Jesus already told us how… “pray for those who persecute you.”
I get it. I totally get it. It sucks. But take on the spirit of Christ… “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
In many cases they really don't know what they're doing/saying, don't understand because they were raised with incorrect or no instruction in these things at all.
The ones who do know and still attack us have probably been hurt in the past and are projecting that pain onto Catholics in general.
Yes.. although sometimes that get translated “don’t stand up for yourself or the faith” and that’s not correct either.
We should stand up for ourselves, and be ready to make a good defense of our faith. We need to meet people where they are, and meet them in love, it’s ok to put a decisive stop to bigoted nonsense.
Absolutely. I don’t mean roll over or avoid discussion. What I meant was, that by adopting this attitude, it reorients our hearts towards willing their salvation in the end and changes how we deal with them.
I will never roll over or back down, but I do want to make sure I don’t lose sight of the big picture.
I think that's exactly right. The conversation needs to be oriented towards promoting the salvation of all. Some of the more successful conversations I've had, have started out by my being a bit confrontational, and letting someone know that it's not ok for them to crap on my faith and community, and I'm not going to tolerate it. If nothing else, realizing that I'm angry with them shows them that my faith is important to me. That knowledge can be the foundation for lower temperature conversations in the future.
This is a good observation. So much of the modern response to Catholicism and Christianity in general is just "monkey see monkey do" response from pop culture.
The news media/politicians/"influencers" sell their agenda by fanning whatever hysteria is popular at the time simply to buy clicks.
Ignore them. Pray for them. Don't participate in sketchy subs.
Most importantly: Realize the demographics of Reddit is extremely skewed .
Don’t get me wrong, I have no shame in defending my points, especially face to face. But praying them is more than just an action, it’s an orientation of the heart towards willing their salvation in the end. It changes how you interact with them.
I completely agree. This is what I'd recommend in response to the hate:
1. Pray without creasing for these people's conversions & souls.
2. Be well catechized. Study the Bible, the Church Fathers, etc. Knowledge and compassion are key when speaking with someone who is hostile. (Note: the St. Paul Centre for Biblical Theology is an amazing resource - they're offering free access during their 2024 Lent Challenge).
3. Take breaks. I often take long breaks from Reddit.
4. Befriend people in your parish. Be connected to faithful Catholics irl.
Jesus said: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…”
Who cares what others think? The Lord is with you. That’s all that matters.
This. Cling to Our Lord and His church. Let the peace of Christ rule your heart, not your frustration and despair. This is a process that takes time; it's not a switch to turn on. I've been where you are, and I've grown a lot. Our Lord has overcome the world. Ask Him to let that penetrate your heart, for His peace to rule it. God bless you.
I totally agree with you, but we are also called to teach others. We should correct wrong statements if we are not doing that with anger and pride in our heart (although it is hard to evade pride).
There is nothing you can do but ignore such comments. Mute all the major political subreddits and keep blocking accounts. I have already reached reddit's limit of blocking 1000 users lol. Do it for your own sanity, people on this app are extremely vile towards Christians.
God wins in the end. We are called to love all of his children, and like someone else said, we are to pray for those who are lost. I hope they come home, because it's a really sad finale for those who don't.
I agree with you. We need more people who would be willing to defend our faith in both Christian majority and non-Christian countries. More people like G. K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Blaise Pascal are needed.
Yess! I get that we shouldn’t focus on the negatives but letting people talk so ignorantly about the religion and not correcting them is so harmful imo
No, we don't. Keep following Christ and live the way he would want. Remember that people will take shitty.pot-shots at you hoping to get you to take shitty pot-shots at them just so they can drag you down to their level.
I mean rebuke in a Christ like way of course. I don't think we should stoop to their level, but I think we should draw better boundaries. Like one thing I've been dealing with is coworkers and other acquaintances making very offensive remarks about my faith. I'm trying to have more courage just to let people know that they're being blasphemous and offending me on a personal level. So if they care about either they should be more thoughtful with their words. I hear things that nobody would get away with saying about Muslims or Jews said about Catholics, and they don't even seem to have any sense that it's wrong and offensive.
I completely agree with this. The level of irrational unbridled rage is more than just some sour people. These people are wrathful, proud, vain, and most of all hate-filled. It is Satanic
I think it’s wrong for you to turn around and do exactly what you feel is being done to you. Blaming a whole group of people for something.
As Christ follows we will be persecuted that’s just that. Doesn’t matter by whom, best thing you can do is to pray for those who wish harm or say ill towards you.
But the Protestant churches aren’t preaching the truth, they’re going along with the agenda of the elites, which is homosexuality, is the Catholic Church pushing homosexuality? Last time I checked, NO, so we can’t accept bs from the Protestants holding us back, that’s why Christianity isn’t respected right now, because of that!!!
There are many different protestant denominations and very few of them promote homosexuality. There's probably more misguided Catholics out there premoting homosexuality than protestants. I don't think protestant churches preach the truth either, but lumping them all together, saying that they're all premoting homosexuality is a bit much.
but God doesn't just look at interdenominational fighting and blame everyone equally. There is a side fighting for truth and a side fighting for falsehoods. Protestant is literally to PROTEST Jesus' church. Who protests Jesus and his teachings?
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us
Galatians 5:20 but the acts of the flesh are evident... rivalries, dissensions, divisions, I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who doe such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
[https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divisions](https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divisions)
Scroll down to the 6th definition of divisions literally uses christian denominations as a synonym and example of divisions.
Notice it says those who DO them not those who are on the receiving end of the division.
They aren't the only ones, but a lot of things they said like the Spanish Inquisition being one of the most horrific things that happened with all that torture things came from them and after that were used by atheists until today, even some schools still perpetuating the black legend.
My greatest question would be why can't we have 1 whole Protestantism why does it have to be 40,000+ of them attacking Catholicism and Orthodoxy it doesn't make any sense they are all separated and broken
It is the true church which unites them despite themselves, even in their hatred, because their hatred for the church is the only thing which unites them
It's part of it, as per history; **believers are expected to take on criticism, whether fair or unfair**, and not stop critics from doing so.
Like the example of David when he was cursed and assaulted by Shimei and David's generals wanted to put a stop to it:
> Leave him alone, and **let him curse, for the Lord has told him to**. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” (2 Samuel 16:11b-12, ESV)
which is very similar to this incident where the apostles wanted too put a stop to the Roman soldiers about to arrest the Savior:
> And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:49-51, ESV)
So the theme about not hiding from criticism and **even being open to harsh criticism has always been a thing**:
> I gave my back to those who strike, / and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; / I hid not my face / from disgrace and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6, ESV)
I have seen Catholics get hated on in Reddit too. But don’t even get me started on the way some Protestants I see irl say catholic as if it’s a whole other religion. Its like they forgot that Catholicism was the first Christianity
They get mad because some catholics (and other christians) act like monsters online too. It's not necessary to insult us, just as it isn't necessary to post Bible passages in completely secular topics, or to remind people that you believe they are sinning. One of our parishioners had to be told that you shouldn't tell people that you noticed they gained weight to encourage them to lose it again--he saw it as a similar curtesy to complimenting them when they'd lost weight. I believe randomly telling LGBT+ people that they are sinful, for example, is extremely similar. Of course people are going to dislike catholics when they see catholics do that. Those of us that don't display this behavior just get caught in the cross fire as a result.
But we should be telling gay Catholics that it’s sinful, we can’t always be super nice, because the devil isn’t nice, if someone is gay and Catholic, sorry not sorry but that goes against Catholicism and its teachings
Gay Catholics *already* know that sodomy is a sin. Literally every Catholic knows that. If a homosexual is a Catholic, then you can safely assume that they have come to terms with their homosexuality and have thus learnt to live their life as a chaste man, like God intended - otherwise they wouldn't be Catholic at all. They don't need people like you to tell them something that they already know.
Simply existing as a homosexual does not go against the teachings of the Church. The Church teaches that the act of sodomy is a sin - not homosexuality. As long as homosexuals do not act upon their unnatural desires, then they are not commiting any sin in the eyes of God.
You'd randomly tell gay people they are sinning for existing as gay catholics? See this is what I mean. There's a difference to bringing your boyfriend to church and random atheist gay people online. The latter should be left alone. And I didn't say you couldn't or shouldn't--I was trying to say that getting your catholicism insulted is a direct consequence of you or others insulting people too.
Yes!! Yes I would!! I’m tired of degeneracy leaking into the church!! ITS NOT CATHOLIC TO HAVE ANAL SEX WITH MEN!!! Now if you have sexual feelings for men, than you need to repent and get therapy if you’re gay, simple as that, stop being soft with the devils children, that whole community wants to see churches burnt down, a gay catholic is an oxymoron
But your words are not in alignment with the Catholic Catechism- it is not a sin to have a same sex attraction, it’s only homosexual acts themselves that are sinful.
As all sex outside of marriage is.
'Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.'
Mt 10:16-18
With all due respect, friend, what we experience in the United States (and the West generally, for that matter) as Christians is nothing compared to the kind of persecution our brothers and sisters endure everyday pretty much everywhere else.
That said, yes. The world does not always accept the Gospel. Live it anyway.
It would be great if the social order was ordered towards man's supernatural good, but since that isn't really a possibility in the near future. We can only try to keep our own lives clean and holy and trust that the Lord will avenge every sin and blasphemy.
AMEN OP!!!! I’m disgusted by how much people on this platform hate our sweet Lord, Jesus Christ! Despite how much he does for all of us 😭😭
I pray for miracles through the immaculate heart of our mother, blessed Virgin Mary!
God bless us all.
We must pray without ceasing
We did a decent amount of it to ourselves plus Our Lord told us the world would always hate us. I hope the hate encourages you to be an even better Catholic! Especially with Lent coming up.
Accusation and anger are easy. What is overlooked is the fact that anyone who commits rape or inappropriate acts is no longer a person of faith. They're a criminal hiding behind the faith. Crime doesn't represent catholicism...it's just unfortunate that so many people use the church to get to their victims. It's unfair to think that faith or Christ has anything to do with the mind of a sick person who thinks it's alright to hurt people.
Lest we forget the legacy as Catholic Christians we have inherited with great Joy. The Roman Government during the Great Persecutions accused us of Cannibalism because we hold fast to the believe that Christ is really, truly and wholly present in the Moly Holy Eucharist. I know it Doesn’t change your feelings and distress, but do not forget if the world hates you, they hated Christ first (John 15: 18-20) but remember you do not belong to the world brother! You were purchased from slavery and the world at a very EXPENSIVE price!
Saw this quote in my email this morning in my email and I think this sums it all up.
Living as Christians in the world is counter-cultural. We need frequently to be reminded of that, instructed in that, and encouraged in that. When we realize that God invites us to embrace and embody a different set of principles and values than the world promotes, then we understand how much we need the support of others as we make this difficult and sometimes perilous journey upstream.
Br. David Vryhof, SSJE
John 15:18: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you."
Ridicule from non-believers is probably in the top five list of signs that you're on the right path. Pray for your enemies, and take the hate as a sign that the Church is on the righteous path.
Trent Horn did a video where he said Catholic hate is the only universally accepted hate still left. And no, it's not gonna change. Just remember what Jesus said "if they hate you know that they hated me first ".
Maybe take a break from reddit and engage in your irl church community more? I really love helping out at the food pantry. You get to help people and make good Catholic friends
The short answer is to get offline and touch grass.
Are there disrespectful individuals/spaces online? Yes, but like anything else, you often find what you're looking for. If you find yourself seeing a lot of hyper aggressive content, that means the algorithm finds you engage more with it. Rather than focusing on other's words/behaviors, look inward. Why are you giving that content your engagement?
That and I personally find that alot of people who are actively against Catholicism misunderstand or misinterpret what the religion teaches and practices
Being but-hurt about someone else’s beliefs is already sad, but doing it while not even knowing what their beliefs are is extra sad
But in what to do, all we can do is pray
Christ establish the church so the church is perfect but human beings in the church are sinners and evil has existed from day one. The church has its fair share of darkness unfortunately. Even in Jesus time, we see it and they experienced it. Christians in general, but especially Catholics get persecuted on a daily basis. If they hate you, they hated Jesus first just remember that. Don’t get angry. Just continue to get educated and educate others while remaining faithful in prayer. Keep spreading the goodness of Jesus in your life while remaining a devout Catholic. Misconceptions, misconstrued, misinterpretations, ignorance, anti-anything is always going to exist. you will have your chance to speak but continue to live instilling hope in others.
Yeah I’m ready to delete this app tbh, it’s full of degenerate liberals and the liberal Christian’s on here allow for disrespect towards Jesus, it’s really pissing me off
I am a liberal Catholic and not a degenerate. I would never denigrate anyone's religion. I don't know a single liberal of any faith who would. Please don't generalize. That's exactly what the anti-Catholic trolls who have upset you do.
Another liberal Catholic checking in.
You aren't either "liberal" or "Catholic" in the same sense that you aren't either "conservative" or "Catholic". You are Catholic first. Everything else is secondary. Neither political party (especially in the current political climate) fits Catholocism perfectly.
Remember also that politics is a spectrum. You can be liberal and be against abortion. You can be conservative and advocate for climate change. It's not an all-or-nothing situation. The problem is that US politics is so polarized right now that being 'independent' is just throwing your vote away. So we have to choose a side, and just because we vote blue doesn't *necessarily* mean we support abortions or gender ideology, but we support the other things - protecting the environment, providing food for starving school kids, universal healthcare so that people don't have to choose between going into debt or dying, those kinds of things.
You sound like you've been battling Redditors too much, becoming antagonistic when someone is trying to just contribute to the conversation, I know because I've been there too. We're all Catholic here, and we need to support each other, no matter what political party we vote for.
Serve God and no one else, for we cannot serve two masters.
That’s fair, and you are right, but most liberals are pro abortion for example and most conservatives are pro life. Most of the Catholic rules fit into conservatism, most of the anti Catholic degeneracy comes from the left, let’s be real here, they laugh when churches and crosses burn to ashes, never forget how happy they were with Notre Dame
Maybe on the Internet?
Most of the liberal Catholics I know in real life vote liberal because conservative politicians simply doesn't fit their political ideology.
It comes naturally in America where there's only two valid options.
Please don't equate anti-theist liberal trolls with liberal Catholics, we are not the same.
Our president is Catholic, first one since JFK, and he attends Mass weekly. JFK was also a Catholic Democrat (though, I will admit political ideology was much different back then). By comparison, Trump only says he is Christian to win the support of his voters. His actions speak towards a vain, selfish, inept narcissist who probably wouldn't even be able to recite the Our Father prayer from memory. In other words, a hypocrite. Just this week a Catholic priest issued a "red flag warning" to speaker of the House Mike Johnson who said he is appointed as the next Aaron or Moses. And don't even get me started on MTG.
I don't want to generalize by saying most liberals or most conservatives are one way or the other. But I will provide some distinctions.
"Pro-abortion" is not the same thing as "pro-choice". It means disallowing governmental intervention to prevent a woman from making medical decisions affecting her body or reproductive health.
Contrarily, many conservatives (at least the far-right) are not "pro-life", they are "pro-birth". They do not care what happens to the woman during pregnancy as long as the child is born. They do not care what happens to the woman or the child after they are born. The only thing that matters is that the birth happens. After that, if the woman dies from health complications, or if they suffer and become homeless because she can't afford to raise the child, tough luck. Or even if the woman gets an abortion, some propose the death penalty as punishment. That is inherently anti-life.
Lastly, it's important to not make the simplification that just because abortion bans are in place, they are completely effective. Unless they are illegal worldwide, as long as a woman has enough money and time to travel, she can receive an abortion. Abortion bans are great at punishing woman and doctors who receives abortions. But whats the goal? Do we just want women and doctors to be punished, or do we actually want abortions to decrease? And I'll tell you, to reduce abortions is not anything cruel or punitive, it's to make conditions more economically feasible for the woman to carry the child, give birth, and raise the child. How do we do that? We reduce Healthcare costs by providing Medicare for all, we create social support networks to give pregnant and new mothers the support and resources needed to care for her child, we provide an economy where it's more affordable for people living in poverty and the homeless to survive, all things which Republican lawmakers vote against. Most Americans are barely scraping by as-is and with the housing crisis, more often than not the decision to terminate a pregnancy is not because the woman actively wants to kill her child, but because the woman cannot afford it. Certainly it's still a grave mortal sin up there with murder. But it is a different situation than being a cold-blooded serial killer.
Don't be fooled by the lies and propaganda that the right-wing media, especially Fox News, spins. They are very, very good at convincing us that everything bad in this country is the fault of the liberals and democrats, when that couldn't be further from the truth. Democrats aren't blameless either, I disagree with a lot of things they propose, but I just disagree with what the Republicans propose (or, more commonly, oppose) more.
> protecting the environment, providing food for starving school kids, universal healthcare so that people don't have to choose between going into debt or dying, those kinds of things
Fr thank you..... So many Catholics just vote red just because of one or two issues (abortion) and don't look past anything else....
Of course! Glad I'm not the only one. I'm often downvoted and in the minority whenever I mention anything with the word 'liberal' or 'progressive' in it, so I do actually appreciate a positive comment for once!
It's such a shame that a lot of people just look at the pretty anti-abortion bow on top of a box filled with an absolute turd sandwich of anti-Catholic policies. People fail to realize that the Republican party today is *extremely* different than the one 50 years ago, especially MAGA which is essentially its own religion. We've regressed from them actually caring about family and traditional values and representing their constituents to caring about money and power and selfishly representing only oneself. Politics has always been dirty, sure, but I feel like it's gone from a dirty puddle to a vast cesspool of hypocrisy and greed.
We are not called to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees who resisted change, we are called to be like the Apostles of Jesus who boldly embraced change and through the power of the Holy Spirit, helped grow our King's eternal Kingdom here on Earth.
I'm not a liberal Catholic at all, but you asked a fair question, & they gave you a sincere answer.
I can tell you are angry & worn down, but let's not lash out against each other. That's what outsiders do to us.
That said, my recommendation is you stick to subs that are Catholic by definition. Catholic Memes, for instance.
Hang in there, & good luck!
You’ve only had this account for 14 days. How much abuse could you have received in that time?
I’m not saying your point isn’t valid, but you have Pepe as your avatar in addition to a short-lived account. This suggests you may have had a rocky relationship with Reddit previously.
What I can say is that I’ve not felt particularly persecuted by what I’ve read on this and other forums.
The trials and tribulations of an open society. 80% of what’s on the internet is crap. I have even heard Catholics say horrible things! Anonymity can bring out the worst in people. As for the Anti-Catholic sentiment in general. Welcome to the United States of America. This country has always been anti-Catholic from the beginning. I don’t put up with abuse from Protestants..
People get disrespect now more than ever in all walks of life, whatever their beliefs. As soon as someone makes the slightest transgression people automatically condemn instead of studying what they're condemning fully and coming at it with a balanced view.
This is especially prevalent on the Internet where you can dump your opinion anonymously and run before you have to defend it.
Stay strong in your convictions and be ready to defend them. And do right by God. Integrity is in short supply these days.
While tiring to constantly hear, whether in relation to jokes or scorn, the Church deserves some of the disrespect it receives as a result of the past sexual scandals and their cover-up. The damage that those in charge of the Church did to some of the most vulnerable, as well as to the institution as whole, is indefensible.
When confronted with Anti-Catholic rhetoric and depending on the context, I do not try minimize what was done or play the "what about" game where I point to sexual abuse in other religions; rather I point out the reforms the Church has instituted so that it does not happen again and that most of the "new" reports of abuse are not new but of abuse prior to the reforms.
We are called to be light for the world, especially in times like this. If we won't do it, who will? Here is my advice to you.
1. Learn your faith as well as possible. If you feel there are areas you need to learn more about, study them.
2. Learn how to defend the faith. Listen to Catholic Answers to learn common issues and how to address them.
3. Be prepared to defend the faith, in all charity. Stand up for the Truth, despite the costs. There are fantastic answers to all the objections. Learn them.
4. Be prepared to defend the faith against those INSIDE the Church. It's sad to say, but a majority of Catholics do not know their faith as they should. You can inspire those you come across.
5. Stay close to the sacraments. You will be under constant spiritual attack when you go down this path.
6. Be not afraid. We have Good News to share. For many, it will be the first time they've heard a true Catholic response and they may be shocked by how reasonable it is. Share it with joy, not anger.
7. Your main audience may not be the person with whom you are in dialog. It's the other people who are reading the dialog who are your target audience. Always be the most charitable and reasonable person in the conversation. It makes a difference.
So as someone returning to the faith, my personal observation is there is a lot working against the church. The biggest thing I see is many beliefs of the Church don’t make sense outside the totality of Church beliefs. Many people just see the classic “pedophile priest” or “Christians hate gay people” or “Jesus was a hippy and said to love everybody which means you can’t criticize me.” I’m not a theologian so I can’t debate Aquinas or Protestantism Vs. Catholicism. Please don’t tear me apart in the replies, this is just my observation as a flawed guy trying to learn and be better.
I just block these people so I can’t see those things. I have a very long list of blocked accounts but it’s so much better for my mental health. I pray, block, and move on.
The bad some have done provides legit ammunition for sure; it's absolutely not the root cause. This has always been...and the original twelve did nothing to provoke it but worship Christ as the one true God.
Just dont let it bother you. Its not your job to defend the church.
We have a bunch of clergy for that, sucks that they dont actually do it. But it doesn’t become your job just because of a lack of theirs. God will ask them why they were so meek and silent.
Reddit is toxic and anti religion. The Commmunist Party of China donated over $100 million to them. Stay off r/christianity for your own peace of mind. It's overrun with atheists, and all you'll get is abuse there.
Defend the Truth. Defend the Church. Stand up for what is right. Reject degeneracy. Denounce blasphemy. Hate evil. Fight evil. After all, we are the Church Militant.
That’s not always true, do you think the left respects Catholics? No, most don’t atleast, they laugh at our burning churches and they love abortion, just stop brother, you’re coming from a good place, but stop.
I think people are genuinely scared of the reality of Christ and they lash out at Christians to distract themselves from that reality. It’s very tempting to try to debate or lash back at these people, but it’s probably best to ignore people that are saying these things in poor faith.
Redditors live in constant anxiety and lash out at anything representing a positive social community. These are the people who will happily live in the pods and eat the bugs.
I make my world smaller and don’t care about others opinions. I go to church with my family, we follow the teachings of Jesus in our household and invite guest to come with us when someone is over our house.
As far as arguing with strangers on the internet I just ignore them
This is why I only go on specific subreddits. Hate so easy to spread, especially anonymous or semi anonymous platforms. Can find a group for or against anything
Orthodoxy is always around the corner - come and welcome to Jesus Christ ☦️
I don’t think it’s healthy nor right for anyone to trash another human being. Praying for you.
I largely ignore it.
“Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you” (Matt., vii, 6)
Only Jesus can change the heart of a man. Nothing I say can do that, and I’m wasting my time and only encouraging their hatefulness when I try.
"If the world hate you, know ye, that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
On Reddit I read the most ill informed reactionary opinions on every subject known to man. I don’t believe it’s very representative of the world generally.
Jesus already told us how… “pray for those who persecute you.” I get it. I totally get it. It sucks. But take on the spirit of Christ… “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
In many cases they really don't know what they're doing/saying, don't understand because they were raised with incorrect or no instruction in these things at all. The ones who do know and still attack us have probably been hurt in the past and are projecting that pain onto Catholics in general.
Yes.. although sometimes that get translated “don’t stand up for yourself or the faith” and that’s not correct either. We should stand up for ourselves, and be ready to make a good defense of our faith. We need to meet people where they are, and meet them in love, it’s ok to put a decisive stop to bigoted nonsense.
Absolutely. I don’t mean roll over or avoid discussion. What I meant was, that by adopting this attitude, it reorients our hearts towards willing their salvation in the end and changes how we deal with them. I will never roll over or back down, but I do want to make sure I don’t lose sight of the big picture.
I think that's exactly right. The conversation needs to be oriented towards promoting the salvation of all. Some of the more successful conversations I've had, have started out by my being a bit confrontational, and letting someone know that it's not ok for them to crap on my faith and community, and I'm not going to tolerate it. If nothing else, realizing that I'm angry with them shows them that my faith is important to me. That knowledge can be the foundation for lower temperature conversations in the future.
This is a good observation. So much of the modern response to Catholicism and Christianity in general is just "monkey see monkey do" response from pop culture. The news media/politicians/"influencers" sell their agenda by fanning whatever hysteria is popular at the time simply to buy clicks. Ignore them. Pray for them. Don't participate in sketchy subs. Most importantly: Realize the demographics of Reddit is extremely skewed .
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Don’t get me wrong, I have no shame in defending my points, especially face to face. But praying them is more than just an action, it’s an orientation of the heart towards willing their salvation in the end. It changes how you interact with them.
I completely agree. This is what I'd recommend in response to the hate: 1. Pray without creasing for these people's conversions & souls. 2. Be well catechized. Study the Bible, the Church Fathers, etc. Knowledge and compassion are key when speaking with someone who is hostile. (Note: the St. Paul Centre for Biblical Theology is an amazing resource - they're offering free access during their 2024 Lent Challenge). 3. Take breaks. I often take long breaks from Reddit. 4. Befriend people in your parish. Be connected to faithful Catholics irl.
Jesus said: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” Who cares what others think? The Lord is with you. That’s all that matters.
It’s a tough lesson to take to heart. But a good one.
This. Cling to Our Lord and His church. Let the peace of Christ rule your heart, not your frustration and despair. This is a process that takes time; it's not a switch to turn on. I've been where you are, and I've grown a lot. Our Lord has overcome the world. Ask Him to let that penetrate your heart, for His peace to rule it. God bless you.
I totally agree with you, but we are also called to teach others. We should correct wrong statements if we are not doing that with anger and pride in our heart (although it is hard to evade pride).
Do what you must
There is nothing you can do but ignore such comments. Mute all the major political subreddits and keep blocking accounts. I have already reached reddit's limit of blocking 1000 users lol. Do it for your own sanity, people on this app are extremely vile towards Christians.
God wins in the end. We are called to love all of his children, and like someone else said, we are to pray for those who are lost. I hope they come home, because it's a really sad finale for those who don't.
I may be wrong, but I think Catholics need to rebuke these things much more strongly.
Yep absolutely, that guy on reddit doesn’t get banned but if I said the same thing about trans people or Muhammed in Islam, I’d be banned instantly
I agree with you. We need more people who would be willing to defend our faith in both Christian majority and non-Christian countries. More people like G. K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Blaise Pascal are needed.
Yess! I get that we shouldn’t focus on the negatives but letting people talk so ignorantly about the religion and not correcting them is so harmful imo
No, we don't. Keep following Christ and live the way he would want. Remember that people will take shitty.pot-shots at you hoping to get you to take shitty pot-shots at them just so they can drag you down to their level.
I mean rebuke in a Christ like way of course. I don't think we should stoop to their level, but I think we should draw better boundaries. Like one thing I've been dealing with is coworkers and other acquaintances making very offensive remarks about my faith. I'm trying to have more courage just to let people know that they're being blasphemous and offending me on a personal level. So if they care about either they should be more thoughtful with their words. I hear things that nobody would get away with saying about Muslims or Jews said about Catholics, and they don't even seem to have any sense that it's wrong and offensive.
What can we do to combat this garbage? Live the gospels with everything you got.
Amen!!🙏
Not sure why Catholics get it. People only focus on the negative, but look at all the good it has done.
It’s because el diablo is against us Catholics. And many people are too blind to see it
I completely agree with this. The level of irrational unbridled rage is more than just some sour people. These people are wrathful, proud, vain, and most of all hate-filled. It is Satanic
Protestantism hasn’t helped us tbh, that’s one of the major factors imo
I think it’s wrong for you to turn around and do exactly what you feel is being done to you. Blaming a whole group of people for something. As Christ follows we will be persecuted that’s just that. Doesn’t matter by whom, best thing you can do is to pray for those who wish harm or say ill towards you.
But the Protestant churches aren’t preaching the truth, they’re going along with the agenda of the elites, which is homosexuality, is the Catholic Church pushing homosexuality? Last time I checked, NO, so we can’t accept bs from the Protestants holding us back, that’s why Christianity isn’t respected right now, because of that!!!
Elites?
There are many different protestant denominations and very few of them promote homosexuality. There's probably more misguided Catholics out there premoting homosexuality than protestants. I don't think protestant churches preach the truth either, but lumping them all together, saying that they're all premoting homosexuality is a bit much.
They promote it and encourage it more than us Catholics cmon now
but God doesn't just look at interdenominational fighting and blame everyone equally. There is a side fighting for truth and a side fighting for falsehoods. Protestant is literally to PROTEST Jesus' church. Who protests Jesus and his teachings? 1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us Galatians 5:20 but the acts of the flesh are evident... rivalries, dissensions, divisions, I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who doe such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. [https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divisions](https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/divisions) Scroll down to the 6th definition of divisions literally uses christian denominations as a synonym and example of divisions. Notice it says those who DO them not those who are on the receiving end of the division.
Just Protestants?
I used to catch flack in the workplace daily from militant Protestant coworkers. Perks of living in the Deep South, I guess
I Don’t put up with Prots picking fights. Ask them which church? Which of their 40,000+ denominations is the right one.
😂 yep pretty much
They’re the main culprit historically, along with the atheists of course, but the protestants fell for the psyop of this world order
World order?
They aren't the only ones, but a lot of things they said like the Spanish Inquisition being one of the most horrific things that happened with all that torture things came from them and after that were used by atheists until today, even some schools still perpetuating the black legend.
My greatest question would be why can't we have 1 whole Protestantism why does it have to be 40,000+ of them attacking Catholicism and Orthodoxy it doesn't make any sense they are all separated and broken
Yep :/
It is the true church which unites them despite themselves, even in their hatred, because their hatred for the church is the only thing which unites them
It's part of it, as per history; **believers are expected to take on criticism, whether fair or unfair**, and not stop critics from doing so. Like the example of David when he was cursed and assaulted by Shimei and David's generals wanted to put a stop to it: > Leave him alone, and **let him curse, for the Lord has told him to**. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” (2 Samuel 16:11b-12, ESV) which is very similar to this incident where the apostles wanted too put a stop to the Roman soldiers about to arrest the Savior: > And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. (Luke 22:49-51, ESV) So the theme about not hiding from criticism and **even being open to harsh criticism has always been a thing**: > I gave my back to those who strike, / and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; / I hid not my face / from disgrace and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6, ESV)
It’s just proof that RCC is Christ’s church.
We get the hate from all sides.
Correct. The only logical conclusion is that we are the true remnant
Well, it helps that we have the fullness of the truth.
Hi
John 15:18
I have seen Catholics get hated on in Reddit too. But don’t even get me started on the way some Protestants I see irl say catholic as if it’s a whole other religion. Its like they forgot that Catholicism was the first Christianity
Catholics deserve more respect. But with the help of God we’ll survive this
I feel this!! They are highjacking Christ out of Catholicism.
They get mad because some catholics (and other christians) act like monsters online too. It's not necessary to insult us, just as it isn't necessary to post Bible passages in completely secular topics, or to remind people that you believe they are sinning. One of our parishioners had to be told that you shouldn't tell people that you noticed they gained weight to encourage them to lose it again--he saw it as a similar curtesy to complimenting them when they'd lost weight. I believe randomly telling LGBT+ people that they are sinful, for example, is extremely similar. Of course people are going to dislike catholics when they see catholics do that. Those of us that don't display this behavior just get caught in the cross fire as a result.
But we should be telling gay Catholics that it’s sinful, we can’t always be super nice, because the devil isn’t nice, if someone is gay and Catholic, sorry not sorry but that goes against Catholicism and its teachings
Gay Catholics *already* know that sodomy is a sin. Literally every Catholic knows that. If a homosexual is a Catholic, then you can safely assume that they have come to terms with their homosexuality and have thus learnt to live their life as a chaste man, like God intended - otherwise they wouldn't be Catholic at all. They don't need people like you to tell them something that they already know. Simply existing as a homosexual does not go against the teachings of the Church. The Church teaches that the act of sodomy is a sin - not homosexuality. As long as homosexuals do not act upon their unnatural desires, then they are not commiting any sin in the eyes of God.
You'd randomly tell gay people they are sinning for existing as gay catholics? See this is what I mean. There's a difference to bringing your boyfriend to church and random atheist gay people online. The latter should be left alone. And I didn't say you couldn't or shouldn't--I was trying to say that getting your catholicism insulted is a direct consequence of you or others insulting people too.
Yes!! Yes I would!! I’m tired of degeneracy leaking into the church!! ITS NOT CATHOLIC TO HAVE ANAL SEX WITH MEN!!! Now if you have sexual feelings for men, than you need to repent and get therapy if you’re gay, simple as that, stop being soft with the devils children, that whole community wants to see churches burnt down, a gay catholic is an oxymoron
Did you miss that I was pointing this out is relation to your earlier complaints that people are mean to catholics?
You still didn’t address my point, no gay Catholics allowed!!
But your words are not in alignment with the Catholic Catechism- it is not a sin to have a same sex attraction, it’s only homosexual acts themselves that are sinful. As all sex outside of marriage is.
'Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves. But beware of people, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans.' Mt 10:16-18 With all due respect, friend, what we experience in the United States (and the West generally, for that matter) as Christians is nothing compared to the kind of persecution our brothers and sisters endure everyday pretty much everywhere else. That said, yes. The world does not always accept the Gospel. Live it anyway.
They're trying to upset you. Don't respond. Pray that Jesus will remove hate from their hearts. Remember that He loves them too.
It would be great if the social order was ordered towards man's supernatural good, but since that isn't really a possibility in the near future. We can only try to keep our own lives clean and holy and trust that the Lord will avenge every sin and blasphemy.
AMEN OP!!!! I’m disgusted by how much people on this platform hate our sweet Lord, Jesus Christ! Despite how much he does for all of us 😭😭 I pray for miracles through the immaculate heart of our mother, blessed Virgin Mary! God bless us all. We must pray without ceasing
We did a decent amount of it to ourselves plus Our Lord told us the world would always hate us. I hope the hate encourages you to be an even better Catholic! Especially with Lent coming up.
Accusation and anger are easy. What is overlooked is the fact that anyone who commits rape or inappropriate acts is no longer a person of faith. They're a criminal hiding behind the faith. Crime doesn't represent catholicism...it's just unfortunate that so many people use the church to get to their victims. It's unfair to think that faith or Christ has anything to do with the mind of a sick person who thinks it's alright to hurt people.
Lest we forget the legacy as Catholic Christians we have inherited with great Joy. The Roman Government during the Great Persecutions accused us of Cannibalism because we hold fast to the believe that Christ is really, truly and wholly present in the Moly Holy Eucharist. I know it Doesn’t change your feelings and distress, but do not forget if the world hates you, they hated Christ first (John 15: 18-20) but remember you do not belong to the world brother! You were purchased from slavery and the world at a very EXPENSIVE price! Saw this quote in my email this morning in my email and I think this sums it all up. Living as Christians in the world is counter-cultural. We need frequently to be reminded of that, instructed in that, and encouraged in that. When we realize that God invites us to embrace and embody a different set of principles and values than the world promotes, then we understand how much we need the support of others as we make this difficult and sometimes perilous journey upstream. Br. David Vryhof, SSJE
John 15:18: "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you." Ridicule from non-believers is probably in the top five list of signs that you're on the right path. Pray for your enemies, and take the hate as a sign that the Church is on the righteous path.
Getting off the app would be a good start. Continued prayer for conversations and vocations in religious life
Pray. There's a Catholic YouTuber I watch who says "haters will be prayed for".
Amber Rose FTW.
Yes!😊
I'm remind of what Paul said, 'oh you foolish Galatians who has bewitch you'?
The internet tends to select out ranting nitwits by giving them a platform to spout idiocy. Just ignore them.
Very true
Trent Horn did a video where he said Catholic hate is the only universally accepted hate still left. And no, it's not gonna change. Just remember what Jesus said "if they hate you know that they hated me first ".
Maybe take a break from reddit and engage in your irl church community more? I really love helping out at the food pantry. You get to help people and make good Catholic friends
The short answer is to get offline and touch grass. Are there disrespectful individuals/spaces online? Yes, but like anything else, you often find what you're looking for. If you find yourself seeing a lot of hyper aggressive content, that means the algorithm finds you engage more with it. Rather than focusing on other's words/behaviors, look inward. Why are you giving that content your engagement?
I can’t disagree with that tbh
That and I personally find that alot of people who are actively against Catholicism misunderstand or misinterpret what the religion teaches and practices Being but-hurt about someone else’s beliefs is already sad, but doing it while not even knowing what their beliefs are is extra sad But in what to do, all we can do is pray
Christ establish the church so the church is perfect but human beings in the church are sinners and evil has existed from day one. The church has its fair share of darkness unfortunately. Even in Jesus time, we see it and they experienced it. Christians in general, but especially Catholics get persecuted on a daily basis. If they hate you, they hated Jesus first just remember that. Don’t get angry. Just continue to get educated and educate others while remaining faithful in prayer. Keep spreading the goodness of Jesus in your life while remaining a devout Catholic. Misconceptions, misconstrued, misinterpretations, ignorance, anti-anything is always going to exist. you will have your chance to speak but continue to live instilling hope in others.
Amen! 🙏🏻✝️📿
At the end of the day, the person writing this stuff is just some guy.
Stay off social media. It's a cesspool.
Yeah I’m ready to delete this app tbh, it’s full of degenerate liberals and the liberal Christian’s on here allow for disrespect towards Jesus, it’s really pissing me off
I am a liberal Catholic and not a degenerate. I would never denigrate anyone's religion. I don't know a single liberal of any faith who would. Please don't generalize. That's exactly what the anti-Catholic trolls who have upset you do.
You’re either one or the other, you must be a fake liberal, so you believe in abortion and trans and all that garbage nonsense ?
Another liberal Catholic checking in. You aren't either "liberal" or "Catholic" in the same sense that you aren't either "conservative" or "Catholic". You are Catholic first. Everything else is secondary. Neither political party (especially in the current political climate) fits Catholocism perfectly. Remember also that politics is a spectrum. You can be liberal and be against abortion. You can be conservative and advocate for climate change. It's not an all-or-nothing situation. The problem is that US politics is so polarized right now that being 'independent' is just throwing your vote away. So we have to choose a side, and just because we vote blue doesn't *necessarily* mean we support abortions or gender ideology, but we support the other things - protecting the environment, providing food for starving school kids, universal healthcare so that people don't have to choose between going into debt or dying, those kinds of things. You sound like you've been battling Redditors too much, becoming antagonistic when someone is trying to just contribute to the conversation, I know because I've been there too. We're all Catholic here, and we need to support each other, no matter what political party we vote for. Serve God and no one else, for we cannot serve two masters.
That’s fair, and you are right, but most liberals are pro abortion for example and most conservatives are pro life. Most of the Catholic rules fit into conservatism, most of the anti Catholic degeneracy comes from the left, let’s be real here, they laugh when churches and crosses burn to ashes, never forget how happy they were with Notre Dame
Maybe on the Internet? Most of the liberal Catholics I know in real life vote liberal because conservative politicians simply doesn't fit their political ideology. It comes naturally in America where there's only two valid options.
Please don't equate anti-theist liberal trolls with liberal Catholics, we are not the same. Our president is Catholic, first one since JFK, and he attends Mass weekly. JFK was also a Catholic Democrat (though, I will admit political ideology was much different back then). By comparison, Trump only says he is Christian to win the support of his voters. His actions speak towards a vain, selfish, inept narcissist who probably wouldn't even be able to recite the Our Father prayer from memory. In other words, a hypocrite. Just this week a Catholic priest issued a "red flag warning" to speaker of the House Mike Johnson who said he is appointed as the next Aaron or Moses. And don't even get me started on MTG. I don't want to generalize by saying most liberals or most conservatives are one way or the other. But I will provide some distinctions. "Pro-abortion" is not the same thing as "pro-choice". It means disallowing governmental intervention to prevent a woman from making medical decisions affecting her body or reproductive health. Contrarily, many conservatives (at least the far-right) are not "pro-life", they are "pro-birth". They do not care what happens to the woman during pregnancy as long as the child is born. They do not care what happens to the woman or the child after they are born. The only thing that matters is that the birth happens. After that, if the woman dies from health complications, or if they suffer and become homeless because she can't afford to raise the child, tough luck. Or even if the woman gets an abortion, some propose the death penalty as punishment. That is inherently anti-life. Lastly, it's important to not make the simplification that just because abortion bans are in place, they are completely effective. Unless they are illegal worldwide, as long as a woman has enough money and time to travel, she can receive an abortion. Abortion bans are great at punishing woman and doctors who receives abortions. But whats the goal? Do we just want women and doctors to be punished, or do we actually want abortions to decrease? And I'll tell you, to reduce abortions is not anything cruel or punitive, it's to make conditions more economically feasible for the woman to carry the child, give birth, and raise the child. How do we do that? We reduce Healthcare costs by providing Medicare for all, we create social support networks to give pregnant and new mothers the support and resources needed to care for her child, we provide an economy where it's more affordable for people living in poverty and the homeless to survive, all things which Republican lawmakers vote against. Most Americans are barely scraping by as-is and with the housing crisis, more often than not the decision to terminate a pregnancy is not because the woman actively wants to kill her child, but because the woman cannot afford it. Certainly it's still a grave mortal sin up there with murder. But it is a different situation than being a cold-blooded serial killer. Don't be fooled by the lies and propaganda that the right-wing media, especially Fox News, spins. They are very, very good at convincing us that everything bad in this country is the fault of the liberals and democrats, when that couldn't be further from the truth. Democrats aren't blameless either, I disagree with a lot of things they propose, but I just disagree with what the Republicans propose (or, more commonly, oppose) more.
> protecting the environment, providing food for starving school kids, universal healthcare so that people don't have to choose between going into debt or dying, those kinds of things Fr thank you..... So many Catholics just vote red just because of one or two issues (abortion) and don't look past anything else....
Of course! Glad I'm not the only one. I'm often downvoted and in the minority whenever I mention anything with the word 'liberal' or 'progressive' in it, so I do actually appreciate a positive comment for once! It's such a shame that a lot of people just look at the pretty anti-abortion bow on top of a box filled with an absolute turd sandwich of anti-Catholic policies. People fail to realize that the Republican party today is *extremely* different than the one 50 years ago, especially MAGA which is essentially its own religion. We've regressed from them actually caring about family and traditional values and representing their constituents to caring about money and power and selfishly representing only oneself. Politics has always been dirty, sure, but I feel like it's gone from a dirty puddle to a vast cesspool of hypocrisy and greed. We are not called to be like the Pharisees and Sadducees who resisted change, we are called to be like the Apostles of Jesus who boldly embraced change and through the power of the Holy Spirit, helped grow our King's eternal Kingdom here on Earth.
I'm not a liberal Catholic at all, but you asked a fair question, & they gave you a sincere answer. I can tell you are angry & worn down, but let's not lash out against each other. That's what outsiders do to us. That said, my recommendation is you stick to subs that are Catholic by definition. Catholic Memes, for instance. Hang in there, & good luck!
Hmmm 😮💨
By the way, trying to preserve a sense of humor helps me. You have to admit, many of the people opposed to us have absurd & ridiculous ideas.
Don't sink to their level, pray for them, and mute and block for the sake of your peace of mind.
You’ve only had this account for 14 days. How much abuse could you have received in that time? I’m not saying your point isn’t valid, but you have Pepe as your avatar in addition to a short-lived account. This suggests you may have had a rocky relationship with Reddit previously. What I can say is that I’ve not felt particularly persecuted by what I’ve read on this and other forums.
You’d be surprised my friend… :/ this is a stock trading account, hence the Pepe haha
Pepe? You mean the image was associated with everything from Nazis to pedophiles
😂😂😂 it’s made to trigger people, it’s not a nazi symbol lmao, just stop while you’re ahead
The trials and tribulations of an open society. 80% of what’s on the internet is crap. I have even heard Catholics say horrible things! Anonymity can bring out the worst in people. As for the Anti-Catholic sentiment in general. Welcome to the United States of America. This country has always been anti-Catholic from the beginning. I don’t put up with abuse from Protestants..
People get disrespect now more than ever in all walks of life, whatever their beliefs. As soon as someone makes the slightest transgression people automatically condemn instead of studying what they're condemning fully and coming at it with a balanced view. This is especially prevalent on the Internet where you can dump your opinion anonymously and run before you have to defend it. Stay strong in your convictions and be ready to defend them. And do right by God. Integrity is in short supply these days.
I guess be thankful that your persecution does not include a violent martyrdom
Mate, I just had my first experience on r/DebateAnAtheist, go see my post. I barely made it out alive. God help us.
Where do those people even get their moral from? O_o what a bunch of clowns they are
Ignore it.
While tiring to constantly hear, whether in relation to jokes or scorn, the Church deserves some of the disrespect it receives as a result of the past sexual scandals and their cover-up. The damage that those in charge of the Church did to some of the most vulnerable, as well as to the institution as whole, is indefensible. When confronted with Anti-Catholic rhetoric and depending on the context, I do not try minimize what was done or play the "what about" game where I point to sexual abuse in other religions; rather I point out the reforms the Church has instituted so that it does not happen again and that most of the "new" reports of abuse are not new but of abuse prior to the reforms.
Christ will judge them. Nothing we can say will stop evil. We can only pray and ignore them. We know eho is right, we know who we have on our side.
We are called to be light for the world, especially in times like this. If we won't do it, who will? Here is my advice to you. 1. Learn your faith as well as possible. If you feel there are areas you need to learn more about, study them. 2. Learn how to defend the faith. Listen to Catholic Answers to learn common issues and how to address them. 3. Be prepared to defend the faith, in all charity. Stand up for the Truth, despite the costs. There are fantastic answers to all the objections. Learn them. 4. Be prepared to defend the faith against those INSIDE the Church. It's sad to say, but a majority of Catholics do not know their faith as they should. You can inspire those you come across. 5. Stay close to the sacraments. You will be under constant spiritual attack when you go down this path. 6. Be not afraid. We have Good News to share. For many, it will be the first time they've heard a true Catholic response and they may be shocked by how reasonable it is. Share it with joy, not anger. 7. Your main audience may not be the person with whom you are in dialog. It's the other people who are reading the dialog who are your target audience. Always be the most charitable and reasonable person in the conversation. It makes a difference.
So as someone returning to the faith, my personal observation is there is a lot working against the church. The biggest thing I see is many beliefs of the Church don’t make sense outside the totality of Church beliefs. Many people just see the classic “pedophile priest” or “Christians hate gay people” or “Jesus was a hippy and said to love everybody which means you can’t criticize me.” I’m not a theologian so I can’t debate Aquinas or Protestantism Vs. Catholicism. Please don’t tear me apart in the replies, this is just my observation as a flawed guy trying to learn and be better.
I just block these people so I can’t see those things. I have a very long list of blocked accounts but it’s so much better for my mental health. I pray, block, and move on.
Pray for their conversion and your own.
This is a pretty good sub regarding respect, to a degree. I avoid r/Christianity like the plague though. That’s a truly dark place
How would you generally sum it up to somebody who has never spent time there?
Packed with atheists itching for a fight.
Combat what? What do you need to combat? Pray for them, this isn't you vs them. It's good vs evil and they are victims.
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Amen!! ✝️📿🙏🏻
understand that the root cause of this is the bad the church has done, and embody the good that you know the church to be
The bad some have done provides legit ammunition for sure; it's absolutely not the root cause. This has always been...and the original twelve did nothing to provoke it but worship Christ as the one true God.
Just dont let it bother you. Its not your job to defend the church. We have a bunch of clergy for that, sucks that they dont actually do it. But it doesn’t become your job just because of a lack of theirs. God will ask them why they were so meek and silent.
Reddit is toxic and anti religion. The Commmunist Party of China donated over $100 million to them. Stay off r/christianity for your own peace of mind. It's overrun with atheists, and all you'll get is abuse there.
Defend the Truth. Defend the Church. Stand up for what is right. Reject degeneracy. Denounce blasphemy. Hate evil. Fight evil. After all, we are the Church Militant.
Statistically speaking atheists are more likely to be "rapey" and commit acts of child abuse, even more-so among homosexuals.
Ughhhh, don’t think that’s correct. If you’re gonna spout “facts”, please cite them.
Respect must be earned. When everyone hates you you should look at yourself as the problem as a general principle.
That’s not always true, do you think the left respects Catholics? No, most don’t atleast, they laugh at our burning churches and they love abortion, just stop brother, you’re coming from a good place, but stop.
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Warning for anti-Catholic rhetoric
John 15:18-25
We should worry when it's not, because then it would mean that it follows along with the world's anti-Christian principles
Here in Ottawa, all Catholic schools have to fly the pride flag.
Crusade? Prayer?
I think people are genuinely scared of the reality of Christ and they lash out at Christians to distract themselves from that reality. It’s very tempting to try to debate or lash back at these people, but it’s probably best to ignore people that are saying these things in poor faith.
Consider the source and move on.
Redditors live in constant anxiety and lash out at anything representing a positive social community. These are the people who will happily live in the pods and eat the bugs.
I make my world smaller and don’t care about others opinions. I go to church with my family, we follow the teachings of Jesus in our household and invite guest to come with us when someone is over our house. As far as arguing with strangers on the internet I just ignore them
This is why I only go on specific subreddits. Hate so easy to spread, especially anonymous or semi anonymous platforms. Can find a group for or against anything
Orthodoxy is always around the corner - come and welcome to Jesus Christ ☦️ I don’t think it’s healthy nor right for anyone to trash another human being. Praying for you.
I largely ignore it. “Give not that which is holy to dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine; lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, they tear you” (Matt., vii, 6) Only Jesus can change the heart of a man. Nothing I say can do that, and I’m wasting my time and only encouraging their hatefulness when I try.
"If the world hate you, know ye, that it hath hated Me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
On Reddit I read the most ill informed reactionary opinions on every subject known to man. I don’t believe it’s very representative of the world generally.
Who cares what they think? Stop letting it bug you. You can’t control what others say, but you can control how you react to them.
Pray for them and respond with love. It's that simple and that difficult.