Please help with my Baptist family!

[Vigis]

First of all it seems like your family is being quite fanatic over your conversion. So I would not go head strong into the debate. Go up to them and drop these books on the table:

Catholic and Christian: An Explanation of Commonly Misunderstood Catholic Beliefs By: Alan Schreck

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization By: Thomas E. Woods

A Catholic Bible

The Catechism of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Way By: Bishop Donald W. Wuerl

And last but not least a book about the Early Church (Catholic Church)

These books should not only reduce their fanaticism, but also help to understand Catholicism, how it has helped the world, and the beauty of living as a Catholic. Feel free to read these books for yourself. Over half of them I have not even read yet, but I here that they are good and they sound good.

God speed.

Vigis

[Vigis]

The way it usually goes is “I found out that you all believe ____” then I respond with (usually)no, or when the answer is yes, their response is usually laughter followed by a smart comment. At first thats all it was, then they kind of backed off for a while. Now that they realize I’m serious about this "crazy"stuff :rolleyes: I think they think theyre supposed to show me the error of my ways and “save me” Its soooo hard to have a serious conversation with them because everything they say is like an open-ended question and then they walk away…that pretty much sums up my day. The worst part about it is I have to work with my dad (who is a Baptist minister) so you can imagine what thats like!!

I am in a similar situation! My father is a Methodist pastor! I still live with him though, so I have to keep my faith a secret (at least to public eyes). He may know that I have become a Catholic again, but I am not allowed to just sit down at the table and make the sign of the cross before I say my prayers. If I did I would be on the way to my mom’s probably (at least that is what he said, and I do not want that). Anyways do not feel alone. I will pray for you.

If they ever start “attacking” anything just defend yourself, and maybe throw a small arguement out there to them. Like, “Wait you are critisizing my church when your church would march against abortion clinics, yet you think it is okay for women to take birth control pills which do not prevent conception, but only trick the body into passing the recently concieved child into oblivion. Yeah you know that makes perfect sense.”

Here are some others:

“Do not try to convince me that your faith is the Full Truth when it is hypocritical. You claim sola scriptura, yet it is not in the Bible. You claim sola fide, yet is does not have any historical support that is credible, nor is it in the Bible. YOU removed books from the Bible! FROM THE BIBLE! Why would you do that?! Next your claim of no priesthood bears no merit. The same anology of a “royal priesthood” was used in Exodus, yet they still had ACTUAL PRIESTS in Judaism in the ancient days.”

I know it may seem harsh, but I hope they help you.

God speed.

Vigis

[fellowChristian]

First know this- - you are not alone.
All Catholics who live out their faith have to deal with those who don’t understand it, with God as our guide.

Second – God is molding you.
All of this will help you to learn more about your faith.

Third–pray for the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit;
wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord.

Take one day, one person and one question at a time. Don’t do the “dance”.

Most people will shoot one question out after another before you even have time to finish answering the first one.

So if it is important to you to explain your faith and what you believe in.** Focus.** Answer the first question and ask for time to finish answering if they interupt. If you don’t have the answer, say so. And explain that you will get back to him/her with the answer as soon as you can.

The people I deal with and the questions that they ask have brought me deeper into my faith.

I have been talked down to. Made fun of. Laughed at. And have had to deal with very angry people.

Each time I pray to the Holy Spirit, to guide me in my answers. I focus on keeping my “cool”. And I think before I open my mouth.

It is not a race. Take the time you need to explain.Go slow.If there are to many to deal with.( I have been in that situation lots of times at work.) Try to focus on one question and if it doesn’t work take a deep breath and explain that if they want to hear your answer they have to let you speak. And if they don’t it is ok to walk away.

Lots of praying, reading, and breathing. May the Lord be with you.:signofcross:

[fellowChristian]

Great Resources!

ewtn.com/

catholic.com/

newadvent.org/

americancatholic.org/

fisheaters.com/

scotthahn.com/

catholicapologetics.org/

scripturecatholic.com/

[Ani_Ibi]

Once I asked the Rector of the Cathedral the following question:

Ani: How do you reason someone out of a position they have not reasoned themselves into?

Rector of the Cathedral: You can’t.

Now when you first say this to an outraged anti-Catholic, he or she usually thinks you are talking about someone else – not about themselves.

Now you need to be silent and patient enough to let it sink in. It may take years and years and years. You might have to repeat this mini conversation between Ani and the Rector from time to time; just to punctuate your silence and your absence from the world of Alice in Wonderland.

By the way, I did not mean to suggest that the Rector was unreasonable. At the time, I genuinely wanted an answer to my question because I believed it was possible to reason with unreasonable people. You can’t.

Quite a few folks here have suggested various things you can say. If the anti-Catholic is not genuinely searching for answers, there is nothing you can say. Why? Because Catholicism is about answers. Not about rhetorical questions.

Also the time you throw away being drawn into futile arguments (because that is what they end up being) is the time you can spend deepening your own knowledge, faith, and relationship to the fullness of the truth.

Shake the dust, my friend. Shake the dust.

[rien]

Ask someone at The Coming Network for support. They deal with these situations confronting converts all the time.

www.chnetwork.org

[ukdal1]

UPDATE ON MY QUESTION----I had the strong urge today to go to our Cathedral’s Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel to pray about my situation and ask God for help in dealing with it, and to be with our Lord. I went and stayed for an hour and when I came out I felt like I should call my parents and wish them a happy 4th. My Dad just so happened to answer the phone (I’m sure it was just coincidence ) and said they had just gotten back from their church picnic. We talked about some things and the whole Church issue came up again and it came down to the point where he said “I wont talk about it anymore if it bothers you”, simple as that!!! :bigyikes: I couldnt believe what I was hearing! The Lord surely can do anything if you just ask!!! Praise God!!!

[Church_Militant]

Thanks Be To God!

[system]