More Defensive than retaliatory. Those I love were mocked and slandered repeatedly. Those doing the mocking clam to be doing so at the instigation of God Himself.
And the lies go on and on and on. Shall we have a nice chat about the Love of God while nearby someone is lying about a late Pope?
And where were the voices crying, "Peace, Peace," when my Church was called a sacred Cow and Pius a Nazi collaborator? Is it only we victims who are at fault?
I haven’t read the discussion thread that you’re referring to, but I can say that, being myself in the process of becoming a Catholic, I am sensitive to criticisms of the church as well. I just try to remind myself that we are all sinners and this is a fallen world, and each of us need to belong to the church that, in our judgment, most clearly and vibrantly teaches the truth. That, in my judgment, is obviously the Catholics (and maybe Eastern Orthodox, I believe they’re doctrinally very close.) And, I believe that some other Christians, knowing of problems both past and present in their own denominations, are perhaps a bit jealous of that. Jesus told us to be glad when we are persecuted for His sake, and I take that to mean no matter who it comes from, or what their claims may be.
I haven’t read the discussion thread that you’re referring to, but I can say that, being myself in the process of becoming a Catholic, I am sensitive to criticisms of the church as well. I just try to remind myself that we are all sinners and this is a fallen world, and each of us need to belong to the church that, in our judgment, most clearly and vibrantly teaches the truth. That, in my judgment, is obviously the Catholics (and maybe Eastern Orthodox, I believe they’re doctrinally very close.) And, I believe that some other Christians, knowing of problems both past and present in their own denominations, are perhaps a bit jealous of that. Jesus told us to be glad when we are persecuted for His sake, and I take that to mean no matter who it comes from, or what their claims may be.