What do you do when the "snake is at your door?"

[jennstall]

You have some wonderful suggestions here to work with already, but I’m compelled to add my 2 cents

Firstly, I would like to suggest that the first thing you do is pray. Pray a few intentions for your family, ask for guidance, give thanks for the fullness of truth that you have found and give thanks for your family and the fact that they are close to the truth because they are Christians. It will make such a difference to your peace of mind when you start to answer their email messages.

Secondly, just be careful when you start replying to messages. Avoid negative words such as false, wrong, heresy, misled, etc. You can provide the true teaching of the Church without referring to any of those words, but simply stating, “This is what the Catholic church teaches…” and then explaining it. Any of those triggers words will only throw up a wall to communication.

I would also avoid accusing your family members of being uncharitable in order to avoid putting them on the defensive. But you should be certain to set the tone of future communication by taking the lead and spelling out what you find acceptable. For instance, you could explain that you love them and you know they love you and are obviously concerned about you, that you would like to discuss the matter with them if they are willing to carefully consider what you have to say and that you promise to do the same for them and that both parties agree not to overreact or get upset. It changes the playing field a bit and makes it less adverserial if you can set some ground rules without chastising them for how they’ve already mistreated you. And your best best is to get this agreement on how the discussion will play out before embarking on your apologetics. Do not provide them with any answers to their accusations or questions until they’ve agreed to play cordially

I hope this is helpful. God bless you.

 

[sparkle]

Any more advice from anyone on “witnessing tactics”? I still have some relatives, since I’ve shared with them how wonderful it is to be on the journey to becoming Catholic are biting back–hissing, snarling, etc. Am I casting pearls before swine here??? Should I just refuse to discuss it with them when they write me repeated e-mails???wanting to entertain numerous questions, etc… always with their comeback----“what a crock”, etc…in so many words. They are completely closed-minded! What good does it do? After sharing some books, tapes, brochures, etc. they don’t even read them–and yet keep refuting the issues!!!

Someone please tell me!

Thank you so much.

 

[mark_a]

sparkle:

How should I, if at all, even respond to these e-mails?

Don’t. Be prepared and discuss this face to face only. It will be much harder for them to hurl insults to your face.

—even my own parents are turning on me…

They truly believe what they are telling you. They must be terribly hurt. Give them some time. Remember to honor them.

sparkle:

I heard Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s family turned on him too when he became a Priest?

Well I’ll be dipped! I hope they weren’t Catholic.

 

[sabrinaofmn]

My husband and I are converting, so we have prepared for this, too. I was particularly worried about my Presbyterian Pastor Father-in-Law. I decided that I would stay calm, cool and collected, and take the following approach: I would answer their question and insist on asking a question of my own before moving on to the next topic. I thought that this would be fair and would avoid me taking hits from all directions. I was ready for battle when my husband told me that my in-laws were kind of happy about the news. We haven’t gone to church in 2 years (because we rejected the Trinity doctrine), and they are just happy that we will be attending church. My parents are not very religious, so they have just poked a little fun at us. I didn’t have to use my plan, but you are welcome to it. It’s only fair to do one question at a time, and then you should have a chance to question Protestantism. Even better would be to require that the discussion occur by e-mail. This is just like a boxing match . . . you have to decide the size of the ring, city, etc. before you get started.

 

[Antonio_B]

sparkle:

What does a convert do when they attempt to share their heart with a few from their “completely Fundamentalist” family and get continually attacked, and below the belt I might add, attacks at my children even, accusatory remarks? What is the best and most Godly way to handle this? Surely I desire to be a witness -----What should you do when about 10 e-mails come in daily from family members completely rapped up, I might add, in various and sundry “cults” in the Protestant realm? Total Pentacostal agenda? etc. etc…Telling you “you are being lead falsely”–“you are in bondage to the law”—“you are making a grave mistake”…, “you’re no longer a Christian”, etc. etc. I feel surely “the snake is at my door”, etc.,-and I need some guidance here, fellow dear brothers and sisters in Christ, fellow Catholics…how should I handle this? How should I, if at all, even respond to these e-mails?

I know the verse “Shake the dust off from your feet”…Luke 10:11-12 ------does this mean my entire family here???/they are being very hard to deal with—even my own parents are turning on me…I heard Fr. Mitch Pacwa’s family turned on him too when he became a Priest? Is this true? I know we need to be ready and willing to forsake everyone and take up our cross and follow our Jesus-----but yes, how do we handle the little particulars here?

I would say to everyone. “When you stop being utterly judgemental of my conversion to Catholicism and you begin to put into practice the very charity we find in the Scriptures, then talk to me again or e-mail me. In the meantime, I would ask you not to bother communicating again for I need to safeguard my spirituality and anger and resentment do not help!”

Antonio

Thank you friends~~