Posted on 06/23/2003 11:59:21 AM PDT by Patrick Madrid
So you think that evangelizing your family and friends, coworkers and neighbors is an impossible dream? Think again. God wants to work through you, regardless of your circumstances — in your office, your home, your social circles, your parish — to search out and rescue those who have drifted or are starting to drift away from the Faith. All He needs to work with is a willing heart. Here are a few lessons from the life of St. Francis de Sales about how God can make you His coworker in the vast drama of salvation.
(Excerpt) Read more at envoymagazine.com ...
Anglican Use Catholic Contingent reporting for duty, sir!
Beautiful sentiment. Rich and True.
Meaning no offense to anyone, Saint Francis of Assisi still said it best:
"Preach the Gospel at all times.
If absolutely necessary -- Use Words."
Welcome to Free Republic, Patrick Madrid. "Polycarp" is, I hope, a friend of mine. (actually, Dr. Kopp has done much more for the Pro-Life Movement than have I ever, especially in terms of nationally-published articles. I am just a run-a-the-mill OP layman. But we both served our time in support of Operation Rescue, a decade or more past)
That said, I have a question to ask you, Mr. Madrid:
I beg forgiveness for my mild curiosity, Mr. Madrid, but I can't help but ask -- aside from "cradle-Catholic" Karl Keating, does the Church of Rome have any intention of fielding a Major Lay Apologist who was NOT trained by the Presbyterian Church?
Because it seems to me as if virtually all of the Major Lay Apologists currently fielded by the Roman Church are, so to speak, "also-ran" Presbyterians. At least, judging by the list above. (who are, of course, EX-PRESBYTERIANS -- to a man).
All I know is that, having read the Debate Transcripts as a former National Collegiate Debater, it is my personal belief that Matatics is one of the most powerful Apologetic Debaters alive today. If I had to debate Akin or Hahn, I would require at least three weeks of uninterrupted prep-work to get back in shape. If I had to debate Matatics -- I would demand at least three months, and even then I'd be less-than-perfectly confident. If the Roman Catholic Church has denounced him, it's their loss -- and my gain, as a Protestant Apologist.
"Zealotry of the Convert" aside, why is it that the finest Lay Apologists in the Roman Catholic Church today are, almost uniformly, EX-Presbyterians?
Do you have something to teach us?
Or do we have something to teach you?
Best, OP
Of course not. On the one hand, whether or not the Point being made is correct -- the "YOPIOS" Cereal Box is actually kinda funny. One Picture being worth a thousand words, and all that.
In the second place, Calvinists do not bitch and whine. We'll leave religious censorship to other so-called "protestants", who are not confident enough in their Faith to withstand a bit of good-natured ribbing.
At least, I do my best to impose this Free-Speech ethic upon my fellow Calvinists on those (increasingly-rare) occasions when I visit FR, like some kind of Calvinist Task-Master.
And for the most part, they agree with me anyway.
You asked me once, in private FReepMail, why I thought so highly of Matatics. Given the fact that his web-site kinda sucks these days, I didn't have a very good answer for you at the time. But I just now thought of one.
http://www.straitgate.com/rcc/debates.htm#
I like to think, and I personally believe, that James White generally "won" his Debates against Matatics -- at least most of the time. But many Roman Catholic Apologists ("Run and Hide" Karl Keating, most ignominiously) commonly refuse White's invitations -- because, out of 40 Million Baptists in America, James White is quite possibly the most professionally-accomplished, regularly-practiced, Reformed Baptist Lay-Apologist in America (I.E, in the World).
Matatics is actually willing to take his calls, and gives him a run for his money.
That's what I think of Matatics.
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