Salvation for sale? Nope! No soliciting here!
Hello friends!
This is my second attempt at posting this newsletter, so please forgive me if you’ve received it more than once. I appears that whenever I point a post to drop into the “Apologetics” section of my Substack website, that the post only goes to a handful of readers (and I have three of those accounts! Lol!) If any of you know why that happens, I welcome your advice and any solutions. :)
Here is my original post:
Not long ago, I entered a Reddit conversation in r/Protestantism with a simple, sincere comment. I wasn’t trying to debate or convert—just to offer perspective. What followed was a sharp response filled with sarcasm, accusation, and sweeping generalizations about the Catholic Church.
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I chose to engage (yes, with the occasional “Righteous Outrage” that I sometimes have to control), not to fight, but to defend the truth for those who might be quietly watching. This exchange isn’t about winning an argument. It’s about being faithful in the public square, especially when it’s uncomfortable. Below is the actual dialogue, with my replies exactly as I posted them.
The Critic:
Imagine if we Protestants lurked around r/Catholicism like you guys do here looking to convert people to your side any chance you get.
Me:
I’d say: Imagine if all Christians were not committed to lurking anywhere, but instead, pursuing understanding, knowledge, and the fullness of truth. That said, what brings you around here yourself?
The Critic:
Really? So you're open to leaving your Papism and accept the Reformation as a necessary correction to the Church? Or no, you're really just trying to convince people here to join your church. That said, what brings you around here yourself? Because I'm a Protestant and this is r/Protestantism. Not r/ConvertMeToRome.
Me:
My friend.... I do not have any intention to "convert" anybody! That's a role way too big for me! That said, God is the one in charge of conversions. That's a job for "Upper Management". I'm just in sales.
As for the Reformation? The Church is always in need of reform. Hearts need healing all the time, especially when selfishness and misinformation is shared on purpose throughout the world. For me.... I'm not Catholic because I like stained glass windows and the smell of incense. I am Catholic because the Catholic Church is the Church started by Christ and it contains the fullness of truth. And it's because of that, that I seek personal reformation, or I should say, "transformation" every single day.
The Critic (mocking):
I see. Well maybe we should put up a “No Soliciting” sign. Salvation for sale. Seems nothing has changed with you guys.
Me:
“Salvation for sale”? That’s a tired accusation and a misrepresentation. The Church doesn’t sell salvation—she offers grace through Christ, not merchandise. Yes, some people in history failed. So did reformers. Sin is human. Truth is divine.
I’m not here to solicit anything. I’m here because truth matters—and someone reading this might actually be searching for it beneath the noise and sarcasm that comes from some people who appear to be "threatened by truth".
And if they are, they deserve better than slogans.
The Critic (escalating):
Yes, I expected some sanctimoniousness in reply. Again, this would never be tolerated were the reverse to happen, one of us jumping in seemingly every thread in r/Catholicism calling folks to join our side. Forget sarcastic replies, they'd just delete our posts and ban us. Guess what though. We have the Gospel, and the joy of our salvation in Christ who has redeemed us from our sins through grace alone. Our trust is in Christ, not your pontiff. Imagine if you could put this much effort into preaching the Gospel to those who are lost instead of trying to snatch up Christians to leave their churches and join yours instead.
Me:
Sanctimonious? You opened by accusing Catholics of lurking to poach souls and ended with a victory lap about having the true Gospel while taking shots at the pope. If you were aiming for charity, you missed.
You say this kind of thing wouldn’t be tolerated on r/Catholicism. But let me ask—would a Catholic jumping into r/Protestantism with humility and sincere questions be banned just for being Catholic? Or would he be banned for doing what you’re doing right now—mocking, misrepresenting, and accusing people of bad faith? Because there’s a difference. And you're making it textbook!
You say you have the Gospel and joy in Christ. I believe you. But if that’s true, why does it sound like you’re defending territory instead of sharing good news? Why the need to make caricatures instead of have conversations? Why does being threatened by truth appear to be what drives you instead of truth and reason?
As for putting effort into preaching the Gospel to the lost... believe it or not, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Some people are lost, not because they don’t love Jesus, but because they don’t know the fullness of what He gave us. And if one of them happens to be reading through this thread, I’ll gladly keep showing up and pointing toward the Church He founded. I invite questions and discussion, not animosity and rudeness.
You don’t have to like it. But you could at least try to "witness" instead of wage war.
And by the way, I didn't ask anyone to "join" any side! Stop misrepresenting the truth! Oh wait... that's your specialty, isn't it! My responses, unlike yours to me, have been nothing other than sincere and rooted in Christian virtue. Where is that in your example?
Follow-Up Note to Readers
What I didn’t include in my public comments—but want to say clearly to you, my readers—is this:
I entered that space with humility, not hostility. And the irony of being accused of “lurking to convert” while participating respectfully in a thread they made public speaks volumes. No one likes being challenged, especially when it touches something sacred. But when someone replaces substance with sarcasm and turns truth into a threat, what’s really being revealed is fear, not faith.
This wasn’t about him. It was about everyone else watching from the sidelines, silently wondering if the Catholic Church is what they’ve been missing. And if even one soul is stirred to think again—about grace, about the Church, about Christ—then I’ll gladly keep showing up.
And yes, I believe the Catholic Church contains the fullness of truth—not in a triumphalist way, but in a deeply humbling way. That belief compels me not to dominate conversations, but to extend invitations.
I’m positive my exchange with “The Critic” is not complete, though I am doubtful that anything fruitful will follow. This is one of those examples, however, of encountering people in cyber-space who are not really interested in exploring truth and faith, but rely on being the loudest voice in order to control and dominate. I’m not afraid of that. None of us should be. Truth is never threatened. Even when scars remind us of difficult moments in our history, the Church is strong, and it stands on the Rock; and nothing will overcome it, not even the “gates of hell”. Sharing this with you is a reminder to me that responding with charity is the goal. Sometimes challenged, yes, but still the goal. Because that’s where the real strength of any argument lives!
Until next time! Peace and blessings!
Shalom!
-John Henry