Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your advice and godly encouragement.  My major problem is this:  this "swine from the devil's herd" is a former christian--and in fact was so deep in the church he studied for the priesthood.  He has a minimum of 17 years of serious Bible study.  No matter how I approach him he seems to have a Biblically (sp?) based answer for me which negates my argument.
I pray daily, both for his black soul and my edification in the service of our Lord.  I seek the fellowship of the brethren on all occassions.  Unfortuantely, this heathen seems to be blessed by the "Lord of Light" in his debates with me.  I find my faith being shaken and weakened by his diabolical retorts to self-evident propositions.  For example:  how do I refute his assertion that we "glorify a judicial murder by making the Roman tool of execution our primary sign?"  Not only does this kind of speech distress me and cause me to doubt, but it causes others around us to mock our Lord and Savior.  If anyone can give me the words to speak to him that would take the fangs from this obviously Satan-inspired idea I would be eternally grateful.  ( I might even ask our Lord Christ to slip you an extra crown when we all make it to glory. )
I know the all-powerful, all-knowing God who maketh us to lie down in green pastures will send me the words...but in the meantime I could really use some Earthly help from the brethren.

Yours in Christ,
fiatlux.

Hi, brothers and sisters.  I'm a lamb newly returned to the flock after a long period of being a "prodigal son".  I find myself in a tough spot.  Having told those around me about my new devotion to the faith, inevitibly, someone has to attack me for it.
This godless person "explained" to me in very scholarly language the basis of Christianity in "human sacrifice, blood worship, and symbolic cannabalism".  (sorry to shock you--i'm quoting him as nearly as I can.)  The practical upshot of his "explanation" was that Christianity is a "deth-kult which glorifies gory murder and makes a fetish of a tool of execution"  (sorry--again, I'm quoting)
Naturally I was horrified and did my best to dispell these twisted notions.  I was not at all successful.  
Help me, please.  How can I refute these awful ideas?  

yours in Christ,
fiatlux.