Someone on youtube Wants to Discuss Catholicism; How do I Share?

LittleSoldier · #1 May 3, '12, 11:46 am

I've received a message from a poster on youtube. It was sent to me - not posted as a response to a video. The message is respectful and it says that the person (I think it is a "she") would like to discuss Catholicism with me.

I know how important this is. I know that I have to do this. But I don't want to make any mistakes (although I'm sure I will). I'm just a beginning apologist and very poorly catechized, my knowledge of Scripture is poor, I've never read the Bible from cover to cover. But I do know some things about Church teaching and I feel comfortable in discussing common misconceptions, like how Catholics worship Mary and pray to statues, etc. I've learned so much on CAF! And I am also blessed to know someone who is very knowledgeable on Church teaching because she has been studying it for about 15 years. I think I've now stumped her three times and I talk to her almost every day (and for hours on Sundays).

What I'm requesting is advice. Is there anything I should do and (maybe more importantly) is there anything I shouldn't do? Maybe a seed has been planted in this person's head or maybe I can help plant a seed there. Maybe, just maybe, this person will become a Catholic.

I don't want to mess up. I want to share Church teaching and I want to do it charitably.

I can't tell her "no." I just can't.

Any advice? Help? Ways to avoid falling into traps?

HELP!

Thank y'all in advance. I am excited and scared at the same time. In the last few days I have felt a calling to give my life to God's people. For some reason I didn't understand until God hit me in the head with a spiritual two-by-four. And then this youtube message appeared. I listened to Collin Raye's rendition of the (well-known to everyone but me) hymn which has the following words:

"Who will bear My Light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night...
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart."

Please help me hold this child of God in my heart. Thank you.

Kasama · #2 May 3, '12, 12:36 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleSoldier

I've received a message from a poster on youtube. It was sent to me - not posted as a response to a video. The message is respectful and it says that the person (I think it is a "she") would like to discuss Catholicism with me.

I know how important this is. I know that I have to do this. But I don't want to make any mistakes (although I'm sure I will). I'm just a beginning apologist and very poorly catechized, my knowledge of Scripture is poor, I've never read the Bible from cover to cover. But I do know some things about Church teaching and I feel comfortable in discussing common misconceptions, like how Catholics worship Mary and pray to statues, etc. I've learned so much on CAF! And I am also blessed to know someone who is very knowledgeable on Church teaching because she has been studying it for about 15 years. I think I've now stumped her three times and I talk to her almost every day (and for hours on Sundays).

What I'm requesting is advice. Is there anything I should do and (maybe more importantly) is there anything I shouldn't do? Maybe a seed has been planted in this person's head or maybe I can help plant a seed there. Maybe, just maybe, this person will become a Catholic.

I don't want to mess up. I want to share Church teaching and I want to do it charitably.

I can't tell her "no." I just can't.

Any advice? Help? Ways to avoid falling into traps?

HELP!

Thank y'all in advance. I am excited and scared at the same time. In the last few days I have felt a calling to give my life to God's people. For some reason I didn't understand until God hit me in the head with a spiritual two-by-four. And then this youtube message appeared. I listened to Collin Raye's rendition of the (well-known to everyone but me) hymn which has the following words:

"Who will bear My Light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night...
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart."

Please help me hold this child of God in my heart. Thank you.

If she asks something you are not sure about, maybe you could post it here and someone could help.

seagal · #3 May 3, '12, 12:41 pm

I would be wary of unsolicited messages from anyone on youtube. Things aren't always what they seem.

FCEGM · #4 May 3, '12, 12:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleSoldier

I've received a message from a poster on youtube. It was sent to me - not posted as a response to a video. The message is respectful and it says that the person (I think it is a "she") would like to discuss Catholicism with me.

I know how important this is. I know that I have to do this. But I don't want to make any mistakes (although I'm sure I will). I'm just a beginning apologist and very poorly catechized, my knowledge of Scripture is poor, I've never read the Bible from cover to cover. But I do know some things about Church teaching and I feel comfortable in discussing common misconceptions, like how Catholics worship Mary and pray to statues, etc. I've learned so much on CAF! And I am also blessed to know someone who is very knowledgeable on Church teaching because she has been studying it for about 15 years. I think I've now stumped her three times and I talk to her almost every day (and for hours on Sundays).

What I'm requesting is advice. Is there anything I should do and (maybe more importantly) is there anything I shouldn't do? Maybe a seed has been planted in this person's head or maybe I can help plant a seed there. Maybe, just maybe, this person will become a Catholic.

I don't want to mess up. I want to share Church teaching and I want to do it charitably.

I can't tell her "no." I just can't.

Any advice? Help? Ways to avoid falling into traps?

HELP!

Thank y'all in advance. I am excited and scared at the same time. In the last few days I have felt a calling to give my life to God's people. For some reason I didn't understand until God hit me in the head with a spiritual two-by-four. And then this youtube message appeared. I listened to Collin Raye's rendition of the (well-known to everyone but me) hymn which has the following words:

"Who will bear My Light to them?
Whom shall I send?

Here I am, Lord.
Is it I, Lord?
I have heard You calling in the night...
I will go Lord, if You lead me.
I will hold Your people in my heart."

Please help me hold this child of God in my heart. Thank you.

You should approach this very cautiously since this could be a someone who is using this seemingly pleasant invitation to get you into a discussion in which he/she will prove extremely antagonistic toward Catholicism. IOW, what first seems an innocent request is can be an attempt to "enlighten" you about the "errors" of Catholicism. You should first determine if he/she has a genuine interest in the Church or is just looking for someone with whom to argue.

**po18guy** · #5 May 3, '12, 12:52 pm

Have this person sign up here. Do not contact them anywhere else.

**Joe 5859** · #6 May 3, '12, 12:57 pm

I would tread carefully. There are many fundamentalists who peruse the internet looking for Catholics to "save" (just as there are many Catholics who peruse the internet looking for fundamentalists to "save"

). Often, they will initiate a dialogue with a non-threatening "I want to discuss Catholicism, is that okay?" Once you give the green light, then they drop a barrage of the usual anti-Catholic misinformation and before you realize what happened you find yourself simultaneously carrying on a couple dozen theological, point-for-point debates.

If someone is only interested in proselytizing, there's often nothing you can say that will change their mind. Don't be afraid to walk away from such an online exchange, particularly if (as you admit) your knowledge is still lacking.

Maybe that's not what the person is doing. I've just had it happen too many times not to be suspicious.

If you do want to pursue a dialogue (which you certainly can if you feel so called), you always have CAF as a resource to turn to for help articulating any responses if you feel stumped. And, of course, don't forget to pray for the person and for your conversation. Just take it one step at a time and never feel compelled to answer immediately. Draft a response, then sit on it and re-read it to make sure it says what you want it to.

One thing to keep in mind is that, often, someone with questions about the Catholic faith can get sidetracked with random, hyper-specific questions which are not really the crux of where their problem is. Spend time reflecting and praying about what their underlying issues may be. Of course, you don't want to accuse them of having some different deeper issue because you could very well be wrong. But keep those things in mind when drafting replies and ask genty probing questions. For example, sometimes it is better to turn a question around and ask the person why this or that bothers them rather than trudging through medieval papal encyclicals for the perfect trump card to reduce them to silence.

Remember, real conversion isn't obtained through debate and argumentation but through an encounter with Christ. They most effective means of evangelization is to genuinely love the person you are conversing with. If they can tell you genuinely love them, then you will earn the right to be heard.

That's a whole lot of general info. Hopefully some of it helps. For all I know, the girl has some simple non-loaded question.

**po18guy** · #7 May 3, '12, 1:04 pm

Many of them are stealth Jehovah's Witnesses, who are conditioned to be relentless in procuring converts. Happened even in an email circle that I participate in with other Catholics. JWs, in my experience, are insidious. In all my years of email use, a JW is the first and only person I have had to block.

JNdoum · #8 May 3, '12, 1:35 pm

I find Fr. Barron to explain many points on Catholicism excellently. I believe this site could help you in further catechizing yourself.

http://www.wordonfire.org/Home.aspx

runningdude · #9 May 3, '12, 1:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleSoldier

I've received a message from a poster on youtube. It was sent to me - not posted as a response to a video. The message is respectful and it says that the person (I think it is a "she") would like to discuss Catholicism with me.

I know how important this is. I know that I have to do this. But I don't want to make any mistakes (although I'm sure I will). ...

Don't drive yourself too crazy over this (a little crazy is OK

).

Quote:

What I'm requesting is advice. Is there anything I should do and (maybe more importantly) is there anything I shouldn't do? Maybe a seed has been planted in this person's head or maybe I can help plant a seed there. Maybe, just maybe, this person will become a Catholic.

First begin by asking what she'd like to know. Ask her where she is on her faith journey. Start with what she wants and why she's curious

Of course, don't share any personal or financial information - she maybe a spam bot or have ill intent

On the off chance she turns out to be hostile (or a spammer), don't be afraid to block or report her to Youtube. Its not your job to answer every mean thing thrown around the internet.

TheRealJuliane · #10 May 3, '12, 3:02 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by po18guy

Have this person sign up here. Do not contact them anywhere else.

This. Youtube is rife with all sorts of nutcases and cult members. Just refer them here and let us rip them to shreds.

Just kidding. Seriously, don't get into apologetics with some random person from Youtube.

**po18guy** · #11 May 3, '12, 3:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRealJuliane

This. Youtube is rife with all sorts of nutcases and cult members. Just refer them here and let us rip them to shreds.

Just kidding. Seriously, don't get into apologetics with some random person from Youtube.

Well, their arguments, anyway...

Semper Zelare · #12 May 3, '12, 10:25 pm

Sorry if this post doesn't address the OP directly, I think all the advice they need has already been given

I just wanted to say... that this clearly proves that religious interactions are VERY different online than they are offline (in the real world).

http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=670873

This thread asks if religion is more important/ valuable online or offline, or if it is equally important/ valuable in both spheres. Many on the thread said it was equally so.

I myself don't believe this. Simply because the dialogue and discourse over the internet is by nature inferior to face to face, in person sharing of faith. How successful can evangelism be online, when you oftentimes don't even know if the person you're talking to... as stated by the above posts in this thread, "someone to be wary about, who sends unsolicited messages, extremely antagonizing towards Catholics, a spammer, spam bot, have ill intent, a nutcase, or a cult member"

So... in my personal opinion, more people are always going to come to faith in evangelism offline. The internet is a good place to find resources and catechesis, but it's always going to be much much less effective place for evangelism than in person.

Maybe people on that thread were ONLY thinking about religion on CAF. Because a lot of other forums and communities like youtube are no place to grow in faith.

mab23 · #13 May 3, '12, 10:28 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by po18guy

Many of them are stealth Jehovah's Witnesses, who are conditioned to be relentless in procuring converts. Happened even in an email circle that I participate in with other Catholics. JWs, in my experience, are insidious. In all my years of email use, a JW is the first and only person I have had to block.

Yikes!