The following blog post was provide to us by Martina Kreitzer, Austin Catholic New Media’s newest contributor.
I was chatting earlier today with an online Catholic “sista,” someone I’ve known through my online Catholic community for several years now. On her Facebook wall, she had posted a link from Abby Johnson, a friend and former Planned Parenthood director, author of the book UnPlanned. The link was to an article that talked about the Planned Parenthood myth that it provides mammograms. (Or “shammograms” as it’s been referred to in cyber space.) My friend, who I will call “Shmolly,” has close to 1200 folks in her friend count.
To say the link exploded into a fiery discussion would be an understatement. What was initially posted on Friday was still alive and kicking today on Thursday. More than 200 posts later, I came along whistling {maybe not so} innocently, hands in pocket, kicking virtual dirt. {Can you visualize Tom Sawyer overalls with all this potential mischief?} I’m interested in what happened. I’m nosy-ing around when I see how the discussion unfolded. Yes, I’m feeling the need to put in my usual $1.50 and a cup of coffee.
Must. Resist. Urge to evangelize. MUST!
Oh, who am I kidding? I am nothing if not in “evangelize” mode. So, I say my piece and the discussion continues despite one lady’s repeated “I’m done with this conversation” comments, followed by more arguing five minutes later. And on and on it goes. She is staunchly defending the right to murder the innocent by chalking it up to the emotion of “choice”. And is digging her heels in and talking about the injustices of the rest of the world. It’s a red herring meant to derail the discussion.
I like to think my sistas have learned to navigate discussions like this and won’t take the bait. But sometimes you have to take the bait to make a point. Yes, we are aware that there are starving children in third world countries. Yes, we know that all pro-life people must adopt homeless children to be taken seriously. No one is arguing injustices are not injustices. In fact, we have gone out of our way to agree with your points, but would it be ok if you could just answer how any of that justifies the murder of the innocent?”
No answer. Talking in circles. More talk about China. I’m on China overload. I’m hungry for Chinese food now. Sweet and sour chicken sounds good. And hot and sour soup, and a spring roll with house mustard, not the packet mustard. Mmmmm…
According to this pro-choice woman, it is unfathomable and downright criminal that Chinese women have abortions. Are you shaking your head at the hypocrisy? Yeah, me too. So, it’s okay for abortions to exist on U.S. soil because it’s a woman’s “choice,” but it’s not ok in China because it’s forced? I think someone’s litmus test for right and wrong is broken. As in, demand-your-money-back broken. Le sigh…
She finally bows out of the discussion, pleased with how she “handled” all of us. What appears to the average eye to be a fruitless discussion has likely resulted in seed planting. I’ve participated in online discussions and theological debates long enough to know that for every vocal dissenter, there are quite a few lookie loos just anxious to learn the Truth. And that is the reason why we do what we do.
I’m not sure who said we shouldn’t talk about religion and politics. They, of “They University” were wrong. Just wrong. If we, as a society are truly “tolerant,” then we should be free to talk about religion without fear of stink eye from secular friends and acquaintances. We should not be forced to compromise our beliefs lest we offend. Another woman on the Facebook discussion was upset the link was posted at all, saying her wall was not the right “arena” for the discussion. This was a Catholic friend, too.
The truth is, if there is one topic that should get Catholics’ dander up, it‘s abortion. If we are unable to talk passionately and with righteous anger about abortion as Catholics, our conscience has flatlined. No longer can we afford to be apathetic to the tune of losing our souls in the process. The days of not talking about politics and religion in polite company should be over.
Personally, I think the Catholic woman who objected to the post missed the point. I can’t think of a better way to evangelize about the Faith than to use Facebook as your evangelizing tool. As a stay-at-home mom, I find it difficult to evangelize while picking out eggs at the grocery store or cat-herding my five kiddos out in public. This is why I value the opportunities to share the Faith in an online public forum with the support of my friends in Christ.
So, how do we evangelize and witness in a world that is known for calling the faithful “zealots,” “judgmental,” “narrow minded,” and “intolerant?” Stay tuned for further details.
Awesome post, Martina. I look forward to more! 🙂
Thanks, Martina! I’m going to send this to our homeschool group and Sanctity of Life group! Great post!
I love this! So true – our morals dictate who we are as a person, so much more than the type of clothing we wear or the car we drive. Hiding our views for fear of offending others is not being true to ourselves. Of course, we should present our views with grace and charity, but that goes without saying.
p.s. – don’t underestimate the power of evangelizing with your 5 kids in tow! All it takes is one person to see Christ in your beautiful family and a seed can be planted.
Great article, Martina! I can’t wait to read what is next!
Awesome post Martina, but then I would expect nothing less from you. 😉
So true! Being out with the family is my St. Francis work. 🙂
How funny to stumble across this article while researching “Spiritual Works of Mercy” for a class I am taking to see that I am the Catholic Woman mentioned in the article! It pretty much blew my mind to read this article and know exactly what the author is talking about! I need to set the record straight, however. I was not upset that the discussion was taking place on Facebook, but that I saw several Catholic women ganging up on another woman “hitting her with their spiritual works of mercy” in a way that was anything but merciful. They were rude, snarky, and a poor representation of what a Catholic is. I felt sorry for the pro-choice woman and embarrssed of my Catholic sisters. In the end they got the pro-choice woman so angry that she ran off and donated money to Planned Parenthood! I think with a more gentle approach, they might have planted a seed with her, but instead they were impatient, defensive and drove her away. That is truth of my objection. And that needs to be told.
I would disagree that it was a “poor representation” of what a Catholic is. The idea that the woman we are both discussing took a link that had *nothing* to do with China to begin with and ran with that topic, rather than focus on what the issue was to begin with was incredibly rude. And, on someone else’s wall to boot! She would *not* let China go. It was incredibly frustrating to see her do that on a friend’s wall. The gal in question had no intention of learning, no matter how many different ways it was presented to her. That much is documented if you go back and read through all the different responses. No, the reality is that if you are willing to defend ALL life, you can’t just be appalled at China, but America.
I appreciate your comment, but you can’t rewrite what happened. It was not the scenario you paint…by any stretch of the imagination.
I would disagree that it was a “poor representation” of what a Catholic is. The idea that the woman we are both discussing took a link that had *nothing* to do with China to begin with and ran with that topic, rather than focus on what the issue was to begin with was incredibly rude. And, on someone else’s wall to boot! She would *not* let China go. It was incredibly frustrating to see her do that on a friend’s wall. The gal in question had no intention of learning, no matter how many different ways it was presented to her. That much is documented if you go back and read through all the different responses. No, the reality is that if you are willing to defend ALL life, you can’t just be appalled at China, but America.
I appreciate your comment, but you can’t rewrite what happened. It was not the scenario you paint…by any stretch of the imagination.
@ Catholicwoman Well you would have a point if the lady in question wan’t completely rude no matter what anyone said to her or in what tone they said it in.
One more thing you say that this post is about you, well no it wasn’t . It was about the woman talking about China being wrong for their position on abortion while saying that she supports Planned Parenthood. We as Catholic women did not understand that logic and try as we might could not get her to explain it. There is only one sentence about you in this post so how is it about you? I could say it’s about me, since I was a part of that whole horrible “I hate China” thread, but it isn’t. The fact is Martina was writing about how we can use FB to evangelize which we should as Christians.
One more thing you say that this post is about you, well no it wasn’t . It was about the woman talking about China being wrong for their position on abortion while saying that she supports Planned Parenthood. We as Catholic women did not understand that logic and try as we might could not get her to explain it. There is only one sentence about you in this post so how is it about you? I could say it’s about me, since I was a part of that whole horrible “I hate China” thread, but it isn’t. The fact is Martina was writing about how we can use FB to evangelize which we should as Christians.
I recall this particular person who posted here, Catholicwoman, was the lone voice who did *NOT* stand up for the unborn in that conversation, so if that is what it means to be a “good Catholic” I don’t want any part of it. The woman who *only* wanted to discuss China was incredibly ugly towards Abby, questioning if she was even who she said she was. Charity? Not so much a part of her exchange. I was quite saddened at the lack of 1) staying on point with the conversation which was about the “mammograms” at PP and 2) inability to converse with anyone without throwing out China. It was incredibly disingenuous. See…months later and I *still* remember!
Martina- I am saddend at how easily you misrepresent the truth. I clearly stated that I am pro-life, but that no matter how someone talks to us, as Catholics it is our duty to turn the other cheek, not retort back with the same. That doesn’t mean we have to be silent, but that we shouldn’t “strike back”. There were Catholic women virtually high-fiving each other on that post after the woman went & donated to planned parenthood. To me, that is not a success for anyone and a seed was definitely not planted. I do not judge you in how “Catholic” you are or not, I honestly believe your intentions in protecting the unborn are valid & noble. I was just gently trying to say, people watch our actions as Catholics and expect more from us. We need to show our best selves and let Christ shine through us.
Lethy – I am confused…I never said this post was about me. I only said that I was surprised to stumble across this post and realize that I was the “Catholic Woman” mentioned in it. I understand that this post is about evangelizing on the internet, but I also didn’t appreciate being falsly represented in a way that may help support the theme of the post, but isn’t truthful.
Lethy – it definitely takes two, but imagine if all the Catholic replies were truly charitable…what good that could have done! 🙂
I could go into a reply where I explain more background on why the woman brought up China and kept bringing up China, but I don’t see what good that would do. I am not looking to start an argument about the unborn, I am on your side with that. My only point then and now is that we, as Catholics, make more strides by taking the high road, turning the other cheek, etc. while still making our point. I know sometimes that can be incredibly challenging, but I honestly believe it does all good. As you know, the pro-choice woman is a real life friend of the woman who put the PP post up. I couldn’t help but think that some of the rude comments made by Catholics were easier said than they would be IRL because there was the veil of the internet there…whereas the pro-choice woman, who owns a local restaurant, was putting her thoughts out publically for many local friends to read, (since the woman who posted the original post has hundreds of local FB friends). Several of my local Catholic friends also thought that many of the Catholic comments were a poor representation of neighborly love. I know because they approached me in person, and said they felt bad that they didn’t dare post anything out of fear of the Catholic women turning on them unfairly too. This can’t be a good thing, you know what I mean?