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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Protestants	Anthony	Sunday, October 16, 2011
Question: I've been arguing with a protestant back and forth about the oneness of the Catholic Church in comparison to the thousands of protestant sects and other things like devotion to Mary. He stands firm in saying that Catholic doctrine doesn't follow biblical teachings and that the apostles didn't mention Mary in their epistles and that the New Testament as a whole hardly mentions her. I've gotten to a point where I'm just not going to argue with him anymore due to his vitriol against the Catholic Church and its doctrines. I feel like telling him "You go your way and I'll go my way".Why we call people like him "separated brethren" I'll never really know. There's nothing "brotherly" on the part of a lot of protestants when discussing doctrinal issues. The Catholic Church will always be a false and idolatrous religious system to them. Do you think I'm correct, Brother,of just calling it quits before my blood pressure goes up? Thank you for your reply and may Jesus, Mary,and Joseph bless you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r) Dear Anthony: All you can do is to share the faith as persuasively as possible. It is not our job to convince anyone of anything; the job of convincing belongs to the Holy Spirit. St. Paul instructs us to avoid unproductive argumentation (Titus 3:9). Thus, with this Protestant fellow you need to calmly explain the faith and let it go. It is up to him whether or not he will accept the Truth; it is on his head, you've done your job. Jesus himself said: (Matthew 10:12-14) As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. Jesus is saying here that if the people you visit will not listen to the Truth then we are not only to shake off the dust from our feet and believe that house our even to take back the blessing the peace. This is pretty straightforward. In addition, St. Paul instructs us very specifically in his letter to Titus: (Titus 3:9-11) But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned. Here is the principle of three strikes and you're out. One does not continually argue with a divisive person. You try once to explain, you tried twice, after that St. Paul is telling us to shun the person. Why? Because such a person is perverted and sinful and self-condemned. Thus, when we have the opportunity to share our faith, especially with those who are antagonistic to our faith, we should attempt with charity to explain the issues of our faith of which they have trouble with but not to the point that we lose our peace in Christ in unproductive argumentation. If they do not wish to listen that is their choice. We should respect their choice and move on to someone who really wants to hear the Truth. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Protestants

Anthony

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Question:

I've been arguing with a protestant back and forth about the oneness of the Catholic Church in comparison to the thousands of protestant sects and other things like devotion to Mary. He stands firm in saying that Catholic doctrine doesn't follow biblical teachings and that the apostles didn't mention Mary in their epistles and that the New Testament as a whole hardly mentions her. I've gotten to a point where I'm just not going to argue with him anymore due to his vitriol against the Catholic Church and its doctrines. I feel like telling him "You go your way and I'll go my way".Why we call people like him "separated brethren" I'll never really know. There's nothing "brotherly" on the part of a lot of protestants when discussing doctrinal issues. The Catholic Church will always be a false and idolatrous religious system to them. Do you think I'm correct, Brother,of just calling it quits before my blood pressure goes up? Thank you for your reply and may Jesus, Mary,and Joseph bless you.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r)

Dear Anthony:

All you can do is to share the faith as persuasively as possible. It is not our job to convince anyone of anything; the job of convincing belongs to the Holy Spirit.

St. Paul instructs us to avoid unproductive argumentation (Titus 3:9). Thus, with this Protestant fellow you need to calmly explain the faith and let it go. It is up to him whether or not he will accept the Truth; it is on his head, you've done your job.

Jesus himself said:

(Matthew 10:12-14) As you enter the house, salute it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town.

Jesus is saying here that if the people you visit will not listen to the Truth then we are not only to shake off the dust from our feet and believe that house our even to take back the blessing the peace. This is pretty straightforward.

In addition, St. Paul instructs us very specifically in his letter to Titus:

(Titus 3:9-11) But avoid stupid controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels over the law, for they are unprofitable and futile. As for a man who is factious, after admonishing him once or twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is perverted and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Here is the principle of three strikes and you're out. One does not continually argue with a divisive person. You try once to explain, you tried twice, after that St. Paul is telling us to shun the person. Why? Because such a person is perverted and sinful and self-condemned.

Thus, when we have the opportunity to share our faith, especially with those who are antagonistic to our faith, we should attempt with charity to explain the issues of our faith of which they have trouble with but not to the point that we lose our peace in Christ in unproductive argumentation. If they do not wish to listen that is their choice. We should respect their choice and move on to someone who really wants to hear the Truth.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum