Pope Francis: "Hell Does Not Exist"

To me, the problem is a historical one more than a modern one.

I do accept that in modern context Protestant churches and RCC churches probably have about the same budgets. The thing is this is historically very different. The RCC was a fabulously wealthy institution for much of its history, given the cost of just colored fabric and gold overlay back in the day. This amazing wealth was spent on ostentatious projects for Jesus and the Church when Paul and the apostles made it their ambition to give richly to the poor. The Church after Jesus ascends to heaven is one that preaches the Gospel and is richly generous, even in poverty. I cannot imagine Paul dressing like a Roman Catholic priest back in Rome. He would find some far better use for such funds by dedicating it to missions or giving it to the poor.

That said, I agree with you that the RCC now sits on an empire that is roughly equally funded per-capita to Protestants globally and that it owns historical artifacts that should be preserved. That said, I find it odd that the RCC is not selling its massive numbers of relics across the world to museums. For instance, If the RCC were to loan out such artifacts each year for a steep price, there would be continuous income for the poor and increased interest in the RCC.

 

“Just going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car.” --GK Chesterton

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”--GK Chesterton

These two quotes above are the first points I want to make.

I'm not looking for you to convert to Catholic, Steve as I stated before, I rather you just be a good Steve. What troubles me is your attitude towards atheists for example and your right to judge Pope Francis. I watch your journey and sometimes I cringe at how you are easily impressed by power or sometimes you hop over to faiths who like to step on others.

I'm thinking to myself how could you point fingers start accusing and blaming folks when a minute ago you were doing stuff you would call the folks devil worshipers.


Let me present a challenge for you. To prove to you a reliance on God.

Accusation. Blaming. Faultfinding. Criticism. The Devil is called Accuser for a good reason. Its the roots of combativeness, violence, mistrust. He's the prosecutor lawyer in your mind. Every single bad thing in your life is signed off by him. You expect the day to go bad because the devil signed off on accusation that God has more important things to do. Your going to have a tough day, because the devil signed off on an accusation that Life is about you getting beat up.

The Devil believes accusation blaming and fault finding are absolute necessary virtues to maintain in your life.


My challenge is, Drop it for a day. Don't blame, accuse, find fault or criticize anyone or anything.

Rather then you protect yourself for the day, Let God have the Job. In other words you are not allowed to worry, cause when you worry your accusing God of not being a solution. Drop the guard and let God have the guard duty.

You should not even expect suffering. To expect suffering is also accusing God of a tough day,..... so if you do suffer in anyway you should be quite surprised.

See I'm targeting your sins on the "atomic" level, they've gone on for so long, they are taken for granted.
The best weapon of evil is like worst then a stealth bomber he's the accuser who already convinced you he's your friend.

This also gives you a good idea where I am at, what my battlefield and struggle towards faith In God is like.

 

Thank you Utilyan.

My problem is that I have been taken in by many terrible deceptions over the course of my life. It is quite common in my history, especially when I was less medicated and suffering bipolar and schizophrenia. I have made it into a science at this point of how to deconvert from a position and turn entirely on those who last week were my allies. I simply used a strong muscle in the last two weeks that most people couldn't comprehend having at all.

I understand now that I am a guard dog on doctrine. Even though I am not a teacher. I will have to ruminate on this fact and get back with you.

 

Thank you for quoting all of that. As a Catholic myself I am not a fan of him, but many are quick to jump on him any chance they get. So in the end we see that there is indeed a hell and Pope Francis believes in it. Is it the firey furnace run by a red being with horns on his head as depicted many times over or perhaps something a bit different?

 

Is the R.C. church going to refund the purgatory payments?

 

Can you explain what you mean by, "I am firmly convinced by the bible that the Gospel is unreasonable"?

 

Ahhh, no they are not. You have to first disavow it first.

 

Well I'm not Catholic but you think as wise as he is he surely would have read The Divine Comedy better know as Dante's Inferno:eek:... Oh that's right he's not Italian!... Nevermind!... Brother Glen:D

 

Steve, I would challenge you to forget the RCC, Forget the Anglicans, indeed forget denomination religion altogether. Go back to the fundamentals, go back to the roots of your faith... that’s what I did and I am much happier.

 

All his ancestors were Italian

 

No! purgatory is not to keep one out of hell but a place of purification before one enters heaven.

Get with the program!

 

Let's not talk of "doctrines of demons" shall we? Other than actually believing in the Trinity, non-orthodox believing Christian sects have gotten just about everything wrong.

 

Show me that bible verse, The bible is the ultimate authority on all things.

Or are you just a LIAR?

"The teaching that a sinner is justified before God solely on the basis of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is not the complete Gospel on salvation, as the other important factor has been omitted, - REPENTANCE" --saved-by-grace

BTW great job figuring out today what we known for 2000 years. Maybe we can save you another 2000 years.

 

Yes, reason is incapable of getting us to the Gospel and accepting it. Faith, evidence of things we do not see (Hebrews 11:1), does. For evidence I will offer the following scriptures (1 Corinthians 1:18-31, 1 Corinthians 2:4-16, 1 Corinthians 3:18-20).

Billy Graham has a good article here:

The Foolishness of the Gospel

 

I like this advice, For the last year. I mainly go into denominational territory to argue how unbiblical everyone is but conservative Baptist churches. I think its time I stopped being a theological guard dog and just relaxed to take care of myself and those around me.

 

WOW

 

Well, at least John Stott has someone else who believes the wrong way with him on this issue!

 

Pope Francis reportedly denies the existence of hell. Vatican panics.

Douthat seems to suggest francis uses Scalfari the way Trump uses twitter, to think out loud and start discussions of unorthodox ideas popular with his base in an informal way and allow him to walk back the position later. While I'm not sure Trump actually plans his tweets that way, I wouldn't be surprised if Francis does.

 

Evidently, the Pope needs to choose his "friends" more carefully...or he is actually the apostate many make him out to be. Take your pick.

 

Unfortunately the quotation is hearsay and the Pope is not infallible except in official ex cathedra statements.