Theme Will Catholic themes be met with hostility?

Greetings! New member here, but that's beside the point. I'm worrying about whether or not Catholic themes will be met with hostility? I was going to post a piece of my writing on Reddit for critique but... they're very hostile towards anything Christian. And I started to wonder if the rest of the reading world is? I have a story called "The Homeless Man Is My Brother," it's about a young boy and an old homeless man. Louis, the young boy, stumbles across Herbert, the homeless man. Louis gives him his sandwich and from there the friendship starts.

I have a plan to make Louis invite Herbert to Church, and Herbert slowly regains his faith. (Herbert is a homeless veteran, who has bad memories from war and left the faith wondering how God could allow him to live a terrible life) and yeah... Catholic themes about love, kindness, helping the needy, etc.

I'm just afraid to be made fun of. I'm not going to publish, of course. I'm far too young. I'm just planning to post my stories online. I'm just writing for fun, honestly. What do you think?

 

I'd say on the internet in general you'll probably run into a lot of hostility. Though it probably depends on what kinds of sites you post to. Places like Reddit will blast it to shreds. Here we're very welcoming, as long as someone is here to talk about writing and/or to try to improve their craft, which it sounds like you are.

 

Sounds like an interesting and good story. I could read it if you post it on the workshop here. Remember, you need to critique two works for every piece you post.

 

Here? Probably not. People are pretty tolerant here. If the story is overly didactic or on-the-nose you might hear something about that but that goes for any theme.

As for reddit, there are Catholic sub-reddits where you would probably get a sympathetic reception.

 

Welcome, Phyllis. Not many folks around here would take kindly to seeing sister or brother writer trashed. Someone gets nasty about anything you write, hit the "Report " button and a moderator will be along to stop the nonsense, if someone else doesn't beat the mod to the punch.

There are a lot of outlets for Christian literature, and one is never too young to publish. My first short story went into print when I was around thirteen or fourteen, and people younger than that publish, too.

 

Thank you everybody! I feel very welcome here, and I will certainty use the advice given to me. God bless you all!

 

Thank you, you're so very kind! However, I just started it yesterday and working on the prologue... which admittedly has been taking a while! I might post it, we'll see. Thank you for the lovely advice.

 

Keep your presentation of the theme in mind as well. I have read some stories with religious themes where they became very preachy, which was a turn off. While on the other hand, if the theme is stated through the faith of one or more characters, it adds dimension to the character. Like most things in life, how you approach it matters.

 

On the flip side of bogart's comment.... I think even if it does become preachy, there will still be an audience for it. It may be a turn-off for some readers, but I trust that we all here will focus on the craft, not whether we agree with the content. Perhaps the intent is to preach. it sounds like the story you described is a parable (Parable of the Good Samaritan comes to mind) and parables to me are just preachy stories.

 

As the others have said, I don't think Catholic themes will be met with hostility. It all depends how you present the theme.

Let's see: I think, from what you said, that the theme is "Charity and kindness can help overcome negativity and hostility". It's certainly a worthy theme.

So it's possible -- for instance -- to write a story where the young man and the homeless veteran are polar opposites: the young man (call him "A") is kind, charitable and good; the homeless veteran (call him "B") is jealous, mean and evil. Without some factor to redeem character B, or influence character A, they don't come across as human beings, but as unrealistic cardboard cut-outs. That's not what you want.

Let's say that character B left the faith not just because of his own memories, but because he had always suffered from the faith: his father was a "spoil the rod"-type who disciplined his son mercilessly, and hardly ever showed him love or understanding. The chaplain in the army was inexperienced (his first post, maybe?) and flustered, and didn't know how to reach out to a vulnerable teenager. Character B was wounded in combat and invalided out of the army, but he suffered from nightmares and memories of his dying friends, and couldn't hold down a job, so he became homeless. (Yes, it's tragic, but plenty of homeless people were like this, especially after Vietnam).

Let's also say that character A -- your young man -- doesn't understand why B is so hostile to the faith. He tries, and he tries, but B is resisting, so A becomes impatient, and starts shouting. An argument starts -- tempers flare -- and A raises his hand to strike at B ...

Afterwards, A is remorseful. What have I said? What have I done? I should have turned the other cheek, and listened to this man, offer him an understanding ear. Instead ... etc.

He goes back to B, and apologises: "I was wrong. I shouldn't have lost my temper. Please forgive me."

B also apologises: "I was also wrong. You offered me your food and a place to stay, but I rejected you."

The story ends with both of them starting again. Perhaps there is hope after all.

Thus, both A and B end up learning and growing as characters (and as human beings always do -- or at least should).
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Oh my! I'm so sorry, it seems I wrote a sample plot for you. *blush* I'm sure you have your own ideas and your own story. Please feel free to do anything you like - take the above plot, or any ideas from it, or completely reject it and tell me to mind my own business. I don't mind! I only hope you found my ramblings helpful.

 

If a story is beautiful and intrigues me, I would read it regardless of religion.
If a story is good, and I like it, I read it.
I like your story, and I'm not Christian.
Write it, don't stop

 

I apologize, I don't know why the Smiles has become an attachment.

 

The best antidote against being made fun of is not taking yourself too seriously in the first place. ;o)
Now, anything religion related is going to be met with some sort of hostility... Let me rephrase that: Anything will be met with some sort of hostility.
Write a story about fluffy bunnies hopping merrily in a grassy field, and someone will make a point about how dangerous it is for bunnies to hop in a field unprotected. As soon as you start using words, people will have an opinion about them. It's all about figuring out who has genuine criticism, and who is just convinced their opinion is fact. Smart money is on assuming the latter.

Your sentence also suggests you're too young to publish. Why? You're clearly able to spell, and I assume you have a story to tell. If you build something that you're proud of, don't let something as trivial as age stop you from giving it to the world.
Either way, as long as writing stays fun for you, you're good.

 

I’m a Catholic writer too. I’ve been subjected to severe criticism over it, because modern culture is very anti-Christian. I’ve learned to enjoy it, because if I were liked by the kind of people who hate Catholic themes, it would mean I was doing something wrong. I think it would help you to read some of my work (the link in my signature) for inspiration. This isn’t to self-promote, but to pass on something I found helpful. One of my influences, Georges Brassens (the man in my avatar), was hated for writing off-color and anti-authoritarian lyrics, to the point where most of his songs were banned by every radio station in France (this was in the 1950s), yet before long, he became as known and admired in France as the Beatles in the English-speaking world. His music encourages me to write fearlessly.

Some of my poems are so hated by my detractors that one of them is still fuming about one that was published over a year ago (“Two Empty Chairs”). He’s still getting his writings against me (and against the other big names at the Society of Classical Poets) published by his friend who runs a popular left-wing poetry site. I consider it an honor, because it shows how well-known I am in the poetry world and how much of an impact I have on my readers.

Also, I have plenty of readers who, by their own admission, have a worldview opposite from mine, yet they tell me they enjoy my poetry. Just as Brassens was an anarchist and openly an adulterer, yet I love his music.

One more thing: use a pen name. Otherwise employers could search your real name and find your poetry.

 

If people make fun of you for writing about Christian themes, that's their problem. They are not good people. Just in the same way that if I wrote Pagan themed things, which I do, because I am, and people made fun of me for it- they are bad people. Faith in something isn't a bad thing and I wish people would understand that religion, in whatever form, has meaning to people.

So, write what you want and I know that being unjustly yelled at by internet people hurts. It really does, but you have to be true to yourself and your thoughts.

 

As an ex-Catholic, my perspective would probably be different from one of the faithful. But it would depend on the theme, I think. If you're depicting something like pedophilia, be sure to ground it in things that have actually happened, and explain how that practice would have been against the religion's dogma even if was practiced, and even condoned in a way, by the Church.

On the other hand, several Catholics had a problem with Dan Brown's treatment of Opus Dei in The Da Vinci Code because it took a very fringe aspect of it (self-flagellation) and made it seem mainstream to the organization.

You could say much the same for Scientology, with some people defending it and others (including ex-members) castigating it. Again, be sure that your sources tell both sides of the story, so you can determine for yourself which story you wish to shape.

 

I read about some greenish-blue planet called "Urth" or something. Seems the inhabitants there could use your help.

 

"Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal who has the True Religion --several of them."
--Mark Twain (of course)