WWYD? (What would you do?)

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RobinLaf

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My 19 year old nephew will be leaving in a few days for 3 months to train as a youth minister for his church (Pentecostal church). My sister and her family converted when the kids were little and turned their backs on the Catholic Church. I’m happy for my nephew but sad at the same time. I’ve tried talking to him, trying to convince him that their teachings are not correct and that was not the church Jesus taught us about. He’s convinced that the Catholic church is the whore of Babylon.He’s got a brain like a sponge and is very smart, but he listens to his pastor who pretty much took him under his wing when my nephew was going through a rough time with his father. His father is pretty much a loser which is why my nephew took right away to his pastor. He was a prefect father figure for him I believe. Anyway I wish so much that Tim Staples, Scott Hahn, Jimmy Aikens or Patrick Madrid where someone he’d listed to in person. Someone he could sit down with and actually listen to what they had to say. Since that is not going to happen, what would you guys do? I could give him books, but I really don’t think he’ll read them. Not while he is training anyway. He’s been to this forum and nothing has convinced him. Not while he has someone feeding him things in real time. I’ll need to wait until he gets back home to perhaps give him the books but I really don’t think it will help. Thanks for listening.
 
Drop it.

You’ve talked to him, he’s come here of his own accord, and he isn’t receptive to what you have to say. That’s your hint. Drop it.
 
Pray for his eventual conversion.
If he was Baptized in the Catholic Church he is Catholic. Always will be.
The Holy Spirit is on it.
Sometimes people who walk away make the most convincing apologists when they return.
Pray for him.
 
RobinLaf said:
My 19 year old nephew will be leaving in a few days for 3 months to train as a youth minister for his church (Pentecostal church). My sister and her family converted when the kids were little and turned their backs on the Catholic Church. I’m happy for my nephew but sad at the same time. I’ve tried talking to him, trying to convince him that their teachings are not correct and that was not the church Jesus taught us about. He’s convinced that the Catholic church is the whore of Babylon.He’s got a brain like a sponge and is very smart, but he listens to his pastor who pretty much took him under his wing when my nephew was going through a rough time with his father. His father is pretty much a loser which is why my nephew took right away to his pastor. He was a prefect father figure for him I believe. Anyway I wish so much that Tim Staples, Scott Hahn, Jimmy Aikens or Patrick Madrid where someone he’d listed to in person. Someone he could sit down with and actually listen to what they had to say. Since that is not going to happen, what would you guys do? I could give him books, but I really don’t think he’ll read them. Not while he is training anyway. He’s been to this forum and nothing has convinced him. Not while he has someone feeding him things in real time. I’ll need to wait until he gets back home to perhaps give him the books but I really don’t think it will help. Thanks for listening.
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I agree with the other posters. You’ve tried to talk to him, and nothing’s happened. If you keep arguing with him, it will just reinforce his resentment of the Catholic Church, and it will lower his opinion of you. If you don’t think anything you give him will help, then save your money and stop trying to convince him.

Lou
 
I would advise letting it go while always remaining a good example for him to see.
 
I said to pray for him. I never said to forget about him or give up.
Just clarifying.
 
I agree with Claire, pray for him. I’m the worst at thinking if I can just learn enough to be better at explaining the Church’s belief’s that whoever I’m talking with would understand and unite with the Church. It hasn’t worked yet. I’ve heard it said that prayer is our greatest work. We need to put more trust in prayer and the Holy Spirit than our own persuasiveness. Although learning about and understanding our Faith is important so we are prepared with answers when someone asks.
 
Whether it’s family members or friends, I always try to connect on what we agree on. Rather than trying to bring them back to the Catholic Church through arguments, I talk with them about the love of God, prayer intentions, favorite scripture verses. We encourage each other, pray together, share concerns and rejoice when we see God’s hand in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will work in their hearts. And I’m giving a tiny little witness that this Catholic woman loves Jesus, reads the scriptures, and has my focus on eternity.

Focus on your common love of God, and pray for their reversion to the Church. 👍
 
Praying to the Holy Spirit to give your nephew guidance, direction, strength, fortitude & wisdom to the Catholic Church.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies. I just want to say that we don’t argue. We have chats about what we each believe and what we think is right. And he wasn’t baptized as a baby because my sister had already moved away from the Catholic church. I will let it go and just pray that something somewhere catches his eye and he decides to look into the Catholic church further. Thank you!
 
RobinLaf said:
Thanks everyone for your replies. I just want to say that we don’t argue. We have chats about what we each believe and what we think is right. And he wasn’t baptized as a baby because my sister had already moved away from the Catholic church. I will let it go and just pray that something somewhere catches his eye and he decides to look into the Catholic church further. Thank you!
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Prayer… especially hand him over to the Blessed Mother.

I would still seek dialogue but I would do it by asking questions of him. Such as what provision did Jesus leave for the transmission of His teaching? (Hint…Matthew 16:18-19 & Matthew 28:19-20…Jesus founded the Catholic Church long before the Bible was compiled…by the Catholic Church. :))
 
Thank you Johnnyc176. I will do that. They don’t honor Mary in anyway. It would be something if she’d be responsible for helping him open his heart to the Catholic Church. LOL! 🙂
 
Take the advice of St. Paul to Timothy in dealing with
those who oppose the teaching of the Church:
“[You] must not argue, be kind…be patient when
wronged, able to teach and gently correct, if perhaps
he will repent unto a knowledge of the Truth and
escape the snare of the devil who has taken him
captive to do his will” 2 Tim. 2:24-26
 
I agree with others, for now let it go, just pray for his conversion, I know it’s hard but I’m afraid that keep insisting won’t help 😀. Try to be a good role model for him, be there for him when he needs you, and in the meantime study a lot about the catholic faith and why the Protestants are wrong, so if he will ever ask you questions you will be able to answer properly.
 
Gertabelle said:
Whether it’s family members or friends, I always try to connect on what we agree on. Rather than trying to bring them back to the Catholic Church through arguments, I talk with them about the love of God, prayer intentions, favorite scripture verses. We encourage each other, pray together, share concerns and rejoice when we see God’s hand in our lives.

The Holy Spirit will work in their hearts. And I’m giving a tiny little witness that this Catholic woman loves Jesus, reads the scriptures, and has my focus on eternity.

Focus on your common love of God, and pray for their reversion to the Church. 👍
Click to expand...
Amen.

Mary.
 
He is allowed to be in whatever religion he wants as are his family members. We all walk a different path in life. Just respect his wishes.
 
I think at this stage of his life, it will be of little value to keep at him about this. He is an adult. He has heard your views and does not want to listen. If you keep at it, he will just think you are a pest. How would you like it if he kept trying to convert you to his religion?
 
I’m not always at him. It’s not like that is all I do when I’m with him. I didn’t think that I made it sound like all I was trying to do was convert him in my original post. I simply asked for suggestions. I received some good ones so I thank everybody for their (name removed by moderator)ut. 👍
 
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