Ways to evangelize to promote the common good/social justice

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Bill_7154

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In just reading a thread, and thinking about it, and remembering a time where I engaged in some very basic evangelizing which I believe helped to promote the common good and therefore lead to improve social justice, albeit on a small scale I decided to make this thread to share idea’s people have with respect to how one might go aobut (or one has practiced) evangelizing which in turn likely promotes the common good/social justice.

I’ve used this approach a few times with people who were angry at God/hated God, sometimes to the extent that they sort of consider themselves athiests. This begs the question, however. How can someone ‘be angry at’ or ‘hate’ something or someone that does not exist?

I’ve found it useful on certain occasions when interacting with someone who is very angry at God, who after going on a rant to one extent or another about how could God allow such and such, I hate God because such and such…rather than challenge them directly about why they hate God and assert that they shouldn’t for whatever reason to simply respond:

“So, you have a relationship with God, Great!”

This has never had a negative effect and on one occasion the person wound up ‘forgiving’ God in his heart and changing his relationship with God from one where he resented God to one where he forgave God (actually realized he should not have been angry with God in the first place, he made this decision as a child, I had the conversation with him well into adulthood) and began to have a positive relationship to God and began coming back to his faith.

I’d love to hear other stories or idea’s that people have that they care to share where they engaged in evangelizing to one extent or another and it had a positive effect, changing the peron’s life for the better by bringing them closer to God, etc.

Please share any stories or idea’s that you may have so that I (we) may learn and therefore be better able to evangelize in the future, making small changes in people, and thereby making small changes in the world, which promotes the common good and improves social justice in the hearts and minds of others.

God Bless,
Bill
 
The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.

John 3:16
 
Bill_7154 said:
In just reading a thread, and thinking about it, and remembering a time where I engaged in some very basic evangelizing which I believe helped to promote the common good and therefore lead to improve social justice, albeit on a small scale…

God Bless,
Bill
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So, are you trying to evangelize them to be all-round balanced Christians, or just social welfare nutniks? Just curious.
 
iloveangels said:
So, are you evangelizing them to be all-round balanced Christians, or just social welfare nutniks?
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Where would you get the idea I promote welfare? Where would you get the idea I promote being nutniks? Please be specific.

Interesting thinking of your post when reflecting upon the post above. We put out into the world projections of ourselves…and your putting forth this…nice.
 
Bill_7154 said:
Where would you get the idea I promote welfare? Where would you get the idea I promote being nutniks? Please be specific.

Interesting thinking of your post when reflecting upon the post above. We put out into the world projections of ourselves…and your putting forth this…nice.
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Well, social justice is one part of Christianity, but it’s not the only part, or even the major part. So your prominent mention of it in the proximity of the word “evangelization” sounds odd to me. That’s all.

When we evangelize someone we usually hope they’ll become total Christians, or even total Catholics, who practice the entire scope and depth of the Catholic life, which includes many things.
 
Bill the greatest way to promote Social Justice is for you and me and other Christians to go out and start a business and provide good well-paying jobs and allow employees adequate vacation time so they can enjoy time with their families.

That’s probably the greatest form of common good and social justice one can do. Don’t just feed the poor for a day, feed them for life.
 
iloveangels said:
Well, social justice is one part of Christianity, but it’s not the only part, or even the major part. So your prominent mention of it in the proximity of the word “evangelization” sounds odd to me. That’s all.

When we evangelize someone we usually hope they’ll become total Christians, or even total Catholics, who practice the entire scope and depth of the Catholic life, which includes many things.
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OK, now we are getting somewhere. YOu stopped assuming some wild *** nonsense that you pulled out of think air and are actually engaging me in conversation. Good. And thank you.

Granted, evangelization and social welfare is a streach. The reason I included it in this forum and not another is simply becaue I am more used to, and more comfortable, posting in this forum moreso than others (although I do post in a few other forums on a fairly regular basis, but not as much as this one.

I agee with your views of evangelizing. However, I see it as more of a process, than an ‘event’. Cudos to you if you can have a single conversation with someone who is not a faithful Christian or Catholic and evoke a change in them where they ‘convert’ If your able to do that, or have ever done that, please share the story with me. I am extremely interested, would benefit a great deal from reading it, as I assume many others would as well.

My views on evangelizing are somewhat similar to my views of getting a person to make major life changes in general, regardless of what those changes may entail. And in my experience, this does not happen from a single conversation, and does not happen overnight. Rather it is, more often than not, a process.

If others epxperiences in ‘effectively evangelizing’ where one changes from heathen to Christian based on a single conversation please share with me (us) as I would like to learn from you but life has taught me that people don’t typically (hardly ever) change that way. However, I could be wrong, as I ofen am. And if this is the case I will be the first to jump up and admit that my perceptions were wrong.

So my intent in starting this thread was to get people to share thoughts, ideas, etc that they found effective in starting a person along the lines of transforming to Christianity or Catholicism, as I presume it takes place as a process. My thinking was that maybe somoene (or more people) may have had experiences where they found that a certain approach in talking to someone in efforts to get them to change and adopt a more Christian/ Catholic lifestyle, practices, etc and that they could share those encounters, approaches here so that I (and potentially others) could benefit from learning from what others found effective ways of strarting someone on a path towards Christianity/Cahtolicism. Or in some way furthered their journey along that path.

I provided an example myself that had a significant impact on someone and it was simply a one sentence spoken to them in a ‘teachable moment’.

I figured maybe others may have had similar experiences where a brief encounter seemed (or did, if you had ongoing interactions with the person over time so learned of the impact of what you did or said had on the person becoming more closer to God, Jesus and their faith as a Christian/Catholic.

I’m simply trying to start and faciliate positive discussions to further society in sinning less, becoming closer to God and Jesus, and the Catholic Church. I believe that if poeple do become closer to God, Jesus, and the Church that soical justice will be more likely to take place as people will be more in the midset of sharing with one another the beauty that comes from having a relationship with God and Jesus that is positive and helpful to them, thereby putting them in a postion to help others do the same.

Does that make sense? I can’t know others hearts and minds of this forum, so I am asking people, inviting poeple, to share any potential interactions they have had that have seemed to (or they know from having an ongoing relationsip with said person) had such an impact. I am doing so to further my own learning and attemping to create a thread where mutual learning along those lines might take place.

I hope that sheds some additional light on my motives, my intent. I hoped that someone might have some wrods of wisdom they have used, possibly on more that one occasion that they foud/find to be effective in helping poeple convert to Christianity/Catholocism, or re-direct them back to those faiths that they have drifted away from for whatever reason(s).

does that help explain where I am coming from? Does that help explain my intent? If not please let me know and I will atttempt to make a greater effort to clarify m intent in a future post.

Amd yet AGAIN I ask that people stop assuming I am a progressive or liberal trying to promote such an agenda. I am more than tired of people cointinuing ot assume I have those leanings when nothing further could be from the trutl. My poliitical philosophisophies

God Bless,
Bill
 
austenbosten said:
Bill the greatest way to promote Social Justice is for you and me and other Christians to go out and start a business and provide good well-paying jobs and allow employees adequate vacation time so they can enjoy time with their families.

That’s probably the greatest form of common good and social justice one can do. Don’t just feed the poor for a day, feed them for life.
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austenbosten,

I agree with everything you say, and when you speak of teaching a man to fish, your preaching to the choir. I, myself, am not in the postion to start a business so I started a post more in line witj things I am more capable of doing myself at the moment. Hope you can understand

I’d love to be able to start and successfully run a business and employ others, it’s not in the cards for me at this point in time for reasons I wont’ go into detail on (other than to say I struggle with somewhat basic life taks others take for granted and do without thinking, such as tying their shoes). .If others can do this you have my full blessings and I wish you the utmost success.

I also appreciate you sharing this idea and encourage others to share any ideas they may have to promote social justice, be that in human interations as the example I gave where I heled a peson change their lrelationship wiht Gdo for the beter or any other ideas.

God Bless everyone and I wish you all the best,
If my post is too simple minded when it comes to promoting social justice I apologize, but I’m at where I’m at and while I do have strengths I also have limitations. I’m working on them but they are greater than those of most people’s.

Also, if anyone happens to have any idea’s on what I might do to promote social justice for myself (I don’te believe in handouts and am not looking for direction to programs,etc) based on coming ot know me fom my postings here, please share. Life is a struggle for me, less so now that I have God and Jesus whom I praay to regularly and it’s helping, plese share. I could use the guidance.

Thanks and God Bless uou all,
 
Bill_7154 said:
austenbosten,

I agree with everything you say, and when you speak of teaching a man to fish, your preaching to the choir. I, myself, am not in the postion to start a business so I started a post more in line witj things I am more capable of doing myself at the moment. Hope you can understand

I’d love to be able to start and successfully run a business and employ others, it’s not in the cards for me at this point in time for reasons I wont’ go into detail on (other than to say I struggle with somewhat basic life taks others take for granted and do without thinking, such as tying their shoes). .If others can do this you have my full blessings and I wish you the utmost success.

I also appreciate you sharing this idea and encourage others to share any ideas they may have to promote social justice, be that in human interations as the example I gave where I heled a peson change their lrelationship wiht Gdo for the beter or any other ideas.

God Bless everyone and I wish you all the best,
If my post is too simple minded when it comes to promoting social justice I apologize, but I’m at where I’m at and while I do have strengths I also have limitations. I’m working on them but they are greater than those of most people’s.

Also, if anyone happens to have any idea’s on what I might do to promote social justice for myself (I don’te believe in handouts and am not looking for direction to programs,etc) based on coming ot know me fom my postings here, please share. Life is a struggle for me, less so now that I have God and Jesus whom I praay to regularly and it’s helping, plese share. I could use the guidance.

Thanks and God Bless uou all,
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Another thing we can do is help out friends in need, have a coworker struggling with something offer them some help. You work for a small business and it’s going through hard times, help out by working more hours or negotiating a temporary reduction in pay so the business can make through and avoid laying off any employees.

I don’t know if you’ve seen my posts in the past, but the word Social Justice always irks me because it’s usually someone using it as an excuse to push more government involvement, however that does not mean that I don’t believe in Social Justice, I just don’t believe in Karl Marx’s vision of Social Justice.

To me Social Justice is using your own economic gifts to make the world a better place. Good with finances, teach others it so they can be financially at peace. Have loads of money (and I mean hundreds of millions) start a bank that offers low-rates for good customers. Are you a plumber and the neighbors down the street have a busted pipe and can’t afford to fix it…do it for free. Social Justice is about humans helping their fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and aiding them in times of need and serving them.

The “teachable” moment comes when someone seeing the good works asks “Why are you doing this?”

So how do you promote Social Justice? What are your gifts? What are your skills? What’s your day job? Find your gifts and put them to good use. 👍
 
austenbosten said:
I don’t know if you’ve seen my posts in the past, but the word Social Justice always irks me because it’s usually someone using it as an excuse to push more government involvement, however that does not mean that I don’t believe in Social Justice, I just don’t believe in Karl Marx’s vision of Social Justice.
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Well, whenever you see my posts feel safe in assuming I’m the most concervative poster here. I am an anarcho-capitalist (now let the rhetoric about how I must believe in gov’t begin liberals and conservatives alike lol). I do not believe in government period, let alone any government programs that promote any kind of social justice or any kind of anything. And I get sick of people referring to me as socialist over and over again when it is obviously baseless.

God Bless,
Bill
 
Bill_7154 said:
Well, whenever you see my posts feel safe in assuming I’m the most concervative poster here. I am an anarcho-capitalist (now let the rhetoric about how I must believe in gov’t begin liberals and conservatives alike lol). I do not believe in government period, let alone any government programs that promote any kind of social justice or any kind of anything. And I get sick of people referring to me as socialist over and over again when it is obviously baseless.

God Bless,
Bill
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Oh noooo, don’t tell me you’re pAuL-Qaeda or a kooky libertarian with a big bushy 'stache 😃
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4985096245282105&id=5624dad04541dbe71d748c77cf25da83

Well I’m definitely not an anarchist, but at least we can agree Socialism is bad…now all I gotta do is convince you Anarchism is not the answer 👍
 
austenbosten said:
Oh noooo, don’t tell me you’re pAuL-Qaeda or a kooky libertarian with a big bushy 'stache 😃
http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=4985096245282105&id=5624dad04541dbe71d748c77cf25da83

Well I’m definitely not an anarchist, but at least we can agree Socialism is bad…now all I gotta do is convince you Anarchism is not the answer 👍
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Anarcho- CAPITALISM. There is a big difference. And your going to have a tough time convincing me since I was raised in a conservative household (was a state delegate to a govenors election in MA when I was like 20 or 21,…became a libertarian at age 25 to age about 40, and have been anarcho-capitalist since that time. So it was a belief system that I formulated slowly over a period of decades based on careful thought and a lot of (name removed by moderator)ut from different poeple, etc… feel free to try though lol

(actually that’s my 2nd ideal way to run the world, Bill 7154 being king of the world would be my first choice (as I and no one else has ideas better than mine obviously… I would just vote like other people but realize that the chances of my vote making a difference are like 20 trillion to 1 or something along those lines).

God Bless,
Bill
 
First, we need to make sure we’re good examples. That we have our own house in order so to speak. I’ve read what one Archbishop and one Bishop had to say about improving society as Catholics: to make sure that we are doing our best to live out our faith in our lives first. No, not perfect overnight, but working out our own salvation.

I think the one most important thing I’ve learned when talking to people about God is, like the sower and the seed, you’ve planted a seed. And you may not be in contact with that person when it sprouts.

Do not forget: saving even one man from spiritual and physical death is of great value. Try not to think of a number, like, “I’ve got to witness to 20 people or 100 people. Less than that means I’ve failed.” If you save one man from drowning, will you or he stop being thankful?

In personal witnessing, I’ve encountered a spectrum of different types of people. Some who listen but say they’re not interested. Some who say: “God? If you can show me God I might believe in him.” I’ve learned to stop right there and excuse myself. But just the fact that a man knows there are people like you, and me, proves that what we believe is active, not passive. I’m not going to start an argument with someone spoiling for a fight. But I’m sure that he will remember the experience.

Think of what people of all age groups are exposed to every day. Think about the music they listen to, the games they play, the TV they watch and the movies they go to see.

Now, for the youngest, I’ve come to realize that parents are often not guiding their kids anymore, so imagine these kids whose minds are a blank slate. The media paints a picture that they keep in their heads: This is what you should wear, this is how you should talk, this is how you should interact with the opposite sex, this is the music you should listen to, the games you should play and so on.

All of these things send messages that are acted out in some way. When I saw my attractive 19 year old niece dressing in a provocative way, I politely told her: “You know, you’re sending the wrong message with those clothes. I mean, guys are guys.” Her quick response? “But all my friends dress like this!”

So, depending on where you live or where you go, you’ll get different reactions. I did street witnessing in Detroit for a while with a friend. It was a bad part of town. But I was surprised when we stopped in a restaurant to eat and a couple I had never seen before asked the waitress to give us some money. They knew what we were doing, somehow.

When you see a man or woman holding the “Hungry. Homeless. Please help.” sign, ask them if they’ve been to Church. If not, encourage them to go to a Church, both to pray and to help meet their needs. And say, “God bless you.” If they try to shake your hand, I’ve found them thanking me and telling me their name and I tell them my name (just first names).

Finally, we need to be friends with other Catholics - even one. As visible workers for Christ, we need to encourage one another. We can’t afford to keep going to Church and not knowing anybody there. Even the priest. I’m not advising anyone to change churches, but talk to your priest. Ask him about any ministries that your parish has. If you are able, he might encourage you to start an official evangelization ministry. Again, don’t be surprised if only one or two people show up/contact you. If nothing happens, check the churches near you on the internet. If one has a men’s group or an evangelization ministry, look into joining. Usually, such groups meet during the week.

Last - we need strong Catholic Communities that are not passive; i.e. go to church, come home, repeat next week. Yes, between work and family, some people have their hands full already, but others do have the time. Even if we, by the grace of God, bring someone to the faith, then what? Tell them to go to Church, come home, repeat next week?

We’re not going to be a light to the world if we ignore it. If we just think, "Oh well. There’s nothing I can do. All the immorality on TV and the movies. What can you do? People cussing and swearing and talking dirty in public? What can you do?’ Faith is meant to be active, not passive. And Baptism should lead to a renewing of our minds.

We need to find healthy, moral outlets for our talents and entertainment that fits our faith. Which is another challenge we face as Catholics.

Hope this helps,
Ed
 
Hi Ed

Good advice.

I think the greatest injustice today is to the children and is being played out in the Institution of Family, and you point out a few areas of concern.

Parents no longer parent, but failing recognition as an authority by the children, they try the next best and become the child’s “friend”. TV, especially advertising, portrays the parent as the bumbling patsy, and the child as the reflective and intelligent but annoyed decision maker, who’s personal space as been breached and time wasted. Parents cringe at bringing up conversations on the acceptance of homosexuality, and other such dangerous leanings that are sure to bring on obstinance and contention, once again, since they critique what the irreligious accept. Dealt with spontaneous correction as cases arise are no longer practiced, and Jimmy doesn’t like being corrected. Fear of severing relationships is prominent in the parent’s concerns, so they meekly relent to anything. Being too assertive and determined is risky. The child, now controller, will only accept explanations of solutions that can be drawn from the experiential. There can never be discussions about the conceptual, about spiritual topics, and surely not a fantasy of a supreme authority who watches over their conduct. These are categorized in the same parcel as haloween, horror movies and in all things dead and the weird, and “do you actually want me to believe this stuff?”.

Occasional corporal punishment is no longer practiced. The child raises himself, taking cues from the secular world where consensus among the same age group determines right conduct. Bad things suck, Kathie’s friends are bitches, and the girl is considered a “hole” by the boyfriend she thinks loves her. “God” is now just a word relegated to blurted exclamation, and her choice for viewing TV programs presents in prime time, writhing men and women in panties, half naked singers, and sit coms where uses for condoms flow into “humorous” themes where homosexuals offer advise on family relations.

It goes on, these compounding effects of lost traditions of another era that formed upright,virtuous, and responsible adults of good character and conscience, will play out in all it’s horror. We feign that we don’t understand why things are going horribly wrong today, why someone voted for so and so, why babies have no longer any value, why there is no tolerance to other nations, and diplomatic time outs last only a couple of days before the military option comes into play,etc.

Luckily we still can go into damage repair right now. This site and others still give proper examples on raising the family in the proper traditions. Fisheaters.com is another helpful site for the family.

While we repair the stones of this foundation of Family, we can go on to repair the Church, by observing obligations, partaking of the full fruits of the Church, the Sacraments, reading scripture and learning customs and liturgy, and all the other necessities that Christ insisted we know, and we will certainly be called to account for the part we played.
 
austenbosten said:
Oh cmon it was a joke I love John Stossel…I don’t care much for the Paul-Qaeda zealots who threaten to put me in concentration camps because “I hate liberty”, but I like Stossel. I even watch his show.
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I know, but Stossel’s libertarian leanings just kinda irk me. The link I think (:p) proves my point.
 
Swiss_Guy said:
I know, but Stossel’s libertarian leanings just kinda irk me. The link I think (:p) proves my point.
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Yeah well I’m not in entire agreement with Stossel. This is why I only agree with simpler, smaller government with the Libertarians…everything else no. I’m a Conservative, not a Libertarian 😉
 
austenbosten said:
Yeah well I’m not in entire agreement with Stossel. This is why I only agree with simpler, smaller government with the Libertarians…everything else no. I’m a Conservative, not a Libertarian 😉
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Curious, have you taken the ‘libertarian’ quiz? It puts you, based on a series of questions, on a particular aspect of the political specturum. Some people are surprised to find out where they fall after taking that quiz.
 
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