Comments on: Jesus Stole My Best Friend http://bustedhalo.com/features/jesus-stole-my-best-friend an online magazine for spiritual seekers Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:56:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: V http://bustedhalo.com/features/jesus-stole-my-best-friend/comment-page-1#comment-8589 V Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:06:51 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=7998#comment-8589 I am a convert. I'm in RCIA, am pretty jazzed about the Catholic faith, and spend several hours *a day* reading, writing or talking about it. I'm in a difficult place right now, and it helps me through. Yet, I can still talk to my friends (who are non-Catholic) about normal stuff, and I somehow don't feel deprived. I'm pretty sure my friends feel vaguely threatened by my conversion. After all, I moved to a different state, got married, and afterwards (to them) seem to have gone completely off the reservation. My reaction is completely different than this woman's friend. I am reluctant to talk to them about my religion, because I know they aren't on board. I don't want to come off as preachy, or give them more reasons to find Christianity hinky and cult-like. I truly want them to see and find what I have found, but it is my considered sense that going off on them and badgering them until they repent would do much more harm than good. So, I'm trying to be a good example until someone decides to ask me what's going on. I'm sure that some CL Catholics are peeved about my attitude. That I'm not bearing my cross for Christ by staying mum to people who are actively hostile to my new faith, and yet still have the willingness to stick it out and be my friend anyway. For the community that I come from, that in and of itself takes some guts. It is very fashionable to ostracize Christians and blame them for everything that could possibly go wrong, in the past, present and future. So I'm taking St. Francis' advice: "Preach constantly the Catholic Faith. If necessary, use words." I am a convert. I’m in RCIA, am pretty jazzed about the Catholic faith, and spend several hours *a day* reading, writing or talking about it. I’m in a difficult place right now, and it helps me through.

Yet, I can still talk to my friends (who are non-Catholic) about normal stuff, and I somehow don’t feel deprived. I’m pretty sure my friends feel vaguely threatened by my conversion. After all, I moved to a different state, got married, and afterwards (to them) seem to have gone completely off the reservation.

My reaction is completely different than this woman’s friend. I am reluctant to talk to them about my religion, because I know they aren’t on board. I don’t want to come off as preachy, or give them more reasons to find Christianity hinky and cult-like. I truly want them to see and find what I have found, but it is my considered sense that going off on them and badgering them until they repent would do much more harm than good. So, I’m trying to be a good example until someone decides to ask me what’s going on.

I’m sure that some CL Catholics are peeved about my attitude. That I’m not bearing my cross for Christ by staying mum to people who are actively hostile to my new faith, and yet still have the willingness to stick it out and be my friend anyway.

For the community that I come from, that in and of itself takes some guts. It is very fashionable to ostracize Christians and blame them for everything that could possibly go wrong, in the past, present and future.

So I’m taking St. Francis’ advice:

“Preach constantly the Catholic Faith. If necessary, use words.”

]]> By: Diane http://bustedhalo.com/features/jesus-stole-my-best-friend/comment-page-1#comment-2391 Diane Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:07:47 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=7998#comment-2391 I love the line where you write "Or have I been so insistent on being indefinable, radical or in a class of my own, that I can't enjoy association with anything, let alone a church group?". That line spoke volumes to me. I feel that sometimes we get so caught up in always trying to be considered an outsider, or even a maverick. And in doing so we almost look down upon or even pity those of us who feel as though they need to belong to a group or organization. I must admit I am one of these people, whether it be belonging to a Christian group, having a Myspace page or even wearing Uggs. I believe that we as individuals should map out a course of our own and speak with our own thoughts and opinions no matter how unorthadox or taboo they may seem . However, if you need to lean on the word of some men who wrote a text thousands of years ago to get you through the day...then sobeit. There is much wisdom and solace to be had in "The Good Book" as they call it. But, if all you need is a glass of wine and a quite space to think then cheers to you too! Free thought is always the better option. Amen. I love the line where you write “Or have I been so insistent on being indefinable, radical or in a class of my own, that I can’t enjoy association with anything, let alone a church group?”. That line spoke volumes to me. I feel that sometimes we get so caught up in always trying to be considered an outsider, or even a maverick. And in doing so we almost look down upon or even pity those of us who feel as though they need to belong to a group or organization. I must admit I am one of these people, whether it be belonging to a Christian group, having a Myspace page or even wearing Uggs. I believe that we as individuals should map out a course of our own and speak with our own thoughts and opinions no matter how unorthadox or taboo they may seem . However, if you need to lean on the word of some men who wrote a text thousands of years ago to get you through the day…then sobeit. There is much wisdom and solace to be had in “The Good Book” as they call it. But, if all you need is a glass of wine and a quite space to think then cheers to you too! Free thought is always the better option. Amen.

]]> By: Mary K http://bustedhalo.com/features/jesus-stole-my-best-friend/comment-page-1#comment-2319 Mary K Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:32:00 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=7998#comment-2319 This is an interesting article. When I was in college, I was heavily involved in our Catholic campus ministry. We did our things in our Catholic ways that made sense to us. There were also numerous other religious groups on campus, and one in particular, that was very proselytizing. They obviously didn't understand Catholicism, and would confront Catholics implying that we were not "saved." They would always be on campus and ask you to "take their survey." I took it once and learned it was not an actual survey, but a test to see if you would give the right answers. Some questions were biblical, some were about your personal beliefs on controversial issues, and so on. Basically, it was their tactic to find an opening to tell you the right answer. I asked how they used the results of their survey, and the girl "surveying" me had no answer. They didn't use the answers for anything! At the end, she whipped out her pocket Bible to pray with me. It was fine that she wanted to pray with me, but they were a group who did things their own way and were not willing to accept that others could do things their own ways as well. The people involved with this group gave off a strange cultish vibe. Maybe that was my perception because a lot of their tactics were totally different than anything I was used to as a Catholic. So, for me, it wasn't a resentment of groups, since I was in my own group, it was just a need for groups to be able to do things in their own ways and to all be equally respected by each other. I guess that's enough rambling for now! This is an interesting article. When I was in college, I was heavily involved in our Catholic campus ministry. We did our things in our Catholic ways that made sense to us. There were also numerous other religious groups on campus, and one in particular, that was very proselytizing. They obviously didn’t understand Catholicism, and would confront Catholics implying that we were not “saved.” They would always be on campus and ask you to “take their survey.” I took it once and learned it was not an actual survey, but a test to see if you would give the right answers. Some questions were biblical, some were about your personal beliefs on controversial issues, and so on. Basically, it was their tactic to find an opening to tell you the right answer. I asked how they used the results of their survey, and the girl “surveying” me had no answer. They didn’t use the answers for anything! At the end, she whipped out her pocket Bible to pray with me. It was fine that she wanted to pray with me, but they were a group who did things their own way and were not willing to accept that others could do things their own ways as well. The people involved with this group gave off a strange cultish vibe. Maybe that was my perception because a lot of their tactics were totally different than anything I was used to as a Catholic. So, for me, it wasn’t a resentment of groups, since I was in my own group, it was just a need for groups to be able to do things in their own ways and to all be equally respected by each other. I guess that’s enough rambling for now!

]]> By: SG http://bustedhalo.com/features/jesus-stole-my-best-friend/comment-page-1#comment-2308 SG Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:12:44 +0000 http://www.bustedhalo.com/?p=7998#comment-2308 .......this is probably one time that you might consider following...... selfishness at this moment in time may not be a "good thing".... Peace........SG …….this is probably one time that you might consider following…… selfishness at this moment in time may not be a “good thing”…. Peace……..SG

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