for over 20 years and knows we are all devout Catholics. He is divorced from a woman who used to be Catholic (they were married in the church) and knows something of the faith. He left Jehovahs witness tracts all over my in-law’s place when he left, especially some denouncing the crucifix, rosary, icons etc. which mom has prominently displayed. Turns out he is dating a JW woman, attending her “church” and bible studies, which he claims are taught by “experts”. I filled him in on the so called “expert” status of their leadership, but he just acted dumb. I call that a very poor return for hospitality.
 
Mormons will do that too. Leave out their books and materials prominently displayed in your home while they visit.

I have had several experiences where they leave their tracts in our parishes. In confessionals, pews, and missaletes. Once they even put them in the lectionary and priests sacramentary. When he caught them they claimed the church was a public place. They were informed they were trespassing and told to leave. I once wrote to the address on one. The man claimed that his violation of our property was okay since he was obeying God. I asked if I could come and give tracts out at his church. He said “no”. He never acknowledged his bigotry or our right to control our own property.
 
our university bookstore has to shrink wrap any books that might conceivably deal with a religious or theological topic, because the tractarians, usually Mormon, JW, SDA or whore of Babylon people will stuff their garbage in the books. Because so much of it is offensive and hatefilled, the bookstore has to do this to keep from getting sued.
 
40.png
cestusdei:
Mormons will do that too. Leave out their books and materials prominently displayed in your home while they visit.

I have had several experiences where they leave their tracts in our parishes. In confessionals, pews, and missaletes. Once they even put them in the lectionary and priests sacramentary. When he caught them they claimed the church was a public place. They were informed they were trespassing and told to leave. I once wrote to the address on one. The man claimed that his violation of our property was okay since he was obeying God. I asked if I could come and give tracts out at his church. He said “no”. He never acknowledged his bigotry or our right to control our own property.
Click to expand...
This is a very interesting thread…
I have read about JW and Mormans but never realized they would go to the extreme of leaving their info in churchs :bigyikes:

I have catholic tracts and I leave rosery booklets in places but not someone elses church
 
Here is a good one. In college several nice attractive girls asked me to visit their center. They were Japanese. When I got there I discovered it was a moonie center. Gee, they forgot to mention that. I speak the language, so to the dismay of the leader I told the Japanese they should go to the consulate and go back home. Their leader wanted me to join. I said I didn’t want to sell flowers at airports. He said, “don’t worry, you won’t be one of those”. In other words he didn’t believe any of it, but enjoyed the power he had over others. And he offered me a chance to be a leader like him. It showed me what often really lies behind leadership in such cults. Another lesson learned.
 
I could name many instances, but here’s one.

Many years ago, when I was in the Air Force, I came down with the measles and had to spend a few days in the infirmary. While several of us were lying there bored, a group of young men came in and asked us if we wanted to see a movie.
“What’s it about.”
“Just come and see, it’s really good.”
“Yeah, but, what’s it about?”
“Just come and see.”
So a couple of us went over to the lounge and they stared running the film. I don’t know how or why the Air Force allowed them to do it, but it turned out to be an incredibly corny fundamentalist evangelistic film (sort of like Jack Chick on celluloid). I got up and walked out and, for a long time after that, had a very poor view of Protestants.
 
At a future time (hopefully later this week, if I can carve out some time) I’m going to post some information about the Southern Baptist Convention’s FAITH Evangelism Program. It is a slick, almost hard-sell presentation designed to get a conversion NOW, and it twists Scripture to make its points.

DaveBj
 
40.png
cestusdei:
Mormons will do that too. Leave out their books and materials prominently displayed in your home while they visit.

I have had several experiences where they leave their tracts in our parishes. In confessionals, pews, and missaletes. Once they even put them in the lectionary and priests sacramentary. When he caught them they claimed the church was a public place. They were informed they were trespassing and told to leave. I once wrote to the address on one. The man claimed that his violation of our property was okay since he was obeying God. I asked if I could come and give tracts out at his church. He said “no”. He never acknowledged his bigotry or our right to control our own property.
Click to expand...
If you work on a place of business or feel the need when you see a watchtower mag in a public place, a fun thing to do might be to print out some information from the Catholic Answers website… especially “Who’s in the Watchtower?” and staple it to the material… it might provide some interesting entertainment for some bored person in a waiting room… The JW and SDA garbage is the WORST. They are relentless:whacky: Does anyone else think that beyond being extremely annoying, it is desperately sad that these people are so far astray that they honestly think they are trying to save us??? It actually makes me sad:crying: these are real people with real souls doing this!
Taking it into churches is a low blow... going WAY too far!:mad:
 
A few years ago when my daugher was 4 we went trick-or -treating in Air Force base housing. When we got home and started checking her candy there was a Jack Chick booklet in her bag!! It was a story about a little girl who was terminally ill with cancer and discovered Jesus and begged her daddy to accept Jesus as her personal Lord and Saviour… at the end it showed someone on fire in hell.:bigyikes: …It makes me angry to know that there were children who actually read that ****. I wanted so badly to know who gave it to her so I could go over to their house with a rosary and crucifix and say that we came to give them back their pitiful, hateful excuse for religious material and that we would be praying the rosary every day for their conversion. I bet they would have Loved that!

A Jack Chick TRICK on Halloween!!!
 
We used to live across from a Baptist church and were pestered all the time to come to their vacation Bible School, to their church, etc. We told them we went to the Catholic and Lutheran churches in our town, but I guess they thought we still needed saving. I finally got some pamphlets from our church and gave them to them when they came to our door.

On a thread about Jews for Jesus I mentioned this same story. I don’t think we should do the same thing to Jews that we dislike having done to us. If they see a Christian living a good life, I think it will be more likely to persuade a person to come to the faith then any kind of annoying “witnessing” or worse, trickery as Cestusdei described.
 
I despise the use of “tricks” to get converts. Always distrust those who don’t fess up about their affiliation or deceive you into coming to a program. Jesus didn’t lie to get disciples.
 
If you use the Mormon Family History Centers for geneological works you should know they are not allowed to to try and convert you there BUT if you ask questions about Mormonism first then they are allowed to speak about it. I used to go to one frequently and one guy would make all kinds of ‘leading’ statements in hopes that I would ask him a question about whatever it was he was talking about…I never took the bait because I knew what he was doing.

Beware of young people taking a religious survey. They are just looking for converts.

dream wanderer
 
40.png
cestusdei:
I despise the use of “tricks” to get converts. Always distrust those who don’t fess up about their affiliation or deceive you into coming to a program. Jesus didn’t lie to get disciples.
Click to expand...
The use of tricks to get converts simply means they don’t trust God to guide and help them spread their message. What irony!

Gerry
 
I think the “Left Behind” series is a trick. The books aren’t well written and there’s preaching on every page.

I’m glad if the books get non-Christians interested in Jesus and perhaps investigating the Bible and church, any real Christian church.

But I know that the books have been confusing to Catholics, who wonder if the version of End Times chronology is true.
 
40.png
Cat:
I think the “Left Behind” series is a trick. The books aren’t well written and there’s preaching on every page.

** I’m glad if the books get non-Christians interested in Jesus and perhaps investigating the Bible and church, any real Christian church. **

But I know that the books have been confusing to Catholics, who wonder if the version of End Times chronology is true.
Click to expand...
There is only one real Christian Church. It’s the Catholic Church.
 
40.png
Cat:
I think the “Left Behind” series is a trick. The books aren’t well written and there’s preaching on every page.

I’m glad if the books get non-Christians interested in Jesus and perhaps investigating the Bible and church, any real Christian church.

But I know that the books have been confusing to Catholics, who wonder if the version of End Times chronology is true.
Click to expand...
You THINK its a trick. Those books are evangelism and prozelytizing tracks in the form of 10 or so full length novels. I gave up after the first one where Nicoli (or whatever his name is) makes the Catholic Pope the head of the one world religion and calls himself Peter the Great, Pontiffex Maximus. The anti-catholic bigotry in that book is nauseating.
 
this thread is just as “hate-filled” as all the things you are complaining about. i will not be back to see you spew your hate on me, but i appreciate that you all think you are doing God’s will just like all the rest of the others you are complaining about. if you have truth (which i do believe is only to be found in Christianity and the fullness of that truth is to be found in the catholic church) you have an obligation to share it. these people think they have truth and they care enough about humanity to not stay silent about it. oh what we can learn from their passion.
 
40.png
bengal_fan:
this thread is just as “hate-filled” as all the things you are complaining about. i will not be back to see you spew your hate on me, but i appreciate that you all think you are doing God’s will just like all the rest of the others you are complaining about. if you have truth (which i do believe is only to be found in Christianity and the fullness of that truth is to be found in the catholic church) you have an obligation to share it. these people think they have truth and they care enough about humanity to not stay silent about it. oh what we can learn from their passion.
Click to expand...
bengal_fan, I am not really sure what you are complaining about, as you had no posts in this thread prior to this one? I was trying to follow your logic, but I was trying to figure out exactly what was hate filled, and who spewed what on you? Could you give us a hint so we can be a bit more cautious and charitable in our responses?
 
I don’t think it is hate-filled to warn others about a pit they might fall into. Most of the groups that lie to get you to join are the ones filled with hate. For example I have experienced the survey trick too. I was asked a series of leading questions and when it was discovered I was Catholic they attacked the Church and tried to get me to visit theirs. That is pretty hateful. And all we are doing is exposing tricks that people use to deceive Catholics. If their passion makes them lie then something is wrong with their passion.

I have been literally spat upon by fundamentalists. Right in the face. I have been confronted by shrieking raving Bible waving maniacs. As soon as they discover I am a priest they go nuts. I can do without that kind of passion.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top