#evangelization

[atheostic]

as a Catholic, what do I even say about the love of God to you? Nothing in this world is as steady, as faithful, as strong as this love. In time, I pray, you find that God is faithful to you, through it all, He made sure you can get back up and keep going.

I saw your account and I've seen you contemplating love, and I just wanted to say that love is a choice. He would die for you again if it meant you could love Him for one second, which is to say love your neighbors, and yourself.

I'm not "contemplating" love. I love.

Atheists are capable of love just like any other person, Christian or otherwise. What's more, our love is far more unconditional than yours, as we don't do it to please any deity or to get brownie points for the afterlife, we just do it because it's the right thing to do.

When I helped raise money for a youth shelter when I was 11, I didn't do it for praise, I did it because helping my community is part of being a kind person and a good citizen.

When I was 12 and wrote to a major newspaper in my country to protest Canada joining the US wars in the Middle East, I did it because I care about the people in those countries.

In university, I volunteered at a community hub for the community by the community because helping others makes me happy. And during my Master's degree I volunteered at the local library because community services are important.

I went into a civil servant job because I care about helping my community and its children thrive.

Atheists volunteer their time in their community all the time, you just don't hear about it because we don't make a big deal out of it. Which, by the way, is ironically closer to what Jesus said to do than how Christians usually do it; you're not supposed to make it public when you help others, as per the rules of your Bible.

I've read the Bible in more than one language. I've attended Catholic public school for high school. I've worked in a Catholic public school as well (and I actually got a thank-you note from the school's Religion teacher for providing them with quality religious resources).

I'm well aware of Catholic theology.

I'm not an atheist because I haven't heard your religion's spiel, I'm an atheist because I have yet to hear a god claim that I didn't find wanting.

I genuinely don't believe your god is any more real than a character in a book.

And I wouldn't want someone to die for my mistakes anyway. I own up to my mistakes and take personal responsibility.

Feel free to bring out your arguments as to why you believe, but I highly doubt it'll be anything I haven't heard before. In more than one language at that.

[thecatholicbozo]

"For evangelization today, there is one superb example given to us in the account by St. Luke of the risen Lord's post-Resurrection appearance at Emmaus. Before Jesus preaches, before attempting to speak in depth to the two confused disciples, the listens to what they have to say. He even goes to the trouble of asking them about their experience. And, in order to keep the conversation alive, he walks with them in the wrong direction, as it were, toward Emmaus, not Jerusalem. Preaching today, if it is going to be effective, demands that we do a lot of listening. It demands that we are prepared to walk with people who may have views very different from our own."

-Fr Paul Murray, OP, Preachers at Prayer: Soundings in the Dominican Spiritual Tradition

[apesoformythoughts]

"Our priests cannot do it alone, and no parish program is a substitute for the friction that is actual encounter with another person. As banal as it sounds, the mission of the Church today boils down to being there: being there for a dislocated and disembodied world that needs to know that Being is there."

— Jeffrey Pojanowski: "Being There: Pope Francis’s Death and the Future of the Catholic Church"

[filius-mariae]

A Hindu coworker (A) expressed interest in Christianity, and my other two coworkers (Catholic and Baptist) invited me to join in providing a sort of “Bible study” for her with the (Protestant) Alpha program on our break every week.

We just finished watching and talking about the first video. It was good overall, but the soteriology was pretty Protestant-sounding, even from my Catholic co-worker (eg emphasis on “accepting Jesus into your heart,” “you don’t have to do anything to be forgiven, just accept God’s grace and all your sins are forgiven”). But still!! Better than nothing!!

The whole thing is entirely unexpected and very life-giving, even for me personally. Esp since I don’t have any friends who share my faith irl. I’m trying to subtly stay in my lane during the sessions but offer Catholic perspectives when I can, in a way that’s pastorally nuanced and tailored to where A is at.

Please pray for A and her faith journey!! <3

[thecatholiccrusade]

Christian Love: We Are Called to Duty

In today’s world, there’s a tendency to shy away from openly sharing faith; fearing it might offend or push people away. However, authentic Christian love compels believers to take that risk. It’s about caring enough to have difficult conversations, to invite others to consider the claims of Christ, and to encourage fellow believers in their faith journey. Jesus’ teachings on love were never…

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[proud-spaniard]

[eternal-echoes]

I think we just need to accept the fact that other people are going to be led to the Truth differently than we were led to the Truth so we need to rely more on praying for God's grace than our own ability to discourse for the changes of hearts.