Protecting Our Faith

Posted by Molly

I have always had very strong convictions about my faith and my chosen religion but I have never been someone who shoves those beliefs in the faces of others.  It's not that I am against evangelism - if asked about my faith I am happy to explain to others why Catholicism is so important to me.  But I always have felt as a Christian, I should accept others without judgment and I believe in religious freedom so I have always been open to the religious beliefs of others.  This does not mean that I ever consider changing my religious beliefs.  It just means that I don't think people with different beliefs than mine are bad or wrong and I don't think I need to try to sell them on my religion.  I respect what they believe and keep them in my prayers.  Because of my feelings on religious freedom and acceptance of others, I usually try to stay clear of discussions on politics and religion.  However, recently, there have been two instances where I had to break my rule and say something. 

The first was back in May when a former coworker who I knew to be agnostic posted as his status on facebook "People who believe in God are small-minded".  When I read this it made me feel like I had been punched in the gut.  I struggled for a whole day over what to do in response.  Do I de-friend the guy?  Do I comment on his post?  Do I just let it go because he has a right to his own beliefs?  In the end, I decided to go with option 2 - comment on his post because de-friending him seemed like turning my back on someone in spiritual trouble and letting it go felt like being the bystander who does nothing in a bullying situation.  I had to defend my faith.  So I wrote a comment to his post saying how bad it made me feel to see him write something so disrespectful about people of faith.  I said that although our stances on religion - me as a Catholic and him as an agnostic - are vastly different I would never put down his choices or his beliefs and belittle him that way.  I said that truthfully the fact that he would post something like showed how jaded lack of faith had made him and that I would keep him in my prayers because obviously he was having some problems of his own if he felt the need to lash out the faithful who mean him no harm.  He did not like my response and wrote back belittling religion and going on and on about the stupidity of people who believe in God so at that point I did de-friend him.  I do not need to read that kind of slander.  I do, however, keep him in my prayers.

The second incident was last week when another friend of mine posted something on facebook (maybe facebook is the problem?!!) putting down the pope.  What she said was "so we're supposed to be nice to gays but women still can't be priests?" She's one of those snarky people who laughs at religion and likes to start trouble so I considered staying silent but I really love Pope Francis so I felt as if she had kicked a puppy and I had to stand up and defend.  I commented on the post saying something like "Look at all Pope Francis has done for our church in just a few months.  Give him time.  Instead of looking for faults in the church - marvel at all the good will he has brought.  He is a light in the world that shines on everyone not just the Catholics.  And he does respect women - he has said that Mary is more important than the apostles and women are more important than priests.  I love Pope Francis and if you read more than just the headlines you will, too".  And the great thing was that she didn't get mad and a bunch of people I didn't know "liked" my comment. 

In both instances, I felt compelled to respond to negativity because my faith was being attacked.  This doesn't mean I am going to go around challenging everyone with beliefs different than mine.  But if someone has the audacity to speak out against my beliefs I am going to school them. 

Last night my family had movie night.  We watched The Lorax.  At the end of the movie, as I comforted a sobbing Charlie who was heart broken by the loss of the forest (if you haven't seen or read The Lorax, it's super sad), I thought about what the Lorax tells Tim who wants to see a tree:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole, awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

The Lorax was the protector of the forest and although the forest was destroyed the faith of one person helped to build it back up.  I want to follow his lead and be a protector of our faith.  I think we all care a whole, awful lot and together we can help those who don't.