Have You Tried the Napkin Trick? (The Patrick Madrid Show)

If you have ever engaged in a debate with a Protestant, you may have become frustrated because of a difference in their interpretation of Scripture. They might look at a passage in the Bible much differently than you do. They might also have a personal resentment for teachings of the Catholic Church. Don't give up, though. Check out this helpful tip from Patrick Madrid that could lead them into the faith! Patrick recounts a significant experience from the early 1990s when he was working at Catholic Answers. He was invited to a discussion by two Calvinist Protestants after a talk he gave at a parish. The Protestants challenged Patrick's Catholic teachings, particularly about Mary, accusing him of misinterpreting the Bible. Patrick engaged in a frustrating conversation with them at a Denny's, where they continued to dismiss his biblical references. There was a lot of disagreement without a lot of understanding or openness on the part of the Protestants. To demonstrate the complexity of interpretation, Patrick wrote the phrase "I never said you stole money" on a napkin. He explained how this simple sentence could have multiple meanings depending on the emphasis on different words. This exercise illustrated the difficulty in confidently interpreting even a simple sentence, let alone the Bible's complex texts. This encounter didn’t immediately change their minds, but six months later, one of the Calvinists, who was an ex-Catholic, approached Patrick at another event. He shared that the "napkin trick" had a profound impact on him, prompting him to explore the teachings of the early Church Fathers. This exploration led him to recognize their Catholic beliefs and ultimately brought him back to the Catholic Church, despite losing his friend's companionship.