cathoholic_anonymous Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Recently, a fellow student whom I've known for a year invited me to her room for a Bible study. She's a Baptist. Up until now I didn't think she was anti-Catholic, as we've been attending the same Christian Union meetings for the past three terms and occasionally doing work on social justice projects together. So when she invited me to her room to study the first eighteen verses of St John's Gospel, I was happy to accept - because I thought it was a genuine invitation to a genuine Bible study. It wasn't. It was 'grill-a-Catholic' evening...and I was the steak. I got suspicious when we finished the 'Bible study' in just under ten minutes (how can you get through one of the most profound parts of St John's Gospel in ten minutes?!) and my friend said tentatively, "Do you mind if I ask you a question?" I could tell she was nervous because she kept breaking off in the middle of a word and starting again. Finally the question emerged: "Why do Catholics worship the pope?" It all went downhill from there. At the end of our discussion, which lasted for an hour, she gave me a hug and said, "I hope you're not offended. I just wanted to share my faith in Jesus with you." She had shared her faith in [i]sola scriptura[/i] with me rather than anything else, but I didn't press the point. I wasn't at all offended that she had wanted to discuss Catholicism. She sounded sincerely interested and readily admitted it when she wasn't certain about something. But I [i]was[/i] offended that she had got me to her room under false pretences. Why not ask outright to have a discussion on Catholicism, rather than issuing an invitation to a Bible study that didn't exist? Would anyone here ever lie outright or tell a half-truth in order to try and evangelise a person? If so, why? Does the end ever justify the means? These questions are open to both Catholics and non-Catholics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Bone Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Who is a murderer and the Father of Lies? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 As the saying goes, the ends do not justify the means... I would've just told her that next time, she didn't have to try and trick me. She could just ask right out for a discussion if that is what she wants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulls Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 yea that's too bad. tell her to be up-front and honest with people, which unfortunately means "confrontational and disrespectful" to most Christians i know, so many times a conversation about faith will start like how you experienced. since evangelicals get a bad rap for "prosyletizing," sometimes we go too far out of our way to not try and offend anyone. but then that can turn into tricking somebody into hearing a gospel presentation. i used to dance around the subject with people in this manner, but i learned that people will respect you if you are real and sincere with them. you can say "i want to tell you about Jesus" in a direct, and loving way. 90%of my witnessing conversations these days end on a positive note, usually with the other person saying something along the lines of "i appreciate that you care about me and i respect that you really believe in this." that includes strangers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolmom Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 How about "Let's talk about Jesus" rather than "I want to tell you about Jesus"? The first is an open dialog... the second a lecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulls Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 blah blah semantics. you know what i'm saying hsmom. but i'll give that one to you, first impressions do count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katholikos Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 CathAnon, a Baptist wouldn't see this incident as deceitful. She did "study the Book of John" with you. Then she pounced. It's her duty as a Baptist to try to convert heathens, especially Catholics. She simply took advantage of the opportunity (in her mind). She set a trap, using the Gospel of John as bait, but she wouldn't admit it. She's been waiting for the right opportunity to "share Jesus with you" you since she met you. What kind of Baptist is she? I was Southern (my denom was founded on the right to own slaves, but we didn't ever mention that). I used to have a list of more than 250 kinds of Baptists, but I lost it in a computer crash. There are many more than that, particularly if you count each separate "Independent Baptist" as a denomination, which it truly is, with the pastor as the doctrinal and moral authority. I was born and raised Protestant, so don't hold it against me. : ---------------------------------------- "Katholikos" means Catholic in Greek. Ex-Southern Baptist, agnostic, atheist Blessed Father Damien, pray for us! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary-Kathryn Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 [quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1106132' date='Oct 31 2006, 12:45 PM'] These questions are open to both Catholics and non-Catholics. [/quote] I was a Baptist who converted to Catholicism...and not due to marriage either. Perhaps one day, she might come knocking again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathoholic_anonymous Posted October 31, 2006 Author Share Posted October 31, 2006 I'm not sure what kind of Baptist she is, Katholikos. I don't think she's a Southern Baptist because I've never met one of those in England before. They seem to be more of an American group. Here is the statement of belief given by the church that she attends: [url="http://www.eden-cambridge.org/belief/distinctives.shtml"]Distinctives of Belief at Eden Baptist Church[/url]. I don't think she's been waiting for this opportunity ever since she met me. She's had plenty of chances to pounce and she's never taken them up until now. Sometimes she would even ask me to lead in prayer at the opening of Christian Union meetings. (She's the president.) This zeal to convert me is a recent thing. Interestingly, another Baptist student (a new arrival at the college and a member of the same church) cornered me over dinner a couple of weeks ago and started to question me closely on the idea of confession, among other things. I can't help wondering if this girl has introduced anti-Catholicism to the college. [quote]I was a Baptist who converted to Catholicism...and not due to marriage either. Perhaps one day, she might come knocking again.[/quote] She did agree to read Scott Hahn's book...and to come to Mass with me at some point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatholicCid Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 The fun thing would be to corner them and bombard them with questions : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jswranch Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I would not blame her for being outright dishonest. Atleast she cared enough about you to try and 'lead you to the truth.' It is kinda of a compliment. Anti-Catholicism is just a bread and butter of her faith. You are demanding too much to ask she thinks for herself of your feelings. It is not within their faith. I would be willing to do the same to her or any of my friends, but with a different introduction, being a little more open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KizlarAgha Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 I don't think you should lie to someone to evangelize. Then again, I don't think you should evangelize either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest T-Bone Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 Deception is never a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mulls Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 i like talking evangelism.....what do you think about what i posted? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Era Might Posted October 31, 2006 Share Posted October 31, 2006 [quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1106132' date='Oct 31 2006, 11:45 AM']"Why do Catholics worship the pope?"[/quote] Funny, but sad at the same time. I understand why you would be offended, it's not fun to feel like a "target" someone's trying to convert. But, it's a great opportunity for education. Now that it's out in the open that she does want to talk about Catholicism, indulge her request, and clear up her misconceptions and difficulties. And maybe let her know that having faith in Jesus is, like, you know, the essence of Catholicism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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