Pope Francis: Even Atheists are Redeemed

The Catholic church is now accepting atheists! And you don't even have to convert!
www.huffingtonpost.com...

Pope Francis declared that atheists that "do good deeds" will go to heaven, upsetting a lot of conservative Catholics, not to mention the fundamental Christian Protestants that may take issue with his sweeping acceptance of the evil atheists!

Good news?

Pope Francis said:

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! 'Father, the atheists?' Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there."

(rebuttal here) www.policymic.com...

Is Pope Francis compromising by emulating St Paul in being all things to all people for his cause? Is he creating a fatal division in the church? Or, is this the new advent that the church needs to recreate itself as the spiritual authority for planet earth and beyond?

Personally, I think that if you're a Christian and if you believe that Jesus was successful in his mission, then certainly, all are saved. If even one soul goes to hell, he has failed. NO MAN LEFT BEHIND!

Awesome!! EPICNESS!

I'm going to heaven

reply to post by Casualboy100



Whew!
What a relief, huh?!

reply to post by windword


Aaah! Man, I just can't catch a break. I was really looking forward to going to hell....all my friends are going to be there.

This isn't gonna make me a believer or anything, but I gotta say...I'm impressed. It's my natural inclination to believe all leaders of organized religions are swindling power mongers. But the last few things I've heard about this pope are fairly positive.

I mean, he's still the grand poobah of the booby-hatch or whatever, but he seems to be moving his flock in the correct direction...I guess.

reply to post by windword


Where the heck has a pope like this been for the last 1,000 years or so?! I'm really digging this guy.

I wouldn't be surprised if the real "pope is the antiChrist" conspiracies start sprouting up. Exclusivity is what appeals to many Christians. If others aren't going to hell, heaven just won't be as fun for some folks.

Originally posted by XLR8R
I was really looking forward to going to hell....all my friends are going to be there.

There is NOTHING to look forward to in hell...

There is only torment there.

Pope Francis is in for one HELL of a surprise.

"Then the Lord took me to a place where there was a very well-known man. Before now, I used to live as an ignorant young christian. I used to think that any person that died would go to Heaven; that those who celebrated mass would also go to heaven, but I was wrong. When Pope John Paul II died, my friends and relatives would tell me that he had gone to heaven. All the news on TV and other media would say: “Pope John Paul II has died, may his soul rest in peace. He is now rejoicing with the Lord and his angels in heaven” and I believed all of it.

But I was only fooling myself, because I saw him in Hell, being tormented by flames. I looked at his face and recognized him. The Lord said to me, “Look, daughter, that man that you see there, is Pope John Paul II. He is here in this place being tormented because he did not repent.”

But I asked, “Lord, why is he here? He used to preach at church.” Jesus replied: “Daughter, no fornicator, no idolater, no one who is greedy and no liar will inherit My Kingdom.” (Ephesians 5:5). I replied, “Yes, I know that is true, but I would like to know why he is here, because he used to preach to multitudes of people!”

And Jesus responded, “Yes, daughter, he may have said many things, but he would never speak the truth as it is. He never said the truth. Although he knew the truth, he preferred money over preaching about salvation. He never told the truth; he would not say that hell is real and that heaven also exists. Daughter, now he is here in this place.”

Pope John Paul II in Hell

YouTube - Pope John Paul II is in Hell

reply to post by Malynn


I've been quite skeptical of this Pope, kicking off his "red shoes", washing young inmates feet........but, I have to say that I too am impressed, this time.

Finally, someone of authority taking the wind out of the sails of Catholic street corner preachers who are preaching division, hell and damnation!

I dont know... Did anybody catch the Frank O’Collins - The Rise of Nihilism & The Apex of World Control show on Red Ice Radio?

Frank discussed this sort of stuff in detail, he said that Nihilism and Atheism were being nefariously promoted. This doesnt strike me as a necessarily peaceful play from the Pope. A clever one maybe, one that seems good at face value but secretly serves the wishes of his Jesuit Masters the Knights of Malta?

I dont know if this is true Im simply putting it out there as a question, and a possibility, after listening to the show on RedIce Radio.

reply to post by Murgatroid


Perhaps Pope John Paul II is in Hell because he refused to believe that his God, Jesus, was successful, and, for preaching that atheists are all going to hell.

Originally posted by windword
Pope Francis declared that atheists that "do good deeds" will go to heaven,]

That's not what he said.
He was saying that athiests who do good things have a good moral center and will eventually come to believe. That's what I get from the full text. And he's correct .... EVERYONE is redeemed. Jesus redeemed everyone. But its up to each of us to accept or reject redemption.

This is true and what I have been saying and it's those who believe who will be judged the hardest, I know a lot of good people that don't believe and it's all in the way you treat others for you. This why the mark of the beast will come because if you take it you won't be forgiven because you will worship the beast and most won't even know it.

Originally posted by FlyersFan

Originally posted by windword
Pope Francis declared that atheists that "do good deeds" will go to heaven,]

That's not what he said.
He was saying that atheists who do good things have a good moral centre and will eventually come to believe. That's what I get from the full text. And he's correct .... EVERYONE is redeemed. Jesus redeemed everyone. But its up to each of us to accept or reject redemption.

If this is the case then it seems a fair point, If you believe in God it seems natural to think everyone would eventually be led also to god by good deeds. However some people (my ex for instance) do many good deeds and are joyous people but get very angry in defence of atheism, and wont believe in parallel dimensions with pixie people in them etc...

reply to post by FlyersFan

That's not what he said. He was saying that athiests who do good things have a good moral center and will eventually come to believe. That's what I get from the full text. And he's correct .... EVERYONE is redeemed. Jesus redeemed everyone. But its up to each of us to accept or reject redemption.

Wishful thinking. Not everyone will come to believe.

Pope Francis, in his quote, said nothing about atheists needing to change their mind to be redeemed. He said, "do good deeds, and we will meet one another there." Period.

Not, "Do good deeds and Christ will change you." Or "... and you will believe." etc.

I really like what I have heard about this pope!

I've seen the bumper sticker that says "God bless the whole world - no exceptions" and I often wish more people felt that way. But it seems most are too busy finding fault with those who don't behave or believe within some narrowly defined religious structure (created by man).

Good for the pope. Everyone means everyone.

Originally posted by windword
Wishful thinking. Not everyone will come to believe.

Wishful thinking on his part.

Pope Francis, in his quote, said nothing about atheists needing to change their mind to be redeemed. He said, "do good deeds, and we will meet one another there."

That's what I got reading between the lines of his quote. That IF an athiest did good, then they'd come to understand and be guided to 'the truth' and therefore would make it to heaven.

You could be right that he was saying 'good deeds get you to heaven'.
But really ... I'm not seeing it saying it that way.
(and it could be something lost in translation ... )

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I really like what I have heard about this pope!

Ditto. I do too. I really didn't like the last one. This one is a breath of fresh air.
Catholic rumor control says that Pope Francis may be lifting the requirement that
priests can't get married. It's a rumor but if it's true then that will completely
change the face and the flavor of the Catholic faith.

reply to post by FlyersFan

Originally posted by FlyersFan
It's a rumor but if it's true then that will completely
change the face and the flavor of the Catholic faith.

And they could use a face lift!

I don't agree with all the pope's positions, of course, but he seems genuinely concerned about the people, like a pope should be. A caring, loving, fatherly figure. Not a mean, vengeful, exclusionary jerk.

Here's a comedic reaction from the self proclaimed "America's most famous Catholic", and the "Pope of Cable TV," Steven Colbert:

Colbert: If atheists can go to heaven, I want my Catholicism refunded

Was all that time on his knees as an altar boy for nothing? he asked. All the standing and sitting and kneeling every Sunday? Ash Wednesday, in which, he said, that smudge on his forehead, he thought, was “the hand-stamp for Club Heaven?”

“After busting my apse in the vineyard of the Lord,” he said, “some godless good guy can just swoop in at the eleventh hour and and get redeemed? I want a refund!”

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Indeed. Honestly I think that may be my number one pet peeve with Christianity. I have many but that one sticks out the most. Jesus was pretty damn clear about Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged, Turn The Other Cheek, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven, etc. Yet for whatever reason all the christians I know and many I don't seem to spend a good deal of their lives judging other people and looking down their noses at them. I'm pretty sure if Jesus actually existed and was around to be horrified by the religion created in his name he'd add "Truly I tell you, it would be hard for a Christian to enter the Kingdom of Heaven".