I am very frustrated lately with Christians. As a Catholic living in the mid-south I am constantly asked questions about the Catholic faith. Most often it is an opportunity to share my beliefs in an open and collaborative discussion. Many are amazed to find out that their perceptions are incorrect.
One thing I have worked on over the past months and years is to root out judgment from my heart and mind. Growing up in the United States we are taught to think we are superior. Whether we like it or not each of us believes we are better than those around us. Perhaps over time we have grown in humility and love through our relationship with Christ, but that is in stark contrast to our societal norm. This superiority plagues our churches and every Christian thinks they know the “Truth” and that their church is the right one.
When talking with other Christians I never, and I mean never tell them they are wrong. I simply present what the Catholic Church believes. As we are given free will by God to believe in Him, who am I to “convince” someone into Heaven. Rather I let the Truth speak for itself and I simply invite.
So that is the problem Bob? Well the problem, bluntly, is other Christians attacking me for my faith, telling me I don’t know the Bible, and proudly displaying their sinful superiority like a flag on their foreheads. I made my facebook status today say, “I love that so many Christians have bumper stickers and signs that say John 3:16….I just wish more of them knew what John 3:15 or John 3:17 said. Oh well, wouldn’t want to ruin the ending for them.”
It is sick to me that people tell me I am wrong, and their only reference is some scripture verses their pastor told them about. Almost any non-Catholic Christian who goes to Church will know a couple of Bible verses to help them defend their faith; but the reality is most of them don’t know the history of the writer, the book, the intent, or the surrounding verses that give context to their excerpt. AND, shall I add that they have no idea what the early Christian church looked like.
In the end the problem has nothing to do with our disagreements on Truth and faith. My problem is the judgment the other party has toward me and the Catholic Church. I’m sick and tired of certain “Christians” acting like righteous people and judging Catholics. I’m tired of ignorant people spreading false ideas about the Catholic Church. I’m tired of non-Catholic professors at anti-Catholic colleges writing texts on what the Catholic Church teaches, when they have no idea what the Church teaches and the have every intention of “saving” Catholics from their idol worship and false gods.
So my new question to non-Catholic Christians…when your church founded. For example:
Obviously Lutheran’s must be listed. Luther posted his theses to the Church doors in 1519 and he died in 1525. Either can be used for the date Lutheran’s can date to.
Calvinism started around 1536 by John Calvin.
Presbyterians followed shortly in 1537.
Anglican/Episcopal: Started in 1537 when the King of England couldn’t get himself a divorce because the Roman Catholic Church wouldn’t grand an annulment to him.
And finally,
Baptists: from what I can find the “founding” of the Baptist denomination was in 1608 by John Smythe in England.
And since I live in the mid-south
Southern Baptist: not until 1845 in the United States.
I just love when a Southern Baptist tells me they have it right. Especially when we can read the Didache which is dated to somewhere between 50 A.D. and the 3rd Century and it refers to the Mass. (The Didache can be found here: http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm)
My desire is to love all men as Christ did. The purpose of this post is to implore us all to first love, then love, and then love more. Judgment does nothing but cloud our love and make it impossible to speak the Truth in our lives. When we come in contact with non-Catholics we must without any reservation seek to love them without any hesitation. And yes, we have different beliefs however we love the same God, and we are all trying to get into Heaven.
Lord I pray that you would infect us all with your love that we would be a bright light in the world. That our lives would illuminate truth. That our faith would be increased. And that our world would be changed by our relentless pursuit of Your will. Mary please intercede for our purity of heart and mind. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Tags: bob, Body of Christ, Catholic, church, conversion, faith, friends, grace, teaching
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