I spend a fair amount of time sharing inspirational posters and quotes on my personal Facebook account. I’m actually learning how to create them myself now – it’s quite fun. The other day I shared a poster from K-LOVE regarding Psalm 14:1. The comment I received was unexpected and very pointed, not to mention a direct attack on my faith and me, personally.
We Catholics know we’re called to defend our faith at any time. God expects there to be a mini-apologist in each one of us. Fortunately, a few months earlier I’d done some casual study of apologetics and grown to admire those, like Patrick Madrid, Jimmy Akin, and Patrick Coffin who are so well informed and able to relate our faith to Protestants, non-Christians, and atheists alike. Now I would have my opportunity to let the Lord use me to spread his saving word by gracefully responding to a Facebook friend and college alum’s attack. For the above-mentioned apologists, this would be another day at the office. For me, this was uncharted territory – big stuff in the life of young Catholic.
Psalm 14:1 is a rather strongly worded statement, directed not just at atheists but also at those who believe yet turn away from the truth through their sin. (I dare say that’s everybody at one time or another.) Below I quote the New American Standard version although what I shared on Facebook was taken from the New Living Translation.
The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.
Kapow! That one hits right between the eyes. I could understand why my friend was offended and the example he gave was thought provoking, to say the least. A friend of his is an atheist and she spent a week, unpaid, organizing relief efforts for Superstorm Sandy victims. “Backbreaking work” as he put it. Now I was declaring, through God’s word, that her acts were evil, vile, corrupt, or abominable (depending on the version of the Bible you choose). Not only that, but I was saying nothing she did, and nothing she does is good.
At first, he accused me of spreading hate. I guess that’s what got me upset the most. Who wants to be accused of spreading hate? This is especially tough to swallow for we Christians since our faith is completely centered on love. Just look at Matthew 22:36-40, for example…
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
As I was preparing my response, all I could think of were those other Facebook posts I’d seen where a Christian comments about homosexuality being a sin or abortion being murder and all of sudden World War III breaks loose.
“Why do you hate gays?”
“Stop hating women! Stop trying to control our reproductive systems!”
I asked God to help me calm down and let my words be His. I presented a strong argument, in my estimation, of why this psalm had nothing to do with hate. I reminded my college friend that God loves everyone, even those who crucified his Son. I guess that ended the hate discussion only for the argument to return to the psalm itself and how acts that brought obvious benefit to many people could be considered “evil”. He posed three questions and asked me to reply, yes or no. All these questions had already been answered by the psalm and the earlier discussion. I was being backed into a corner not unlike a certain Nazorean.
Surreal, that’s what it was. I had been transported back to the time of Jesus’ ministry and all those times Jesus found himself debating the Pharisees on all matters of the law. Ironic that I’d watched Jesus of Nazareth only days earlier. Perhaps not so ironic, if you know what I mean.
How would I answer this time? I’d literally and figuratively, “shaken the dust from my feet” with my last comment. What was the discussion really about? Well, in all the arguments or discussions I’d ever had up to this point, the object was to WIN! The ideal outcome was the other person saying, “You’re right, I’m wrong. I’m on your side now.” You know how many times the ideal outcome has occurred in my lifetime?
Still waiting…
God doesn’t win or lose. He’s the beginning and the end. The truth is His truth. God doesn’t play to win because he’s not in competition with anyone. This couldn’t be about winning or losing. I had to let go of my desire to be victorious. I had to let go of my desire to see him drop everything and open his heart to Jesus. In fact, I’d even emailed a well-known apologist to get his thoughts on the situation. His response…”only the thirsty will drink.” Exactly what I needed to hear.
After letting go of my desire to have the last word and “win” the argument I simply let my college friend know that I wouldn’t be backed into a corner the same way Jesus was. The true meaning of this Psalm and the texts supporting it is out there, available for anyone to ascertain if they so wish. I could say nothing more than had already been said. And that was that…
I don’t know that apologetics is my calling and I’m ok with not knowing. What I do know is that when the Lord needs me again to defend the faith, he can call on me and I’ll be there.
Blessings,