Pope Francis: Even Atheists are Redeemed

reply to post by NewAgeMan


His is a good story, isn't it? It's really too bad that more religious leaders don't come to the same conclusion.

I'm glad you enjoyed that little documentary!

reply to post by TheGreazel


No need to apologize, it was an honest mistake, and like I said, sarcasm is hard to see over the internet.

You must remember that when he returns many will chose hell and won't want to face the lord and many will have the mark and all your accounts will be veiwed by the faithful as they stood by as many people bashed what they believed and the others that swayed a person from the real truth for their own truth will not see heaven.

reply to post by WarriorOfLight96


Anyone who takes pleasure in the notion that they alone are saved and part of an exclusive club with the others and the rest outcast and sent to hell is not a person of Godly love, no matter how "good" or "faithful" they've been.

What a sad and utterly pathetic position to take, particularly in the name of Jesus Christ.

It's no longer workable that kind of theology and it must be rejected, and if Jesus was here he'd have a few things to say about it I'm sure, and it wouldn't be too kind and gentle on the so-called "faithful" who think everyone else is going to hell.

reply to post by NewAgeMan


I never once said I pleasured that I was saved and its all of you that say this and its for Yeshau to decide and not I and I wouldnt take the word of a man to say Im forgiven to make feel happy. If a person never knew the lord than its his fruit he will judged on and its Christians who will be judged the hardest.

reply to post by NewAgeMan

Dear NewAgeMan,

I hope you'll forgive me for merely expanding on your thought, I don't have much original to offer.

Anyone who takes pleasure in the notion that they alone are saved and part of an exclusive club with the others and the rest outcast and sent to hell is not a person of Godly love, no matter how "good" or "faithful" they've been.

There is so much of substance in that sentence, I suppose a book could be written about it.

In general terms, taking pleasure in someone else's suffering is a bad and twisted thing. It's fine to celebrate when justice is done, such as in a murder case, but to be happy that a person will spend the rest of his life suffering in jail, seems wrong to me. Often the two are linked, so we have to search our hearts to make sure our motives are sound.

Believing that one is saved, as in being guaranteed a place in Heaven, is not part of my belief system. I may hope that I will be, I may strive for that outcome, but a guarantee? Not for me. I know some feel that way, and I can't condemn them as much as I might be critical of their thinking, but that's their decision to make.

It's even sillier (and more dangerous to the soul) to say that one knows that another is condemned to Hell. C. S. Lewis, in one of his Narnia books, tells the children that we are only told our own stories and no one else's. God alone knows our personal story, and God alone passes final judgment. We can't know another's life, or what was in their heart when that life ended. Judging someone, knowing little to nothing about their heart, is beyond folly.

I am willing to say to someone, "What you've done or said makes me think you're on a dangerous path. Reconsider what you're doing and make sure you get right with God." I think a situation might arise when I could get up the courage to say "If you keep doing that you're in danger of Hell." But beyond that, we're in territory forbidden to mere mortals.

Far better to say to the sinner, "You look like you're hurting, how can I help?"

With respect,
Charles1952

reply to post by korathin


I hadn't heard of the Revelation of Peter, thanks. Based on a cursory assessment, it looks to be from a different author than the Biblical Peter. The sentence structure and word choices are different, the list of specific punishments for specific sins seems right out of the Divine Comedy, and of course, theologically, it does not match up at all. I can see why it was cut.