Do You Ever Get Sick Of It?

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Ora et Labora' date='19 April 2010 - 06:32 PM' timestamp='1271712725' post='2096371']
Do you ever get tired of defending Catholicism? I know this sounds very bitter and angry and I don't mean for it to sound that way. But a couple of Protestant friends at school bring it up EVERY chance they get. And if I can't quote it straight from the bible, what I'm saying is absolutely crazy. And if I do explain it as best as I can, they still think I'm crazy.

My own brother (Pat22) keeps telling me how CRAZY the Catholic church is and how it's all a bunch of fairy stories. How do you tell someone otherwise? I believe the Catholic Church and it's teachings and I try to love and embrace every minute of being Catholic, but am I doing my job well enough if I can't rationally talk to the unbelieving? They all seem so much more sure of themselves then I look.

I don't know, it just worries me I guess.

Pax!

Kristina
[/quote]
Kindly remind them that the Catholic Church put the NT togther and its a catholic book.

[Ora et Labora]

[quote name='CatherineM' date='19 April 2010 - 06:29 PM' timestamp='1271716194' post='2096423']
I guess that one went right over my head. Sorry.

I'd recommend apologetics. That is specifically the field for defending our faith. Try these websites: [url="http://www.catholicapologetics.org/aptoc.htm"]Catholic Apologetics[/url] and [url="http://www.thedefender.org/"]The Defender[/url]. There are lots of resources out there. If need be, I'm willing to come down and bop his upside his head.
[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestions! I really appreciate it. I'm also reading Church History by Fr. John Laux. I know it isn't apologetics, but it'll help ME know more about our background.

[quote name='john654' date='19 April 2010 - 06:30 PM' timestamp='1271716234' post='2096425']
Hi,
I usually ask protesting Christians if they can tell me the meaning of the word "whatever" in the context of Matthew 16:19. They VERY RARELY try to answer and 99% of the time become frustrated. Then I almost always ask if they know if the word Bible is in the Bible. After that, I ask what does the Bible say the Pillar and Foundation of Truth is?

John
[/quote]

Hmm, that's really interesting. I never thought to come at it at that angle...

[quote name='Rebecca2009' date='19 April 2010 - 07:13 PM' timestamp='1271718802' post='2096442']
Yes I do get really tired of it sometimes. I am at the point of just saying we aren't going to agree, so let's just drop it.
[/quote]

That's what I do, and that attitude worries me.
[quote name='Totus Tuus' date='19 April 2010 - 08:05 PM' timestamp='1271721916' post='2096475']
Considering I kind of know your situation (seeing as you're my sister and all... haha) I agree with this.

I think if there is truly nothing you can say, don't take on the stress. Some people are completely closed, and what appears to be their pursuit of truth in asking you questions is really just an attempt to puff up their own egos, or get a kick out of flabbergasting you.

Yeah. I love you.
[/quote]

I guess what I'm REALLY frustrated about is the fact that I CAN'T defend it like I'd like to! Meaning...I don't know what to say. I should be able to defend what I believe in and have studied since I can remember.

[quote name='Winchester' date='19 April 2010 - 08:37 PM' timestamp='1271723863' post='2096490']
I get sick of not being allowed to hit people.
[/quote]

Me too.

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' date='19 April 2010 - 09:06 PM' timestamp='1271725560' post='2096499']
Kindly remind them that the Catholic Church put the NT togther and its a catholic book.
[/quote]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[HisChildForever]

I do not mind discussing Catholicism with anyone, but I do mind when the person is willfully ignorant of history and insists to know the Church better than I do.

[Archaeology cat]

It can definitely get tiring, and lately I've been tempted to give up, but remember that God is with you. Oh, and the intercession of Mother Mary and St Monica can't hurt.

[Ora et Labora]

[quote name='HisChildForever' date='20 April 2010 - 01:25 AM' timestamp='1271741127' post='2096605']
I do not mind discussing Catholicism with anyone, but I do mind when the person is willfully ignorant of history and insists to know the Church better than I do.
[/quote]

Ya, don't ya love that? My friend recently compared us to the Borg.

[Ephrem Augustine]

Sometimes the best defense of Catholicism against this kind of antagonism is a mischievous smile.

[JustJump]

[quote name='Ora et Labora' date='20 April 2010 - 11:38 AM' timestamp='1271777907' post='2096787']
Ya, don't ya love that? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif[/img] My friend recently compared us to the Borg.

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/mellow.gif[/img]
[/quote]


The borg? Seriously? That's definitely a sign that the conversation has just gone to the far side of ridiculus.

[kafka]

yes I do, especially against absurd and unreasonable attacks. Plus I often get angry and impatient with fellow Catholics who have fallen into error. What I am trying to focus more on now and in the future is proclaiming the Faith instead of defending, especially in the way I live. I find this to be better, perhaps more fruitful in my personal situation, though Catholics should always defend the Faith, not everyone is called to be an Apologist.

[Saint Therese]

We should expect to suffer and be persecuted; otherwise we're not living the Christian life as we ought.

[TotusTuusMaria]

It sounds like these kids are not in it to love you and search for truth with you together.

They sound like (and I might be wrong... wouldn't be the first time) they are in it to be right and pride is having a play here.

We have a duty to defend the faith, but in these circumstances when it is simply a waste of time because they have no interest in doing anything but wasting our time then I would just get them a good apologetic book and a catechism and tell them that if they sincerely want answers to their questions (which they don't appear to) then they can go to town with those books. Keep it. Read it. And you'll be praying for them and you encourage them to pray for you. End of discussion.

You've done your duty and you have saved yourself time and energy which would otherwise be wasted and saved them from having the sinful opportunities to relish in their pride and righteousness which seems to be disallowing them to actually hear anything else besides themselves.

[Servus_Mariae]

I get tired of being expected to reconcile poor witnesses of the Gospel with the Church's good name as though the two were dependent upon one another.
I get tired of people who "know" what the Church is about and gains their evidence not from examples of the teachings of the Church lived out (Blessed Mother Theresa, John Paul II etc.) but the ones who fail to live out the precepts of the Church (abusing priests, dissenting theologians, ignorant Catholics etc).

I never get tired of defending my (future) bride though. No way.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='Ora et Labora' date='20 April 2010 - 12:38 PM' timestamp='1271777907' post='2096787']
Ya, don't ya love that? My friend recently compared us to the Borg.


[/quote]

Well, resistance to Truth [i]is[/i] futile.

In time, all will be assimilated.

[Lil Red]

+JMJ+
[quote name='Era Might' date='19 April 2010 - 02:38 PM' timestamp='1271713081' post='2096379']Today I was giving away my Catholic books to a man who was picking them up for his mother in law. First he asks me what I think about the recent controversy in the news about the Pope, and I didn't know how to respond succinctly, so I just said that I think the Pope gets a bad rap from the media. The man (a complete stranger, mind you) then proceeded to tell me an obscene joke having to do with abusing priests. I have my issues with the Church, but I was still taken aback at how this man spoke to me about the Church.[/quote]
it never ceases to amaze me how rude people can be. usually in that context, I just stare at them with my mouth open.

[quote name='john654' date='19 April 2010 - 03:30 PM' timestamp='1271716234' post='2096425']Hi,
I usually ask protesting Christians if they can tell me the meaning of the word "whatever" in the context of Matthew 16:19. They VERY RARELY try to answer and 99% of the time become frustrated. Then I almost always ask if they know if the word Bible is in the Bible. After that, I ask what does the Bible say the Pillar and Foundation of Truth is?

John[/quote]very nice!


[quote name='tinytherese' date='19 April 2010 - 05:20 PM' timestamp='1271722825' post='2096485']If a friend, family member, co-worker, etc. mock your faith or constantly insult you like that I'd ask them to please quit talking like that around me and if they respect me even the slightest bit, they'll promise to stop and keep that promise. You can even walk away.[/quote]
yes, good point.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='20 April 2010 - 09:29 AM' timestamp='1271780967' post='2096820']
Well, resistance to Truth [i]is[/i] futile.

In time, all will be assimilated.


[/quote]
+JMJ+
YES!

[CatherineM]

I wish we were the Borg. I can't think of a few people I'd like to inject with nanoprobes.