Posted on 03/31/2008 1:44:53 PM PDT by NYer
Ping!
Ping!
My impression is that American Catholics spend much effort on “Coming Home” type prosyletization to Christians in other denominations and less on “Come to Jesus” evangelism for the non-Christian. It may be a false impression based on EWTN and Free Republic, but that’s most of what I see.
Ditto here.
I wish somebody with courage and faith would start a movement to convert Muslims. In fact, I wish somebody would start a movement to convert Americans and, in passing, teach Catholics about their faith again.
We had a Muslim girl, Pakistani, that had converted and was attending our church. She asked a Pastor in a teaching group with maybe 100 or so people there a question about danger, threats to the lives of converts, and the pastor gave an answer that I felt would send muslim converts in Pakistan straight on the path to martyrdom. I’m not sure if he understood fully what he was saying and had thought it through, and I actually don’t know the laws of Pakistan and if converts there are in danger . . . he may have understood more than I gave him credit for . . . and I didn’t go to him after to ask . . . but I don’t think that many are steeled to evangelize in those circumstances or have thought through the dangers to the convert. He is now evangelizing in a region of the world with a lot of muslims so maybe his statement was more considered than I gave it credit at the time. My view of scripture, based mainly on Daniel, is that we are not required to seek out martyrdom but are required to not bow to false gods even if martyrdom results.
No, we’re not required to seek martyrdom, or even encouraged to do so. That was decided very early on in the life of the Church, during the Roman persecutions. There were some misguided people who rushed out to seek martyrdom, and Church authorities had to correct them. Instead, Christians were to do everything possible to avoid martyrdom, but to accept obediently or even joyfully it if it happened.
I don’t think we should encourage Muslims who live in Muslim countries to flaunt their Christianity, but I do think we have to have at least as much courage as they do and baptize those who wish to be baptized (which will probably be in secret, but there’s nothing wrong with that). What I don’t like are supposed Christians who think they’re doing a good thing, either out of an excessive concern for protecting the converts or out of a secret belief that it doesn’t matter anyway, by withholding the message of the Lord from people who really want it. If the early Christians had done that, we wouldn’t be here today!
Thank you for this thread.
If both work, why not use both?
Did you see the thread about Father Botros? His internet/etc. posting have brought many Muslims to Christianity.
I posted to it last night so will look for the link.
Thanks for posting that link.
Actually, US Catholics have generally spent very little time trying to convert Protestants, particularly after Vatican II. If you look, you’ll find that virtually all of the “prosyletizing” programs on EWTN are actually hosted and directed by former Protestants, mostly Evangelicals, who bring the Evangelical preaching and mission style into the Church with them. It’s something I found a little odd, but I’ve gotten used to it; our new youth director is a convert from this background, and it’s been a culture shock, but people love him now.
Way back when, in the early part of the 20th century, there used to be Catholic religious orders that did street preaching. Part of it was directed at converting the non-Christian or convincing the non-Catholic, but a lot of it was directed at reviving fallen away or indifferent Catholics. The Paulist Fathers used to do street preaching.
And once upon a time, there were religious orders and individuals who would do things like whip themselves in public or drag a large cross and carry a skull with them to attempt to scare bad Christians back to the faith! But things have gotten a lot less dramatic since those days...
Thanks! He looks like a very brave man!
Awesome.
My wife tells me that there was a fellow where she grew up that used to drag a huge cross along the beach. Not say anything, not do anything, other than drag the cross through the sand with all the tourists and sunbathers and locals watching. If someone approached and asked he’d evangelize. People have different feelings about the dramatic. Some people shy away from it — how gauche! I figure if a person is a Christian and they are in prayer and listening to the Holy Spirit then such things will work out for the good regardless of the naysayers opinions.
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