People who think bears are simply cute and fuzzy, please heed this word of caution.

Talk to someone who has seen what a bear can do to a salmon as it's swimming peacefully upstream. Bears may look cute and fuzzy on the outside, but they can be quite destructive.

The same goes for some of today's more, “popular” religious notions. They might sound cute and fuzzy, but in reality they are quite destructive.

For example, have you ever heard someone say, “It doesn't matter what church you go to as long as you're a Christian?” If you challenge that statement, you'll provoke a strong reaction in people. This is because many Catholics as well as Protestants falsely assume that one church is just as good as another.

A good way to approach a difficult issue such as this is to follow the instructions given to us in the Bible by St. Peter himself: “Always be ready to give a reason for the hope you have but do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).

One way to show respect is to find a way to agree (at least in part) with what your challenger has said: “Yeah, Christians can learn a lot from each other, regardless of what church they go to.”

To show gentleness, try a thought provoking question. “How did you decide to go the church you attend now?” is a gentle way of getting them to reflect upon and hopefully revaluate their decision. Make sure you listen with a sincere heart. Your interest should be in the person, not in proving your point.

Hope is a third aspect of St. Peter's instruction. Share an experience that has led you to believe as a Catholic. This can be difficult. It requires a living faith driven by personal convictions. Matthew 16:13-19 is a good place to start if you're interested in deepening those convictions.

Jesus begins by telling Simon, “You are Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church.” Note that Jesus changes Simon's name to Peter. The name “Simon” is a derivative of the word Simeon which means “uncertain.” The name Peter means “rock": something solid and secure. In the Bible, a name change always signifies election or a new responsibility. For example, In Genesis 17 God changed Abram's name to Abraham and he went on to be the “father of many nations.” This is true for Peter as well. Jesus changed Simon's name to Peter and Peter went on to be the visible leader of the Church on earth.

Jesus also gives Peter “the keys to the Kingdom of heaven” and the power to “bind and loose.” Both are symbols of power and authority. In Isaiah 22 “keys” were given by the king to the prime minister who was expected to rule as a spiritual father of the people. Peter is to the Kingdom of heaven what the prime minister was to the kingdom of David. Jesus is the king who gives Peter the power to rule the Kingdom of heaven on earth (the Church) as a spiritual father.

From here it is easy to put all the pieces together. It was Christ's mission, in both his life and his death, to establish a Church. He did this through Peter and his successors. Why would we want to choose anything besides what he has already given us?

The question seems harmless enough, until you look into it.

Just like a bear does.

Christina Mills writes from Eugene, Oregon.