Why I don't identify (never have done, never will) as an Evangelical

[catmint_1984]

I will answer your question briefly (because I must do some work) and you can ask me questions or tell me what you would like to know and I will get back to you later.    Let me first of all say that from what the Bible teaches we believe Catholics have been wrongly taught.  They need to know how much God loves them and to be saved as we all do and

Comments

[catmint_1984]

Absolutely!!! I didn't convey *my* opinion of Catholicism at all - I thought in my e-mail that I'd merely acted as a useful intermediary between a Catholic friend (OK, several friends, but if I'd said "several", that would have opened me up to even more of a lecture) who wanted to know why so many so-called Christians despise their faith, and someone whom I knew held strong anti-Catholic views. I will formulate an e-mail in response at some point, and say that my friend told me that what my housegroup leader had said was not factually correct and that Catholics don't actually do/believe what a lot of Evangelicals claim they do. I doubt I'll get a positive response, but if said housegroup leader starts lecturing, I'll just say, hang on a minute, all I was doing was asking on behalf of a Catholic friend. But then, I probably would just get lectured again about the evils of Catholicism and the same sort of stuff that I've already posted. There isn't any point trying to reason with her - I know her fairly well and she's got a strong personality, and she's so certain that she's right that she just won't listen. And she'd do the classical Evangelical response - fling many Bible verses at me to justify her viewpoint. And I can't quote the Bible like that.

This is why I felt it unwise to mention anything about exploring Catholicism (never mind considering confirmation into the Catholic church!) - I'd just get lectured at constantly about why Catholics are heretics, etc. etc. every time I saw her. As I plan to move away from home when I graduate (and ideally stay in the Exeter area because I love it, there's a big folk scene, there's a reasonable Deaf community, and the Shopmobility scheme is fantastic here!) there's no point creating more trouble than it's worth. If I do make the decision that Catholicism is the right way for me and that that's where God is calling me, yes, I will tell the people at home, once I've definitely left home. If they want nothing more to do with me, so be it, it'd be their problem not mine.

I can't remember when I last felt so patronised!!! At least when James (guy in my seminar group for one of my modules at the moment, not my ex) patted me on the head - twice - the other week it was banter (and he didn't realise at the time that I was 3 1/2 years older than him!) so that doesn't really count.

Thanks for your opinion/comment - that pretty much sums up my opinion on the matter (although obviously not the atheism part!)

*hugs*

[vote_incitatus]

Yeah, I think you should email back a response. And you're probably right, she probably won't admit she's wrong. But the marvellous thing about email lectures is you can put them straight in the recycle bin.

Like the person above you was saying. Explain to her why you think she's wrong. If she won't accept/believe she's wrong, oh well, you tried, but in the end a person's got to decide what they believe for themselves. Whether it's atheism, catholicism, evagelicalism, or judgemental close-minded stubborness (which could go along with any of the above three, to be fair).

Dang though, that woman's your housegroup leader?? What a bundle of fun housegroup must be! How can you respect a leader that patronising? Ouch...I can totally see you going to her for advice in a tough spot, and if I look out the window, I can totally see pigs with wings too.

[catmint_1984]

You can see pigs with wings? But I thought Naomi had the Pigasus ceilidh band mascot under her bed!!! ;P

I used to have a lot of respect for her. That went out the window a while ago when I found out her views on Catholicism, along with one or two other things. I was lucky in that I was able to avoid housegroup during the Xmas holidays (we have 2 housegroups and 2 church prayer meetings a month, and I missed the start-of-the-month housegroup, then it was Boxing Day so no end-of-month housegroup, and then I was back in Exeter the following Wednesday). Now, how can I get out of it over the Easter holidays???

I may have to discuss with one of my Catholic friends (to whom I forwarded the e-mail - he was not impressed by the things she said) what to say and for his input. And Fr Paul (as and when he gets round to replying to my e-mail).

Ah, the delights of the "delete" button!