What would you do?

[Lormar]

I apologize if this is in the wrong subsection, but I didn’t know where to post it.

I belong to a secular forum with mostly non-Catholics and non-Christians. The non-Christians are a mixture - many new age, some agnostic, and many atheists. They forum has several sections not unlike CAF, and one of the sections is political news.

In this political news section, they always include news clips/vids of our Pope. You can imagine the comments that gets. It is not the non-Catholics that are worrisome, but the non-Christians can be pretty bad.

Just as an example, many of them are quite happy with Francis, since they are convinced he is going to changed Church doctrine, especially regarding homosexual marriage. Also, one of the men made a remark about how much the Church has hurt people.

I am at a loss as to where to begin to explain Catholicism to these people, and that if I do not defend our Pope and Faith, I am somehow betraying Our Lord. What should I do?

I wonder what Francis would do?

 

[christofirst]

Francis (I’m assuming you mean Pope Francis) would very likely engage these people in a discussion - provided they were serious in having a real discussion and not just out to make outrageous and provocative statements for their own amusement. He has already done so with the atheist editor of that Italian magazine.

But, he would also be equipped to engage in such a conversation, through years of study and religious life. My point is, if you do not feel up to the challenge (and I know I am not, which is why I just avoid such secular forums), you would want to learn as much as you can about the Faith before you charge into the fray. God bless your good efforts.

 

[Dorothy]

Francis (I’m assuming you mean Pope Francis) would very likely engage these people in a discussion - provided they were serious in having a real discussion and not just out to make outrageous and provocative statements for their own amusement. He has already done so with the atheist editor of that Italian magazine.

But, he would also be equipped to engage in such a conversation, through years of study and religious life. My point is, if you do not feel up to the challenge (and I know I am not, which is why I just avoid such secular forums), you would want to learn as much as you can about the Faith before you charge into the fray. God bless your good efforts.

I agree with the above insight, and here is a bit more:

On such forums, if it is discovered that some people have their minds made up and that they are not interested in honest discussion, then it is best to leave as it will only upset you and disturb your peace.

Remember when the Lord told the disciples, when he sent them out two by two, that if the good news that they had to tell was not accepted in a household that they should shake the dust from their feet and move on.

 

[KrazyKat]

I agree with the above insight, and here is a bit more:

On such forums, if it is discovered that some people have their minds made up and that they are not interested in honest discussion, then it is best to leave as it will only upset you and disturb your peace.

Remember when the Lord told the disciples, when he sent them out two by two, that if the good news that they had to tell was not accepted in a household that they should shake the dust from their feet and move on.

Good advice.

 

[Lormar]

God bless the three of you who responded for your kindness.

I more or less came to that conclusion - that it is best to just not engage them in any discussion. Many of them are bereft of any basic morality. It is not their fault. It is the civilization they were born into and grew up in. For them, it is normal how they think. The only one that seems genuinely interested in what and how our Church thinks belongs to a protestant sect. The others seem to me beyond understanding. One of them, who is a woman (most of them are men), seems to think that the Church can just change Her doctrine about marriage and allow for same sex marriages with the stroke of a pen.

 

[Cojuanco]

God bless the three of you who responded for your kindness.

I more or less came to that conclusion - that it is best to just not engage them in any discussion. Many of them are bereft of any basic morality. It is not their fault. It is the civilization they were born into and grew up in. For them, it is normal how they think. The only one that seems genuinely interested in what and how our Church thinks belongs to a protestant sect. The others seem to me beyond understanding. One of them, who is a woman (most of them are men), seems to think that the Church can just change Her doctrine about marriage and allow for same sex marriages with the stroke of a pen.

The thing is that in the English-speaking world, we live in a majority Protestant culture, even among the non-believers. All the Protestant churches have changed basic doctrine by majority vote before. To them, they expect the Church to be a denomination like the Lutherans or the Baptists or Episcopalians. So the concept of a religious body that can’t change doctrine is alien to them.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

God bless the three of you who responded for your kindness.

I more or less came to that conclusion - that it is best to just not engage them in any discussion. Many of them are bereft of any basic morality. It is not their fault. It is the civilization they were born into and grew up in. For them, it is normal how they think. The only one that seems genuinely interested in what and how our Church thinks belongs to a protestant sect. The others seem to me beyond understanding. One of them, who is a woman (most of them are men), seems to think that the Church can just change Her doctrine about marriage and allow for same sex marriages with the stroke of a pen.

Yes indeed----truth does not change according to pens or popular taste.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

The thing is that in the English-speaking world, we live in a majority Protestant culture, even among the non-believers. All the Protestant churches have changed basic doctrine by majority vote before. To them, they expect the Church to be a denomination like the Lutherans or the Baptists or Episcopalians. So the concept of a religious body that can’t change doctrine is alien to them.

Yes, indeed.

 

[OrdinaryMelkite]

Good advice.

.

 

[vz71]

Been there, done that, been beaten online many times for it.

Also am now banned in many boards.

God’s advice is best.

“And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off even the dust of your feet, for a testimony against them.”

True, it says City, but I believe the same can be applied to an electronic forum.