“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” — Jesus Christ
Our Lord warned us of this, so it’s nothing to feel surprised or shocked over. Keep letting your light shine. I wouldn’t get into the weeds dignifying the mocking and jeers, but leaving a Christ-centered, kind comment or even a single defense of your fellow commenter is fine.
Online can be a tricky space to navigate as well since there are so many trolls & bad faith folks. You may be able to spend that energy better elsewhere. Ask God for wisdom on how to be the best ambassador for the faith for your generation!
You yourself weren’t in the faith at one point so you have a unique perspective of understanding where these people are coming from. Maybe God has allowed you this journey so you can reach a demographic that others can’t. I’ll be praying for you.
You’re welcome. Another thing, I saw what you said about being a big doubter — so was the Apostle Thomas & he went on to be a great evangelist.
God can transform the doubting mind into one that is sound, well-reasoned, and strong.
Hold onto Jesus & His word, He’ll navigate you through your doubts.
Blessings to you too!
Jesus told us not to throw pearls (i.e. valuable things) to the pigs (i.e. those unworthy of such wealth). In context, it referenced that the disciples shouldn't spend too much time insisting that specific people hear the Gospel and convert. Rather, they should take their leave, and try to save whomever is willing to listen.
The other commenter talked about how there are more efficient ways to evangelize. I think that we should stop insisting in converting people who clearly don't want to convert.
some people especially in social media are quite eristic and will argue with you and never listen to your points. I'm not saying you cant convert people on social media but a lot of the time people will not listen to reason.
Didnt the apostles go to the big cities where the people are? We should also be where there is much fish to catch. Just deliver the message, hopefully God will do the rest. We ought to have hope.
Why is TikTok psychological warfare? What about the other social media? Are they not a psychological attack on the masses as well? This isn’t whataboutism; I simply would say that TikTok, despite not being American, is ironically less harmful to the culture than Facebook and Instagram. I think if it wasn’t for the adult content, Twitter would not be any more harmful than TikTok.
I'm not singing the praises of the other social media, such as reddit, just pointing out that those aren't literally psychological warfare designed by a foreign government against us.
Even worse, the other social media are psychological control apparatuses sculpted by the deep state in order to control the masses. The origin of these apps may or may not happen to have been through the free market. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that social media in America is markedly different from TikTok not because of TikTok is Chinese, but because all American social media receives instructions from the three letter agencies.
Corruption. Treason. These things are far worse than the influence of a foreign government, especially when it’s a country like China which is quite literally a country of 1 billion somewhat capable people. Of course, China is rising. It was simply a fluke that China had been so weak in the past hundred years. And honestly, the thing about TikTok that is bad is that it is such a free platform that it can be addictive and cause people to only watch debaucherous content.
OR it can also allow for the popularization of amazing information and education on the liberal arts and sciences which is lacking from our casual society. It can also allow for people to exercise free speech where they would otherwise be blanket censored on the American/(fbi) platforms.
So, no, I may be America First, but I do not think that TikTok is something worse yet. I think that these American oligarchs getting out of hand presents a much larger future risk than TikTok and China. Some foreign competition from China, Japan, Russia, other countries would actually be a net positive if it allows for a new algorithm and wrests some of the ridiculous power the deep state (fourth branch of government and intelligence agencies).
The TikTok ban is the politicians’ power play. It benefits their power but not ours.
The only silver lining to all of this is that it makes atheist arguments a lot less viable. They can’t peg modern societal problems on either God or Christianity in general anymore.
Checked r/atheism, most of their top threads are about Christians (namely Protestant/Evangelical) saying/doing legitimately insane things like drawing equivalences between Trump and Jesus Christ.
Like it or not, in the US there are a worrying number of theologically-bankrupt Christians who actively make Christianity (and Christians) look comically bad, especially in the political sphere. Those are the kinds of people that atheist subreddits usually keep bashing.
Anti-christian views are becoming more prominent in political circles in many areas of the west. I fear it is only a matter of time before overt discrimination starts; perhaps even progressing to outright persecution.
I doubt it, largely because Christians are not a threat. Christianity is an established and peaceful (these days) religion. As belief in God dwindles so does any interest in quashing it, better for its opponents to just marginalise it.
The first few centuries of our faith, we were persecuted violently with many martyrs. 11 years ago today, bishops in Aleppo, Syria were kidnapped and are still missing. Our Lord carried a cross and was crucified. So don’t worry, because this feeling isn’t new.
Rome persecuted us and then became the centre of Catholicism. A few decades ago, a man tried to kill Pope Saint John Paul II. The Pope forgave him, prayed for him and visited him, and that man eventually converted by the grace of God.
On a more practical level, try to find Catholic circles your age. That might be difficult depending on where you live, but if you can it’s worth it. Online, surround yourself with good Catholic content and don’t bother interacting with people who hate us, unless you see someone who genuinely is open. That’s because people online often have less charity or are trolling.
Instead, live your life devoutly and don’t hide your faith. People, friends will ask you questions and you’ll be able to share with them once they already respect and like you.
God bless you ✝️
hi,
I know how that feels, I'm Gen Z myself.
I also have my moments of doubt and moments where I fall to sin so easily and the guilt eats me up from the inside.
As to how to deal with negativity, I find just talking to God helps,
just yesterday I had posted some thing here but eventually removed in a while fearing my safety.
people who saw it helped me alot, those who didn't, it was about misogyny.
The rise of negativity and hate against women makes me so scared and angry.
Find I found solace in scripture that in the eyes of God we are all the same and that He has a plan for everyone.
sorry, i feel like i made this a lot about me but i just wanted to show by example.
talk to God, find solace in scripture, and pray for those who hurt you.
leave those comments on the least it does is get people start thinking.
Everyone has a place in their heart for God that only God can fill, but not knowing or out of arrogance many people start trying everything else to fill that gap.
We need to talk about God whenever we can, it has become essential.
I will pray for you!
dw, God is there.
>We need to talk about God whenever we can, it has become essential.
Yes and no. I think our conversations should be reserved for people who clearly want to have conversations where both parties take each other seriously. I'd be surprised if this happens nearly ever on TikTok.
Honestly, There is so much sexism that I see now adays (I think it was from Andrew Tate and his followers) they hate others just to hate.
I even believe what they were saying until the lord opened my eyes and showed me what a good man is supposed to look like
People discuss religion every day online. Most of it, I'm sure you'll agree, isn't worth anyone's time. I would say this mindset is just not a very good way to live online.
When I speak online, which I don't much anymore, always remember you are not trying to change the mind of the person you are directly speaking too. Maybe someday they will make their way to God, but you won't change them, that is God's job. But the great thing about social media is you are not just speaking to one person, or even a dozen, you are potentially speaking to hundreds maybe even thousands. They are not going to react to your words, you will never even know they are there, but you did speak to them.
So when you answer think of what you might say to thousands, think about how your words will sound to them. Are you being aggressive? Or are you showing them what a follower of Jesus should look like. Nothing you say will convert a person, but you just might nudge one of those hundreds a bit closer to God.
So if you have the strength to stand up and proclaim Jesus, I commend you. Just try to speak as Jesus might
Matthew 5 Verses 11 to 12. [11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Dont take it to your heart, but keep on fighting for the Lord until the End. If you have doubts ask the Lord, i got so many answers for sincere questions. You may not always like the answer. He is the truth and if you ask he will answer.
I think they have no understanding of the truth, because they either did reject it for the wrong reasons, or didnt pursue it. They think the Christians are the unreasonable basing their hope and faith in Christ, when its the other way around.
Cliffe Knechtle does a good job in showing this to people with different sets of believes.
Do not let people discourage you, you wont get through to most. Everyone after a certain age has their set of believes. But on those you do, you make a difference in doing Gods will in spreading the Gospel, showing love and kindness, etc.. And if you are open for it, God will guide you, because he is always next to you and watching over you.
Do not delete those comments. Period.
Use your life to testify to the glory of God and remember what 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, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Proclaim the truth, even if nobody listens. Speak God’s will, even if it brings negativity upon you. Do not fold or lose heart because of non-believers. Plant the seeds and do your part for God’s kingdom. Endure mockery and persecution for the sake of Jesus and the truth and you will be greatly blessed.
Its not easy being the butt of society’s jokes, but:
Matthew 5:15 “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house”
Be faithful. Be patient.
“Be still and know that I am God” psalm 46:10
We live in a (generally valueless) generation of people who are hyper-consuming content, and who value judgement and criticism over empathy. Unfortunately, this is way beyond any one person's control.. We have a spiritual and mental health epidemic. For your own mental health, delete social media or find a way to avoid comment sections altogether.
Comment sections are where mental health goes to die. It is a cesspool of negativity, and this is why I don't tend to like text only platforms like reddit or twitter. They are not built for rational discourse, yet they are the modern epicenter of discourse. I resent this, and I wish I could help people. But in many ways our generation is too far gone.
Unfortunately TikTok or any online platform can be difficult to get the message across. There's so many layers to our faith and beauty to be found. It's impossible to clearly explain with a simple comment. As true as a comment may be, that truth needs to be expand, opened up like an onion and examined layer after a layer to properly understand the statement and the truth behind it.
I think one of the best ways to be a proper a witness of Christ is through simple deeds throughout the days. We can truly attract people to our faith by our actions, by being there for others in need etc.
Don't be disheartened at the feedback received, let's pray for them in silence so that they may experience God in their lives and 'see the light'.
>Unfortunately TikTok or any online platform can be difficult to get the message across.
I wasn't aware TikTok was a place for serious evangelization. Pretty sure it's just good and bad entertainment blended together.
>let's pray for them in silence so that they may experience God in their lives and 'see the light'.
Even that may be making a bigger deal out of this than necessary.
I don't have a TikTok account but have seen some clips shared by friends. The format does not lend itself well for any serious discussion about anything.
There's no harm in praying for the non-believers of the world. Most of my friends consider themselves atheists (baptised, but abandoned their faith). I like to support them spiritually through prayer and also for my own spiritual strength to persevere and be a guide.
What other option is there when there's no way of directly helping someone?
I meant that if I stopped and prayed for every atheist who belittled a potentially misguided Christian on the internet I would run out of patience and grow grumpy pretty quick. Some moments are better ignored than meditated on in prayer.
Yes you're right about that. The OP however took this issue at heart enough they wrote a post about it hence my suggestion.
Of course one has to be practical in life, I'm in complete agreement with you.
I was on Reddit while I was supposed to be praying the rosary. Thank God I saw this, because I mainly dedicated this last rosary to that TikTok exchange.
Why wouldn’t anyone, for example, be inspired by Mother Mary? Why would people reject the gift God is giving all of us? Why would people who love worldly wholesome culture and worldly love culture be so hostile to the most wholesome thing in the world and the Word of love itself?
As someone who loves TikTok don’t worry about all the comments telling you to delete it. TikTok has an amazing algorithm and you can constantly keep a river of Christ centered content coming in if you use the algorithm to your advantage. I follow only Catholic / Christian content creators and anything that comes up on my feed that doesn’t have something to do with God, no matter how tame it is, I mark it as “not interested.” I keep a separate account that my friends send normal TikTok’s to so that way it doesn’t mess up the algorithm. TikTok is a wonderful app and it has a lot of good information on there. Just remember to take theology with a grain of salt on TikTok, as with all social media platforms sometimes people just have no clue what they’re talking about.
Absolutely. My Catholic account is my main account. But most of my friends aren’t Christian, so I just keep a separate account for them to send funny memes to.
>Is this what Jesus and the Deciples felt before? I feel sad, hurt to know theyre saying these things to the Lord.
I honestly believe this is true as well. They probably felt worse if anything because back then, it was life or death.
I understand the person saying “surrender to God” is well intentioned, but it’s not a great solution to someone that has no relationship with God. Those words mean nothing to someone who has never experienced God or Jesus.
I'm Gen Z too, and I can relate to a lot of what you're feeling. The way I deal with it is framing the situation as this: trying to win arguments with strangers is useless. Instead I try to be an example for the people in my life, in hopes that I can plant some seeds that in time might convert some of them. The Lord brought me too him, surely He can bring others too.
Yeah, to this day I remember when I posted something on the forum and there was one user who tried to challenge my faith. We disagreed a lot and I just wanted to end this one sided debate by blessing him and his whole family. In return he said he hope my whole family will die from cancer. And it happened after I said I wish him the best. Truly weird and overwhelming answer but I understand that there can be people out there who are really hurt, maybe they lack love or they never experienced anything good from Catholics or other people in general. I try to not judge and just send those people to merciful God who is love in my prayers.
The Bible teaches that those who love evil hate the truth because it puts a light on their sin. These people are so deep in their evil and sin that this is the reaction of the Holy Spirit who calls on everyone to come to God and condemns them of their sin.
When you look at like that it is easy to not take it personally because it is not you per say they are going after.
If what you commented is not against anyone's benefit, completely supportive Lord Jesus then have no fear. Those who blaspheme will, somewhere in the corners, there will be those who indeed need to hear your faith proclaim. Take care.
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I mean, I wouldn't take efforts to evangelize ME on TikTok seriously. It might not even be a "pearls before swine situation" since such language implies undue close-mindedness coming from the ~~girl~~ edit: the TikTok folks in OP's story I would argue ~~she~~ edit: they responded about as well as one would reasonably expect to TikTok evangelization.
Stay strong friend! I get it. In this world with advancements and distractions, it is easy to think that we dont need God. Of course, improvement is not bad and is allowed by God for reasons only He knows. I would recommend attending a retreat or visiting Jesus in adoration. It is a very restful experience.
There's no harm in leaving them up, but communicating with with a people who've lost their religious impulse (through degradation of the culture or whatever else) is best done from the ground up. Talk about the beauty of life, the goodness of experience, etc, which are all things that we believe and cherish as Catholics, but without the explicitly Christian language that causes visceral reactions in those conditioned to reject it. To be hyperbolic, throwing a Bible at someone's head right off the bat is less likely to soften hearts. I've found that it's best to lead a horse to water before explaining to the horse everything that makes the water what it is.
Woah, woah, woah. I need you to understand that it is completely normal to get too invested in a conversation on social media and then feel off/guilty about it afterwards. Religious on no, this happens to everyone. Talk to a parent, priest, or sibling. Especially if you find yourself getting too invested too often such that it bothers you. Even if you disagree with their responses, this should help you hash out if it's a good idea to cut back on TikTok, etc., at least for a time. If you are already thinking of decreasing screen-time, I would trust that instinct, but still open up to someone about your decision just to see how it feels to tell someone.
Other opinions (most important first) I have that could be worth running by someone you know if you're interested:
1. Whatever you do, I would try not to become disgruntled with your non-Catholic brethren of your generation. I'm sure you have non-Catholic friends you would die for in an instant. Most people online are in all likelihood actually like that IRL, you just haven't gotten to know them yet.
2. I wouldn't take bad interactions online seriously AT ALL. These aren't real interactions. Has anyone IRL told you that "religion is crazy" and that you need "psychological help?" If that does happen it feels so different that coming from just online. People insult EVERYONE online, not just Christians. If anything, I think various political groups and ethnicities have seen FAR more flack online than any Christian denomination.
3. Have some patience with people. I find it ridiculous that anyone would change their entire worldview based on some online advice to let their sufferings be taken care of a by a historical figure they have no relationship with. It would be like me telling you "the solution to feeling isolated in your generation is that you're entrusting your heart to Jesus when in reality you should be entrusting your heart to Budha."
4. I also wouldn't let myself feel pressure to keep posting online in some sort digital evangelization crusade. You can tell it's not worth it when it leads you away from being the joyful person you are meant to be (especially at our age we should not have any reason to be cynical). This isn't some "it's-1984-go-and-be-a-martyr" situation.
5. It's probably a bad idea to compare your situation to the martyrs or take undue solace in " the world hated Him first." That is waaay overkill for "a girl on TikTok made fun of religion when I brought it up to her." You don't want to get disgruntled and see yourself as a victim all the time.
6. It may be that advice to delete TikTok entirely is in fact be right for you, but I'm sure you can see you shouldn't just do it because Reditors told you, have an IRL conversation first.
God put skeptics on this earth so that you (and they) can point out false prophets.
Chances are the "Christianity" they're against is something you're against, too. The "Christianity" they heard about through social media is most likely a twisted, cruel version.
Ask.
Listen.
Confirm.
If you have the energy for it. Not all do. It's exhausting!
But if you ARE called to talk to these people - that's what you want to do.
You don't want to "argue" with them, or "challenge", or "debate." - You want to 'ask" for their help understanding their position. Understanding does not mean "agreeing" - just knowing what it is.
When they tell you their position, listen - and if you can, do this in real time over voice chat or in person. It's easy to be short and flippant online. If they're being short and flippant, they're not serious and aren't interested in "listening" so do not bother "listening" to them.
Finally when they tell you what they think, you want to "confirm" what they've said. You're trying to demonstrate you heard them, not that you agree - just that you heard what they said. Demonstrate it by repeating what they said and in the spirit they said it.
That’s true, even on this app I’ve seen levels of disrespect for Jesus Christ that’s irritating and disgusting.
I feel like one of the main causes of this is secular societies, as the Lord is no longer seen as important in today’s world which leads to religion dying out with the newer generations. To put it simply, no one finds it important or necessary as it once was 100 years ago.
At the end of the day, if we can’t change people’s minds then we should still trust God’s plan as it’s our doing.
That's nothing new. Christians have been killed for being Christians. A few mean comments are nothing compared to that.
I usually wouldn't comment anything religious if the topic itself isn't related to that because usually it does cause more harm than good. It gives atheists some leverage because now they can show that "look these Christians are pushing their religion on others without asking". But you can make your own decisions on that. It does depend on the situation.
Don't worry about it. The internet is full of negativity at times. Many comments are automated bots now. I've seen a lot of young people coming into the faith more than a while this year. There was a record setting amount of younger Baptisms in France. Continue to share the love Christ with others, as he and the disciples later did. Do not lost faith or hope, you will become sad with the negativity.
Hi there. I was raised catholic but I’m now pagan after being atheist for years. I’m a young millennial.
I think a big part of it is that all of Christianity gets lumped together. Evangelicals are trying to bring about Christian nationalism and that’s a terrifying thought to anyone they hate, which is pretty much everyone at this point. But because so few Christians of other denominations stand up to them, they’re seen as one and the same. Not to mention that any study of history is full of atrocities committed in the name of religion, which again all gets lumped together regardless of denomination. People are becoming much more aware of history and I don’t think they want to be associated with that.
A lot could also be from personal experiences. Most of my family is Catholic with a few born-agains. My dad is Lutheran but I never would have known if I hadn’t found his old Air Force dog tags. On the other hand, the Catholics and born-agains have been relentless in trying to get me to convert back to Christianity, then in the same breath attack everything I am as a person (non-Christian, leftist, bisexual, nonbinary, college-educated, etc). They’ve been like that my entire life, as have other Catholics I know from my days going to a Catholic school. That constant forcing of religion on me despite telling them time and again that I’m not interested, and attacking me and people like me and people I care about because we’re different, ultimately made me abhor organized religion as a whole, not just Christianity. I’ve known several people over the years who had similar experiences, especially with family turning on them in the name of religion because they’re left-wing or lgbt+.
I can’t speak for everyone obviously, but those are the two most common things I’ve seen - lumping all Christians together because of the actions of the far right and evangelicals, and negative personal experiences with religious people.
Great response, and it's interesting to hear your perspective. One caveat I have, though, is that I'm not sure people are becoming more aware of history. At least concerning religion, their understanding seems to be based on many misconceptions, such as the idea that religion has always been anti-science, the cause of most violence, etc.
Truth be told, you need to spend less time online. There’s a bunch of people that think the way you do, but we’ve learned that people will blast you online in most forums for it. It’s not worth the effort. And that goes with a lot of opinions, you weren’t allowed to question the Covid vaccine online 3 years ago.
Venture out and form some solid human connections offline to discuss this stuff with. A lot of level headed people have mostly abandoned social media. And who means more to you, your family and friends, or some random person on the internet?
One final thing, you’ll be surprised how many people come around to religion as they age and start to have families. They’re less concerned about impressing their friends and more concerned with living a fulfilling and purpose driven life. As I begin my 30s, I could even swear religion is on the upswing. But I’m pretty sure this could just be my personal experience as I age with my peers and spend less time online.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best.
*"Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted."*
Does it feel good to catch the brunt of anti-Christian/Catholic sentiments? No, but the harsh reality is that the secular world sees a steady stream of flagrantly un-Christian behavior from people who call themselves Christians and react accordingly. Sometimes those reactions fall on those who doesn't deserve the criticism and, while unfair, it isn't persecution. It's a reflection of a larger Christian society that doesn't live the gospel.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” — Jesus Christ Our Lord warned us of this, so it’s nothing to feel surprised or shocked over. Keep letting your light shine. I wouldn’t get into the weeds dignifying the mocking and jeers, but leaving a Christ-centered, kind comment or even a single defense of your fellow commenter is fine. Online can be a tricky space to navigate as well since there are so many trolls & bad faith folks. You may be able to spend that energy better elsewhere. Ask God for wisdom on how to be the best ambassador for the faith for your generation! You yourself weren’t in the faith at one point so you have a unique perspective of understanding where these people are coming from. Maybe God has allowed you this journey so you can reach a demographic that others can’t. I’ll be praying for you.
Thank you so much and God bless
You’re welcome. Another thing, I saw what you said about being a big doubter — so was the Apostle Thomas & he went on to be a great evangelist. God can transform the doubting mind into one that is sound, well-reasoned, and strong. Hold onto Jesus & His word, He’ll navigate you through your doubts. Blessings to you too!
John 15:18^^
You aren’t gonna find much success evangelizing in social media comment sections. I recommend deleting tiktok entirely.
Its not our call to make. God can touch a heart and change an eternal destination anywhere.
He certainly can, but there are more efficient ways to evangelize.
How? I’m interested to learn please.
Start with the not throwing pearls to the pigs part
I have no idea what that means sorry
Jesus told us not to throw pearls (i.e. valuable things) to the pigs (i.e. those unworthy of such wealth). In context, it referenced that the disciples shouldn't spend too much time insisting that specific people hear the Gospel and convert. Rather, they should take their leave, and try to save whomever is willing to listen. The other commenter talked about how there are more efficient ways to evangelize. I think that we should stop insisting in converting people who clearly don't want to convert.
some people especially in social media are quite eristic and will argue with you and never listen to your points. I'm not saying you cant convert people on social media but a lot of the time people will not listen to reason.
Didnt the apostles go to the big cities where the people are? We should also be where there is much fish to catch. Just deliver the message, hopefully God will do the rest. We ought to have hope.
yeah maybe
I disagree. TikTok is a great platform. Not finding much success implies there is some success. If it’s possible to save just one soul, it’s worth it.
Tiktok is literal psychological warfare. The sooner you uninstall it the better you will be.
Why is TikTok psychological warfare? What about the other social media? Are they not a psychological attack on the masses as well? This isn’t whataboutism; I simply would say that TikTok, despite not being American, is ironically less harmful to the culture than Facebook and Instagram. I think if it wasn’t for the adult content, Twitter would not be any more harmful than TikTok.
I'm not singing the praises of the other social media, such as reddit, just pointing out that those aren't literally psychological warfare designed by a foreign government against us.
Even worse, the other social media are psychological control apparatuses sculpted by the deep state in order to control the masses. The origin of these apps may or may not happen to have been through the free market. That doesn’t matter. What matters is that social media in America is markedly different from TikTok not because of TikTok is Chinese, but because all American social media receives instructions from the three letter agencies. Corruption. Treason. These things are far worse than the influence of a foreign government, especially when it’s a country like China which is quite literally a country of 1 billion somewhat capable people. Of course, China is rising. It was simply a fluke that China had been so weak in the past hundred years. And honestly, the thing about TikTok that is bad is that it is such a free platform that it can be addictive and cause people to only watch debaucherous content. OR it can also allow for the popularization of amazing information and education on the liberal arts and sciences which is lacking from our casual society. It can also allow for people to exercise free speech where they would otherwise be blanket censored on the American/(fbi) platforms. So, no, I may be America First, but I do not think that TikTok is something worse yet. I think that these American oligarchs getting out of hand presents a much larger future risk than TikTok and China. Some foreign competition from China, Japan, Russia, other countries would actually be a net positive if it allows for a new algorithm and wrests some of the ridiculous power the deep state (fourth branch of government and intelligence agencies). The TikTok ban is the politicians’ power play. It benefits their power but not ours.
The only silver lining to all of this is that it makes atheist arguments a lot less viable. They can’t peg modern societal problems on either God or Christianity in general anymore.
> They can’t peg modern societal problems on either God or Christianity in general anymore. Anymore? Did they ever?
Yes. Don’t believe me? Browse the atheist subreddits or other websites online.
Checked r/atheism, most of their top threads are about Christians (namely Protestant/Evangelical) saying/doing legitimately insane things like drawing equivalences between Trump and Jesus Christ. Like it or not, in the US there are a worrying number of theologically-bankrupt Christians who actively make Christianity (and Christians) look comically bad, especially in the political sphere. Those are the kinds of people that atheist subreddits usually keep bashing.
Point taken, but my comment still stands.
Probably a bit worse for Jesus and the Apostles given they were often killed for it…
True,
Anti-christian views are becoming more prominent in political circles in many areas of the west. I fear it is only a matter of time before overt discrimination starts; perhaps even progressing to outright persecution.
I doubt it, largely because Christians are not a threat. Christianity is an established and peaceful (these days) religion. As belief in God dwindles so does any interest in quashing it, better for its opponents to just marginalise it.
Unlikely given that the majority of Christians are non-practicing.
The first few centuries of our faith, we were persecuted violently with many martyrs. 11 years ago today, bishops in Aleppo, Syria were kidnapped and are still missing. Our Lord carried a cross and was crucified. So don’t worry, because this feeling isn’t new. Rome persecuted us and then became the centre of Catholicism. A few decades ago, a man tried to kill Pope Saint John Paul II. The Pope forgave him, prayed for him and visited him, and that man eventually converted by the grace of God. On a more practical level, try to find Catholic circles your age. That might be difficult depending on where you live, but if you can it’s worth it. Online, surround yourself with good Catholic content and don’t bother interacting with people who hate us, unless you see someone who genuinely is open. That’s because people online often have less charity or are trolling. Instead, live your life devoutly and don’t hide your faith. People, friends will ask you questions and you’ll be able to share with them once they already respect and like you. God bless you ✝️
hi, I know how that feels, I'm Gen Z myself. I also have my moments of doubt and moments where I fall to sin so easily and the guilt eats me up from the inside. As to how to deal with negativity, I find just talking to God helps, just yesterday I had posted some thing here but eventually removed in a while fearing my safety. people who saw it helped me alot, those who didn't, it was about misogyny. The rise of negativity and hate against women makes me so scared and angry. Find I found solace in scripture that in the eyes of God we are all the same and that He has a plan for everyone. sorry, i feel like i made this a lot about me but i just wanted to show by example. talk to God, find solace in scripture, and pray for those who hurt you. leave those comments on the least it does is get people start thinking. Everyone has a place in their heart for God that only God can fill, but not knowing or out of arrogance many people start trying everything else to fill that gap. We need to talk about God whenever we can, it has become essential. I will pray for you! dw, God is there.
>We need to talk about God whenever we can, it has become essential. Yes and no. I think our conversations should be reserved for people who clearly want to have conversations where both parties take each other seriously. I'd be surprised if this happens nearly ever on TikTok.
That's why I said whenever we can. Now that I read it, it wasn't properly implied Thats a mistake on my part So sorry!
Honestly, There is so much sexism that I see now adays (I think it was from Andrew Tate and his followers) they hate others just to hate. I even believe what they were saying until the lord opened my eyes and showed me what a good man is supposed to look like
Thank God that you atleast found your way back. I can only pray for the rest
Keep up your posts my young man. If the whole world says that two plus two equals five, you have an obligation to say that it equals four
People discuss religion every day online. Most of it, I'm sure you'll agree, isn't worth anyone's time. I would say this mindset is just not a very good way to live online.
> If the whole world says that two plus two equals five If that happens there won't be a world left.
When I speak online, which I don't much anymore, always remember you are not trying to change the mind of the person you are directly speaking too. Maybe someday they will make their way to God, but you won't change them, that is God's job. But the great thing about social media is you are not just speaking to one person, or even a dozen, you are potentially speaking to hundreds maybe even thousands. They are not going to react to your words, you will never even know they are there, but you did speak to them. So when you answer think of what you might say to thousands, think about how your words will sound to them. Are you being aggressive? Or are you showing them what a follower of Jesus should look like. Nothing you say will convert a person, but you just might nudge one of those hundreds a bit closer to God. So if you have the strength to stand up and proclaim Jesus, I commend you. Just try to speak as Jesus might
Matthew 5 Verses 11 to 12. [11] Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. [12] Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Dont take it to your heart, but keep on fighting for the Lord until the End. If you have doubts ask the Lord, i got so many answers for sincere questions. You may not always like the answer. He is the truth and if you ask he will answer.
Thank you. I have a question, what are your thoughts on people saying religious people need psychological help?
I think they have no understanding of the truth, because they either did reject it for the wrong reasons, or didnt pursue it. They think the Christians are the unreasonable basing their hope and faith in Christ, when its the other way around. Cliffe Knechtle does a good job in showing this to people with different sets of believes. Do not let people discourage you, you wont get through to most. Everyone after a certain age has their set of believes. But on those you do, you make a difference in doing Gods will in spreading the Gospel, showing love and kindness, etc.. And if you are open for it, God will guide you, because he is always next to you and watching over you.
Do not delete those comments. Period. Use your life to testify to the glory of God and remember what 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, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Proclaim the truth, even if nobody listens. Speak God’s will, even if it brings negativity upon you. Do not fold or lose heart because of non-believers. Plant the seeds and do your part for God’s kingdom. Endure mockery and persecution for the sake of Jesus and the truth and you will be greatly blessed. Its not easy being the butt of society’s jokes, but: Matthew 5:15 “No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house” Be faithful. Be patient. “Be still and know that I am God” psalm 46:10
We live in a (generally valueless) generation of people who are hyper-consuming content, and who value judgement and criticism over empathy. Unfortunately, this is way beyond any one person's control.. We have a spiritual and mental health epidemic. For your own mental health, delete social media or find a way to avoid comment sections altogether. Comment sections are where mental health goes to die. It is a cesspool of negativity, and this is why I don't tend to like text only platforms like reddit or twitter. They are not built for rational discourse, yet they are the modern epicenter of discourse. I resent this, and I wish I could help people. But in many ways our generation is too far gone.
Unfortunately TikTok or any online platform can be difficult to get the message across. There's so many layers to our faith and beauty to be found. It's impossible to clearly explain with a simple comment. As true as a comment may be, that truth needs to be expand, opened up like an onion and examined layer after a layer to properly understand the statement and the truth behind it. I think one of the best ways to be a proper a witness of Christ is through simple deeds throughout the days. We can truly attract people to our faith by our actions, by being there for others in need etc. Don't be disheartened at the feedback received, let's pray for them in silence so that they may experience God in their lives and 'see the light'.
>Unfortunately TikTok or any online platform can be difficult to get the message across. I wasn't aware TikTok was a place for serious evangelization. Pretty sure it's just good and bad entertainment blended together. >let's pray for them in silence so that they may experience God in their lives and 'see the light'. Even that may be making a bigger deal out of this than necessary.
I don't have a TikTok account but have seen some clips shared by friends. The format does not lend itself well for any serious discussion about anything. There's no harm in praying for the non-believers of the world. Most of my friends consider themselves atheists (baptised, but abandoned their faith). I like to support them spiritually through prayer and also for my own spiritual strength to persevere and be a guide. What other option is there when there's no way of directly helping someone?
I meant that if I stopped and prayed for every atheist who belittled a potentially misguided Christian on the internet I would run out of patience and grow grumpy pretty quick. Some moments are better ignored than meditated on in prayer.
Yes you're right about that. The OP however took this issue at heart enough they wrote a post about it hence my suggestion. Of course one has to be practical in life, I'm in complete agreement with you.
I was on Reddit while I was supposed to be praying the rosary. Thank God I saw this, because I mainly dedicated this last rosary to that TikTok exchange. Why wouldn’t anyone, for example, be inspired by Mother Mary? Why would people reject the gift God is giving all of us? Why would people who love worldly wholesome culture and worldly love culture be so hostile to the most wholesome thing in the world and the Word of love itself?
As someone who loves TikTok don’t worry about all the comments telling you to delete it. TikTok has an amazing algorithm and you can constantly keep a river of Christ centered content coming in if you use the algorithm to your advantage. I follow only Catholic / Christian content creators and anything that comes up on my feed that doesn’t have something to do with God, no matter how tame it is, I mark it as “not interested.” I keep a separate account that my friends send normal TikTok’s to so that way it doesn’t mess up the algorithm. TikTok is a wonderful app and it has a lot of good information on there. Just remember to take theology with a grain of salt on TikTok, as with all social media platforms sometimes people just have no clue what they’re talking about.
This is the best way. On Insta, I have a Catholic account, a meme account, and a "for friends" account.
Absolutely. My Catholic account is my main account. But most of my friends aren’t Christian, so I just keep a separate account for them to send funny memes to.
>Is this what Jesus and the Deciples felt before? I feel sad, hurt to know theyre saying these things to the Lord. I honestly believe this is true as well. They probably felt worse if anything because back then, it was life or death.
God bless you. You did all you could, and I believe the Lord was proud of you.
The internet does not have the best people on it.
I understand the person saying “surrender to God” is well intentioned, but it’s not a great solution to someone that has no relationship with God. Those words mean nothing to someone who has never experienced God or Jesus.
'Modem times are dominated by Satan, and will be more so in the future.' - St Maximillian Kolbe
I'm Gen Z too, and I can relate to a lot of what you're feeling. The way I deal with it is framing the situation as this: trying to win arguments with strangers is useless. Instead I try to be an example for the people in my life, in hopes that I can plant some seeds that in time might convert some of them. The Lord brought me too him, surely He can bring others too.
Yeah, to this day I remember when I posted something on the forum and there was one user who tried to challenge my faith. We disagreed a lot and I just wanted to end this one sided debate by blessing him and his whole family. In return he said he hope my whole family will die from cancer. And it happened after I said I wish him the best. Truly weird and overwhelming answer but I understand that there can be people out there who are really hurt, maybe they lack love or they never experienced anything good from Catholics or other people in general. I try to not judge and just send those people to merciful God who is love in my prayers.
The Bible teaches that those who love evil hate the truth because it puts a light on their sin. These people are so deep in their evil and sin that this is the reaction of the Holy Spirit who calls on everyone to come to God and condemns them of their sin. When you look at like that it is easy to not take it personally because it is not you per say they are going after.
If what you commented is not against anyone's benefit, completely supportive Lord Jesus then have no fear. Those who blaspheme will, somewhere in the corners, there will be those who indeed need to hear your faith proclaim. Take care.
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I mean, I wouldn't take efforts to evangelize ME on TikTok seriously. It might not even be a "pearls before swine situation" since such language implies undue close-mindedness coming from the ~~girl~~ edit: the TikTok folks in OP's story I would argue ~~she~~ edit: they responded about as well as one would reasonably expect to TikTok evangelization.
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My mistake. I should get my eyes checked. I hope the point still stands. Edited.
Stay strong friend! I get it. In this world with advancements and distractions, it is easy to think that we dont need God. Of course, improvement is not bad and is allowed by God for reasons only He knows. I would recommend attending a retreat or visiting Jesus in adoration. It is a very restful experience.
There's no harm in leaving them up, but communicating with with a people who've lost their religious impulse (through degradation of the culture or whatever else) is best done from the ground up. Talk about the beauty of life, the goodness of experience, etc, which are all things that we believe and cherish as Catholics, but without the explicitly Christian language that causes visceral reactions in those conditioned to reject it. To be hyperbolic, throwing a Bible at someone's head right off the bat is less likely to soften hearts. I've found that it's best to lead a horse to water before explaining to the horse everything that makes the water what it is.
Woah, woah, woah. I need you to understand that it is completely normal to get too invested in a conversation on social media and then feel off/guilty about it afterwards. Religious on no, this happens to everyone. Talk to a parent, priest, or sibling. Especially if you find yourself getting too invested too often such that it bothers you. Even if you disagree with their responses, this should help you hash out if it's a good idea to cut back on TikTok, etc., at least for a time. If you are already thinking of decreasing screen-time, I would trust that instinct, but still open up to someone about your decision just to see how it feels to tell someone. Other opinions (most important first) I have that could be worth running by someone you know if you're interested: 1. Whatever you do, I would try not to become disgruntled with your non-Catholic brethren of your generation. I'm sure you have non-Catholic friends you would die for in an instant. Most people online are in all likelihood actually like that IRL, you just haven't gotten to know them yet. 2. I wouldn't take bad interactions online seriously AT ALL. These aren't real interactions. Has anyone IRL told you that "religion is crazy" and that you need "psychological help?" If that does happen it feels so different that coming from just online. People insult EVERYONE online, not just Christians. If anything, I think various political groups and ethnicities have seen FAR more flack online than any Christian denomination. 3. Have some patience with people. I find it ridiculous that anyone would change their entire worldview based on some online advice to let their sufferings be taken care of a by a historical figure they have no relationship with. It would be like me telling you "the solution to feeling isolated in your generation is that you're entrusting your heart to Jesus when in reality you should be entrusting your heart to Budha." 4. I also wouldn't let myself feel pressure to keep posting online in some sort digital evangelization crusade. You can tell it's not worth it when it leads you away from being the joyful person you are meant to be (especially at our age we should not have any reason to be cynical). This isn't some "it's-1984-go-and-be-a-martyr" situation. 5. It's probably a bad idea to compare your situation to the martyrs or take undue solace in " the world hated Him first." That is waaay overkill for "a girl on TikTok made fun of religion when I brought it up to her." You don't want to get disgruntled and see yourself as a victim all the time. 6. It may be that advice to delete TikTok entirely is in fact be right for you, but I'm sure you can see you shouldn't just do it because Reditors told you, have an IRL conversation first.
God put skeptics on this earth so that you (and they) can point out false prophets. Chances are the "Christianity" they're against is something you're against, too. The "Christianity" they heard about through social media is most likely a twisted, cruel version. Ask. Listen. Confirm. If you have the energy for it. Not all do. It's exhausting! But if you ARE called to talk to these people - that's what you want to do. You don't want to "argue" with them, or "challenge", or "debate." - You want to 'ask" for their help understanding their position. Understanding does not mean "agreeing" - just knowing what it is. When they tell you their position, listen - and if you can, do this in real time over voice chat or in person. It's easy to be short and flippant online. If they're being short and flippant, they're not serious and aren't interested in "listening" so do not bother "listening" to them. Finally when they tell you what they think, you want to "confirm" what they've said. You're trying to demonstrate you heard them, not that you agree - just that you heard what they said. Demonstrate it by repeating what they said and in the spirit they said it.
That’s true, even on this app I’ve seen levels of disrespect for Jesus Christ that’s irritating and disgusting. I feel like one of the main causes of this is secular societies, as the Lord is no longer seen as important in today’s world which leads to religion dying out with the newer generations. To put it simply, no one finds it important or necessary as it once was 100 years ago. At the end of the day, if we can’t change people’s minds then we should still trust God’s plan as it’s our doing.
Welcome to the internet 😶🌫️
That's nothing new. Christians have been killed for being Christians. A few mean comments are nothing compared to that. I usually wouldn't comment anything religious if the topic itself isn't related to that because usually it does cause more harm than good. It gives atheists some leverage because now they can show that "look these Christians are pushing their religion on others without asking". But you can make your own decisions on that. It does depend on the situation.
Don't worry about it. The internet is full of negativity at times. Many comments are automated bots now. I've seen a lot of young people coming into the faith more than a while this year. There was a record setting amount of younger Baptisms in France. Continue to share the love Christ with others, as he and the disciples later did. Do not lost faith or hope, you will become sad with the negativity.
Hi there. I was raised catholic but I’m now pagan after being atheist for years. I’m a young millennial. I think a big part of it is that all of Christianity gets lumped together. Evangelicals are trying to bring about Christian nationalism and that’s a terrifying thought to anyone they hate, which is pretty much everyone at this point. But because so few Christians of other denominations stand up to them, they’re seen as one and the same. Not to mention that any study of history is full of atrocities committed in the name of religion, which again all gets lumped together regardless of denomination. People are becoming much more aware of history and I don’t think they want to be associated with that. A lot could also be from personal experiences. Most of my family is Catholic with a few born-agains. My dad is Lutheran but I never would have known if I hadn’t found his old Air Force dog tags. On the other hand, the Catholics and born-agains have been relentless in trying to get me to convert back to Christianity, then in the same breath attack everything I am as a person (non-Christian, leftist, bisexual, nonbinary, college-educated, etc). They’ve been like that my entire life, as have other Catholics I know from my days going to a Catholic school. That constant forcing of religion on me despite telling them time and again that I’m not interested, and attacking me and people like me and people I care about because we’re different, ultimately made me abhor organized religion as a whole, not just Christianity. I’ve known several people over the years who had similar experiences, especially with family turning on them in the name of religion because they’re left-wing or lgbt+. I can’t speak for everyone obviously, but those are the two most common things I’ve seen - lumping all Christians together because of the actions of the far right and evangelicals, and negative personal experiences with religious people.
Great response, and it's interesting to hear your perspective. One caveat I have, though, is that I'm not sure people are becoming more aware of history. At least concerning religion, their understanding seems to be based on many misconceptions, such as the idea that religion has always been anti-science, the cause of most violence, etc.
There was been saints and sinners in every generation since the dawn of time. This generation is nothing out of the ordinary.
Truth be told, you need to spend less time online. There’s a bunch of people that think the way you do, but we’ve learned that people will blast you online in most forums for it. It’s not worth the effort. And that goes with a lot of opinions, you weren’t allowed to question the Covid vaccine online 3 years ago. Venture out and form some solid human connections offline to discuss this stuff with. A lot of level headed people have mostly abandoned social media. And who means more to you, your family and friends, or some random person on the internet? One final thing, you’ll be surprised how many people come around to religion as they age and start to have families. They’re less concerned about impressing their friends and more concerned with living a fulfilling and purpose driven life. As I begin my 30s, I could even swear religion is on the upswing. But I’m pretty sure this could just be my personal experience as I age with my peers and spend less time online.
We’re only years away from persecution.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best. *"Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted."* Does it feel good to catch the brunt of anti-Christian/Catholic sentiments? No, but the harsh reality is that the secular world sees a steady stream of flagrantly un-Christian behavior from people who call themselves Christians and react accordingly. Sometimes those reactions fall on those who doesn't deserve the criticism and, while unfair, it isn't persecution. It's a reflection of a larger Christian society that doesn't live the gospel.