When others think bad of the Church because of you

  • Thread starter Thread starter DarkLight
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
D

DarkLight

Guest
How do you handle when others who know you’re Catholic think badly of the church because of what you’ve done? Not sins you’ve committed but things that they may not like or may not understand. Especially if it’s something you don’t have the power to change, or where it would be a significant hardship to change.
 
DarkLight said:
How do you handle when others who know you’re Catholic think badly of the church because of what you’ve done? Not sins you’ve committed but things that they may not like or may not understand. Especially if it’s something you don’t have the power to change, or where it would be a significant hardship to change.
Click to expand...
In my experience such people generally have a prior bias against you, the Church, or both.
 
Sometimes, but not necessarily. Sometimes people may misperceive things. As someone who suffers from a mental illness I know people who think that I’m just lazy or selfish. Or they think that faith heals such things and that my not being healed is proof my faith is false. Or they have bad associations, say the only exposure to alcohol they’ve had is drunkenness and they’re a part of a group that teaches alcohol is bad - they may think that you drink and that your church is ok with alcohol means that the church is ok with all the evils of drunkenness. So many different things.
 
Just do your best to live the life that Jesus asks you to live. If somethiing truly is beyond your control, you know it yourself and God knows it, too.

Do your best by frequenting the sacraments to be the disciple Christ calls us all to be.
 
JamalChristophr said:
Just do your best to live the life that Jesus asks you to live. If somethiing truly is beyond your control, you know it yourself and God knows it, too.

Do your best by frequenting the sacraments to be the disciple Christ calls us all to be.
Click to expand...
What good is that to anyone else though? What good is it to people who you care about who are pushed farther and farther from God due to who and what you are?
 
Well, if I had to take a wild guess, you might possibly be talking about mental illness, which I can definitely relate to on some level since I have depression and ADD. If mental illness is part of the problem, keep trying to find a treatment that works, by going to the best doctors you can find. That is what I’m doing.

In the end, some of us are called to keep carrying a particular cross. But there is redemptive value in our suffering when we can’t break free from it if we offer it up in union with Christ’s passion.

If you’re still misunderstood by even those you love, this can be even more of a cross, I know. Don’t stop praying.

Sorry if this falls short. God Bless You. You might be benefited by going into specifics, and if you prefer, a christian therapist might be a good option. I know it could be a number of possibilities yous struggle with.
 
It’s some mix.

Sometimes the problem is mental illness. People who don’t understand (even if they have some idea of mental illness in general) see you as just being lazy or a moocher.

Sometimes it’s an issue of differing values. Someone sees you engaging in what they consider immoral behavior, and they discredit you for it. If you as a faithful Catholic don’t have a problem engaging in “immorality”, well why should they listen to the Church?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top