Icon change is bringing forth hatred

[nyj]

Someone is mad because you convert, that seems like odd behavior to me because it isn't like it will effect their life any like it would your family members.

Well, I must confess. When I see someone say on the internet that they've been convinced that Catholicism is "not the real deal" and that they've converted and been freed from the chains of romanist bondage, I take it personally. I don't go and PM/email them to **** them to hell, matter of fact I don't contact them at all (probably because I know I'll do more harm than good), but I do get offended and upset.

 

[Matrona]

Hi Debi,

Hope you guys don't mind an Orthodox nosing in, but Debi, I have to say I know exactly what you're going through. I'm a college student and I became Orthodox on my own--my family's not religious or anything. In the months leading up to my conversion, I had been involved with an evangelical interdenominational Christian group called Campus Crusade for Christ. When I started attending an Orthodox church, I didn't keep it a secret from them--I figured, Crusade is interdenominational, that means any denomination can go there, not just Protestants.

Boy, was I wrong.

I noticed right away that my friends were treating me differently--just about all of them invited me to their churches (I figure the rest of them who didn't invite me, simply didn't have one in Columbia). And in my small-group bible study, the leader kept acting like she was on a mission to prove Orthodoxy wrong. Problem is, she is a strict Calvinist. Fortunately, her weak justifications for Calvinist doctrine only served to prove what I knew in my heart already. I knew deep down that I had been called to become part of the Orthodox Church. And you know as well as I do, when your Lord and Savior calls, you gotta accept the charges!

A lot of Protestants give their people a hard time when they convert to Catholicism (or Orthodoxy). It's sad, but just remember that it also proves something about them. I think they know in their hearts that their spiritual lives are not as fulfilled as they could be if they would only discover liturgical worship, and I think that, in a way, they are jealous of us.

Remember that Catholics and Orthodox have the real Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior in our Eucharist. We have a direct historical link to the apostles. And even if they tried, they could NEVER have either of those without becoming one of us!

Pray for those who have persecuted you for your faith. They need your love and prayers.

 

[Axion]

My husband is away and won't be back until March we talk all the time but when I told him he was not pleasd either. He said if I do this then we will have to get our marriage sanctified by the Church and he is not Catholic and does not wish to be one. So I may be overreacting a tad too. I am just upset at it all.

Remember to give him the chance to get used to the idea!!! it will be a bit of a shock for him, especially if he has been raised with a lot of anti-catholic notions. He may half-expect your house to be full of robed Jesuits, plotting the downfall of civilisation!

Let him see gently, that catholicism isn't some odd cult, but the mainstream of Christianity.

 

[Benedicta00]

Well, I must confess. When I see someone say on the internet that they've been convinced that Catholicism is "not the real deal" and that they've converted and been freed from the chains of romanist bondage, I take it personally. I don't go and PM/email them to **** them to hell, matter of fact I don't contact them at all (probably because I know I'll do more harm than good), but I do get offended and upset.

That is what I meant was odd. Not talking to someone anymore because they converted. Was the only reason they talked to you in the first place because you wreen't Catholic?

 

[kimber1]

From those on the forum or in you’re personal life? I can understand family members being upset but on the internet? Someone is mad because you convert, that seems like odd behavior to me because it isn't like it will effect their life any like it would your family members.

both actually, but then internet friends have a way of becoming just as close as family sometimes.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Does this text size strain your eyes? if so, I will enlarge my font.

Well, I'm not Debi, but since you asked... it does strain my eyes. I would enjoy your posts ever so much more, Kenneth, if you would enlarge your font a wee bit. Would you do that for a blind old lady?

Michelle

 

[Benedicta00]

Hi Debi,

Hope you guys don't mind an Orthodox nosing in, but Debi, I have to say I know exactly what you're going through. I'm a college student and I became Orthodox on my own--my family's not religious or anything. In the months leading up to my conversion, I had been involved with an evangelical interdenominational Christian group called Campus Crusade for Christ. When I started attending an Orthodox church, I didn't keep it a secret from them--I figured, Crusade is interdenominational, that means any denomination can go there, not just Protestants.

Boy, was I wrong.

I noticed right away that my friends were treating me differently--just about all of them invited me to their churches (I figure the rest of them who didn't invite me, simply didn't have one in Columbia). And in my small-group bible study, the leader kept acting like she was on a mission to prove Orthodoxy wrong. Problem is, she is a strict Calvinist. Fortunately, her weak justifications for Calvinist doctrine only served to prove what I knew in my heart already. I knew deep down that I had been called to become part of the Orthodox Church. And you know as well as I do, when your Lord and Savior calls, you gotta accept the charges!

A lot of Protestants give their people a hard time when they convert to Catholicism (or Orthodoxy). It's sad, but just remember that it also proves something about them. I think they know in their hearts that their spiritual lives are not as fulfilled as they could be if they would only discover liturgical worship, and I think that, in a way, they are jealous of us.

Remember that Catholics and Orthodox have the real Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior in our Eucharist. We have a direct historical link to the apostles. And even if they tried, they could NEVER have either of those without becoming one of us!

Pray for those who have persecuted you for your faith. They need your love and prayers.

On what basis do they 'hate' the Orthodox Church? Because the reasons we mainly here are all pope related reasons. What are the general complaints you hear against the EO Church?

 

[nyj]

That is what I meant was odd. Not talking to someone anymore because they converted. Was the only reason they talked to you in the first place because you wreen't Catholic?

Probably (that they talked to you in the first place because of being non-Catholic). MB's are strange places, and I think the adage "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" often holds sway. So when that friend embraces your enemy... well, we see how that turns out.

Really, if we try to be somewhat objective about it, it is our Catholicism which binds all of us together on this message board. Since we don't come into personal, physical contact with one another (being scattered across the globe like we are) it is upon our faith that we build our friendships*. In real life, depending on where you live, chances are you may have more non-Catholic friends than Catholic friends. That is because you have more things to base a friendship upon though.

So I guess I can envision myself not speaking to someone on the internet anymore because they leave Catholicism. Though, I would say that that would depend equally upon them as well. If they didn't immediately turn on Catholicism, "sending us all to hell" but wanted to maintain friendships, then I would do so. I'd be disappointed at first, but I'd wish them well. If they did start spewing the old "romish bondage" line though, I'm afraid friendship would be tossed out the window.

However, in any case, I'd take a wait and see approach and I certainly wouldn't go out and condemn them immediately upon the announcement of their decision.

*With that said, it has been my experience and observation that the OBOB forum has more fellowship than the counterpart Congregation forum in question. I think that that naturally has allowed us to build deeper relationships with one another "outside of religion". I think that this just proves the communal nature of Catholicism however.

 

[Benedicta00]

Probably (that they talked to you in the first place because of being non-Catholic). MB's are strange places, and I think the adage "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" often holds sway. So when that friend embraces your enemy... well, we see how that turns out.

Really, if we try to be somewhat objective about it, it is our Catholicism which binds all of us together on this message board. Since we don't come into personal, physical contact with one another (being scattered across the globe like we are) it is upon our faith that we build our friendships*. In real life, depending on where you live, chances are you may have more non-Catholic friends than Catholic friends. That is because you have more things to base a friendship upon though.

So I guess I can envision myself not speaking to someone on the internet anymore because they leave Catholicism. Though, I would say that that would depend equally upon them as well. If they didn't immediately turn on Catholicism, "sending us all to hell" but wanted to maintain friendships, then I would do so. I'd be disappointed at first, but I'd wish them well. If they did start spewing the old "romish bondage" line though, I'm afraid friendship would be tossed out the window.

However, in any case, I'd take a wait and see approach and I certainly wouldn't go out and condemn them immediately upon the announcement of their decision.

*With that said, it has been my experience and observation that the OBOB forum has more fellowship than the counterpart Congregation forum in question. I think that that naturally has allowed us to build deeper relationships with one another "outside of religion". I think that this just proves the communal nature of Catholicism however.

You're probably right. If any Catholic here left the Church I would be totally shocked.

 

[KennySe]

Well, I'm not Debi, but since you asked... it does strain my eyes. I would enjoy your posts ever so much more, Kenneth, if you would enlarge your font a wee bit. Would you do that for a blind old lady?

(I had the option of size 1 or size 2. I had been on 1 but now I'm 2ing it.)

Is that better, ma'am?

And can I help you cross the street?

 

[Miss Shelby]

(I had the option of size 1 or size 2. I had been on 1 but now I'm 2ing it.)

Is that better, ma'am?

And can I help you cross the street?

Much better Kenny. Thank you!

Thank you!

Michelle

 

[KennySe]

de nada

 

[ProCommunioneFacior]

(I had the option of size 1 or size 2. I had been on 1 but now I'm 2ing it.)

Is that better, ma'am?

And can I help you cross the street?

 

[Polycarp1]

Just a quick suggestion for the people who find small fonts difficult to read: if you're using MS Internet Explorer as your connection tool, under the "View" menu is an option labelled "Text Size" -- clicking on that and selecting a larger size than what it's currently set at (e.g., mine's at "Medium" right now, and the ones at the local library, which I used to use, were generally set at "Smaller") will increase the size of the text on your own display. I think Netscape and the other browser programs have similar options, but I don't know how to reset them.

 

[Miss Shelby]

Just a quick suggestion for the people who find small fonts difficult to read: if you're using MS Internet Explorer as your connection tool, under the "View" menu is an option labelled "Text Size" -- clicking on that and selecting a larger size than what it's currently set at (e.g., mine's at "Medium" right now, and the ones at the local library, which I used to use, were generally set at "Smaller") will increase the size of the text on your own display. I think Netscape and the other browser programs have similar options, but I don't know how to reset them.

Thanks for the tip, Polycarp.

Michelle

 

[thereselittleflower]

Oh and I did try to tell him that he would not have to convert I could not convince him.

Well, <chuckle, chuckle> I know how this is my husband said much the same thing . . and thought we would have to be remarried, etc . .Even though he knew I was studying the Early Church and then Catholicism, he didn't realize I was looking to become Catholic towards the end of that journey . . when he realized this, it was quite a shock . . and your decision did not have the long research mine did, so your husband may be experiencing even more a sense of shock than mine did . . . well, a few month later he decided to take RCIA to see what it was all about, attend Mass with me and the kids (frmom the first he found out I intended to be Catholic) and now, if can do so, wants to come into the Church this Easter . . but he has doubts he will be ready . . so I keep giving him to our Lord and ask Mary's prayers . .

Just give him time, and pray for him . .


Peace in Him!

 

[thereselittleflower]

Well, I'm not Debi, but since you asked... it does strain my eyes. I would enjoy your posts ever so much more, Kenneth, if you would enlarge your font a wee bit. Would you do that for a blind old lady?

Michelle

For this one too Kenneth?

(edited to add - opps, I see you already did . . thanks!) (Polycarp1, unfortunately, I use a browser that sits on top of IE and it doesn't give me access to all of IE's features )

Peace in Him!

 

[Debi1967]

Well I go to sleep and wakey wakey here I come back to my family> look at what has happened........
There are some posts that I have questions of but I will get to them individually, I just wanted to thank you all for such a nice good morning.
It was so nice to wake up and see all of the responses and all the helpful information and encouragement.
Peace and Love to all
In Christ
Debi

 

[Debi1967]

debi, i totally understand, believe me more than you know. one thing i can say is give these people time. if they are truely your friends then they will eventually come around in understanding we're not as different as what they used to think. be lieve me, i have proof of this it's hard at first adn a shock to people but if they are honestly your friends then they willt ake your feeling sinto consideration. if not? wipe the dust off your sandals and move on.

Kimber
I will be getting back to you more in private but could you give me a general example of the things they did to you I guess they are probably along the same lines but it is nice to here.
Love
Your Sister
Debi

 

[kimber1]

i'll pm you