Catholics With Unsupportive Families or Friends

Sunyata, I think I understand your situation. I really feel for you. I am in the same situation. I want so much to just go to mass and have communion. To be in union with Christ and his church again. I too am married to a JW wife. I was brought up Catholic but during the turmoil of Vatican II changes and liberal priests telling me that prayer doesn't work, I drifted away and searched for truth. I ended up marrying a nice JW woman. As a non-JW who was interested, they gave a lonely young man all the attention and support I needed. It wasn't long before I joined the JWs . The problem was that emotion brought me in but the Bible didn't agree with their teachings. After hearing many years of anti-catholic bias by the JWs, I didn't know where to go. I was convinced that if the Bible didn't agree with them that it must be false. I became an agnostic but kept going to meetings to keep my wife happy. Recently I started listening to the local Catholic Radio station and the Bible is making sense again. I have been praying for the Holy Spirit to help me and it is working. I have been researching where the Bible and JWs don't agree on this website. I have been studying the Bible at home and asking my wife questions about the Bible. At first all the questions were about things that JWs agree with Catholics. Now I mix in a question where they don't agree but I make it appear that I am not sure of what the answer is. For example, I asked her why when various scriptures show Jesus saying that Kingdom of God was present then in the first century. I don't say anything about the JW belief that the Kingdom of God came in 1914. She then does her 'research' from the Watchtower to prove me wrong. I just show her from the Bible what I am reading. I try to avoid fights.

Praying for you Holy War. You're in a really tough situation. I totally agree with Parce Domine. Stay calm.

Thanks too Stephe1987

Thanks Parce

I think you might find ScriptureCatholic.com and the CAF library, (especially this) helpful in this case. No point in arguing anything outside of the Protestant Bible; they probably won't accept it.
I will pray for you, and you also keep praying for the Holy Spirit to guide your words and actions. Pray for the right things to say, and keep your anger in check. Don't let her drag you into a shouting match--it'll make you look like the bad guy. No matter how much, how often, how loudly, or how harshly she says things that are wrong, they will not become right. You must deal with her with charity, mercy, and grace. SHOW her, by living the Faith, that the truth doesn't need to be harsh, noisy, or aggressive, because it is already truth.
Pax vobiscum. (Peace be with you.)

There are some great responses to "soul sleep" in the main part of this site (www.catholic.com). In the search box, type in the phrase "soul sleep" and you'll see. Good luck!

Guys help me out! Im going to an SDA church (Im being forced because its a school church which they enrolled me in) where ALL next week theyre going to be focused on proving that the dead are asleep. Im not EXTREMELY good at Apologetics but i can defend the basics.

Please everybody pool in your verses!

Also please pray also for me. I hate it here and my SDA teacher "talks smack" about us and i just want to slap her when she does.

I'm reminded of the words Christ spoke on the cross, "Father, forgive them for they no not what they do." So many people are ignorant of Catholicism. They think they know, but they don't. Someday the full truth will be revealed to all.

I visited my remaining Evangelical friends yesterday. They are one family and I took care of the daughter when she was a baby. I informed them that I had become Catholic and they said "if it makes you happy." This is a lot better reaction then I had expected. But it was preceded by a listing of how awful the priest was in their hometown, asking me if I ever read early church history, and didn't I have to pray the Rosary every day? The daughter is really sweet but the mom can be very pig-headed.

The mom turned on a horror movie about Catholics persecuting Protestants in England and started inform her daughter how awful it was. I have a B.A. in history and knew that the persecution went both ways. The daughter and I left the living room because we are squeamish.

Should I try to defend the Catholics of the time? I am firm believer in religious liberty. Should have I made sure that the mom knew I prayed the Rosary out of love? Or the little said the better? What should I say about the mom's insistence she was saved and "sealed by the Holy Spirit?"

I am concerned about being greeted with anti-Catholic comments when I visit next time in a month.

beth40n2- thats sad Im asking my dad as soon as I get the chance, if he will let me do RCIA. I think he will, im nit sure though I prayed to my favorate Saint,mSt. Ignatius of Antioch, about it and to Mary and to Jesus and to God and to St. Peter and to St. Theresa of Avila, and to St. Theresa of Liseux, and to St. Francis. I ask all of you to please pray as well. I want this more than anything I've ever wanted before (other than to get to Heaven). Please pray for me!