It’s Sunday morning and I’m here debating whether or not to shut down this blog. It was originally intended as an online way to journey, to share my life real and honest with others. I did the same with my secular blog except that it was clothed in anonymity and prose. And although people flocked to it, it was mired in pain and sin and God wiped it clean when I came out of the water, when I was free.
As my blog journey has continued, it has taken me so many unexpected places. It has brought people back into my life who I hadn’t spoken to in many years, it has allowed others to reach out to me who have been sexually abused and asked me for prayer. It brought me to the Catholic church and allowed me to free myself from some of the bondage I still suffered from, namely people pleasing. There has been so much refinement and blessing. Honesty will do that- allow God to mold and shape you into who He wants you to be.
But lately as I journey on, I see a sad trend in Christian writers who feel bashing Catholics, posting derogatory articles about Catholics, or making seemingly “harmless” arguments masquerading in “doctrine” about Catholics on the rise. Many of the blogs I used to read, I cannot read anymore. And you might say, well say something! Yes I could do that. But then I would have to quit my job and my family to have the adequate amount of time to lovingly tell people to cease and desist hating Jesus.
The typical arguments I receive are:
“Oh well you’ve only been saved for a little over two years” (Not sure where Jesus stated a requirement for how long one needs to be saved before talking about Him, help me out here people…)
“You didn’t go to seminary so you don’t know your doctrine” (Ummm, ok well the same bible you’re reading tells me that I actually don’t have to go to seminary to do that. But oh that’s right, Jesus went to your alma mater, forgive me!).
“Look at the sexual abuse that’s occurred in the Catholic Church and you want to go there?” (Oh yeah that’s right, only priests sexually abuse children, duh!)
“Catholics believe in tradition and don’t read the bible like we do.” (Oh yes that’s right. Let’s completely forget the first Christians were Jews who came out of synagogue with ummmm traditions and reading of scripture out loud before the whole congregation. Shhh let’s just flush that and start again our way, the right way!).
There are so many more that if I wrote all of them down this post would become a novel. Suffice it to say I’m over it, way over it. So over it that I am embarrassed for the non-believers out there including militant atheists who read some of this stuff. I am not quite sure in a hurt and dying world why people would feel it is their “job” to proselytize (or their version of it, I call it bashing, but tomato, tomatoe, right?) Catholics. And don’t get me started on about one billion other topics that Christians write about out here which wouldn’t even lead my dog to the Lord.
So as I mull over my decision to leave this blog, I’d say to all of you Christian bloggers who are using your space to hate on Catholics, please in the name of Jesus take that stuff down. Hello, we have work to do out here! And just so you know rather than it “converting” me into another non-Catholic denomination it’s hurting me and making me run the other way, all the way into possibly shutting down this blog. Maybe some other Catholics won’t tell you how they feel, but I will. Because I was one of you before becoming one of them. And what you’re doing is not love, it’s not love at all. And some of you have completely missed what the gospel message is all about.
Honesty is something, huh?
(Thanks my friend for the song. Hard to listen to but, I did, and I needed it. And you know, others do to.)
Church Set Free 
Not sure that “Like” was an appropriate “Amen” for this post, so I want to be clear that I am not endorsing cessation of blogging. I, too, am Catholic. My foster father was a Jesuit, and those are the roots of my own spirituality. I have since become “heterodox”, recognizing sheep of diverse folds, without ever abandoning or abnegating my origins. I too, grieve the misunderstanding of so many… often subject to second-, third-, or fourth- hand information about the Catholic faith. It’s been my joy, for a very long time, to “bridge that gap” of understanding among different mansions in Our Father’s house.
So, just let me encourage you… enjoy the role of bridging, and let the barbs and arrows pass you by. There are those who rejoice in divisiveness and criticism. And then, there’s those of us who rejoice in the fun of being part of this Family of God.
I enjoy your writing, Melissa. I’d miss it if absent!
Grace to you! — LM
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I think it helps me so much to talk about things, and for me seeing my words on black and white holds me accountable while at the same time lets me be honest and free. I’ve been holding this inside for a long time, and although this blog isn’t exactly “private” it allows me to share my private thoughts publicly which I know not everyone has been called to do. I am obviously growing and I recognize that. As soon as I wrote the post I felt a great release, as I do so often when I am honest.
Love you-M
LikeLiked by 1 person
Melissa, I pray you don’t give up your blog. As LM says, you are a bridge, and a needed one at that. Your words are important and need to be said.
“Christians” who hate Christians are not Christians at all. They do not follow Jesus. They do not love one another; they do not reach out in grace and mercy. They do not inspire or countenance compassion. They withhold. We both know withholding was not Jesus. Jesus was extravagant. And as long as we have breath and pens and tongues and keyboards, we must fight this battle against the enemy of hate, division and exclusion.
Jesus asked for love and unity. We are his sisters and servants. Take heart. He hears and sees all. He is uplifting you even now, my friend.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Just makes me so sad. I also have to allow myself to unfollow anything that is not the message of the gospel, I mean we are supposed to be following Jesus, right? It’s still part of my people pleasing refinement and my inability to express how I really feel sometimes. I do take things to heart, so while others can simply skip over readings and chalk them up to stupidity or disregard for Jesus, I am affected by them which is just part of the way God gave me. Yes, I have a lot of growing to do. But I also realize I don’t have to force myself to be the savior of the world, and I have to let Him be Him.
Thanks for always letting me be me in Him. Love you- M
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m right there with you. I have chosen to follow certain blogs as well, especially those that foment arguments and division in their comments section. That is definitely not what Jesus told us to do. It is certainly disregard for Jesus, though rather than stupidity, I think it is worship of self. I think it is a choice people make to place oneself above God.
Unfortunately, those who follow such people come from a place of fear and ignorance – they simply don’t know any better, and they follow the loudest voices, and as result become idol worshipers. The apostle Paul warned about minimizing the message of Jesus and replacing him with messages of those who preach a different gospel. That’s what occurs with people who place leaders above the One who told us to love each other and to offer mercy before sacrifices (the law).
We all have growing to do because He’s not finished with us – if we thought we were, we would be placing ourselves in those leader’s positions. As we humble ourselves before Him, we stay tethered to His heart.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dear Melissa, I have been guided twice to shut down my writing. On both occasions (and with much needed hindsight) it was because I have fallen in love with my writing/blogging rather than listening/loving. On both occasions, having “heard again” the guidance was to continue writing.
Same with connecting with other bloggers. When I stop listening I miss those He brings. Of the trillions of bloggers and real people He does the legwork for me.
Reading your gripes made me chuckle. They don’t all agree with me? How can this be? They don’t all see what I see in the label of Roman Catholicism? They call themselves Christians and don’t love as I do? They argue and bicker and bitch and bemoan? For real???
You are you. For a reason. And until He makes it very clear your work here is done – know this. Your work is not yet done. And all that “good stuff” about what and who God is (and is not)? I prefer to lean on the side of Love. And Love is so much more inclusive. And inclusivity treads on toes.
If He says stop – stop. It will be for a very good reason. Until then … ?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hear you TODAY, ALL OF IT. Love you brother…
M
LikeLike
The blog is still here so I guess you decided not to stop. I’m glad for selfish reasons because I wouldn’t have found you otherwise. There must be plenty of converts to Catholicism out there but you are the first one I’ve found on WordPress (not that I’ve been looking in earnest). I’m currently taking instruction so that I can be baptised. I’ve lived in Ireland for the last 15 years and pretty much everyone around me was raised in the Catholic faith. It’s nice to come across someone who knows what it’s like to convert later in life. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Before this blog, I actually had another one and I wrote this post while I was writing for that blog. The blog had fulfilled its purpose in that what I thought was God allowing me to write after twenty years turned into me being called to the Catholic faith. It was completely unexpected as I had been a Protestant for about two years and didn’t even know a Catholic! I shut down the blog at the Lord’s prompting as I knew that journey had ended, and just recently began this new blog which seems to have a different focus entirely for me. Who know what God will do with it this time around, but my heart is to see people find true happiness and peace in God and be able to sustain that through Him in their everyday lives.
I am also in RCIA and will be confirmed in the Easter Vigil in April as I have received all of my other sacraments. I am so excited for you! Our priest in Irish and I love him so, and he has welcomed my family with open arms.
May God bless your journey! You can always email me at theressomethingaboutmarywrites@gmail.com. I love chatting about our faith. It was actually through a series of emails and book reccomendations through a fellow blogger that God led me to the Catholic church, so you never know what He has in store!
God bless-
M
LikeLike
Thank you for so generously inviting me to email you. I’m going to do so as soon as I sign off here…
God bless you also 🙂 ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person