Mel Gibson says his wife could be going to hell

MSNBC ^ | 02/10/04 | Jeannette Walls

[evets]

Gibson was interviewed by the Herald Sun in Australia, and the reporter asked the star if Protestants are denied eternal salvation. “There is no salvation for those outside the Church,” Gibson replied. “I believe it.” He elaborated: “Put it this way. My wife is a saint. She’s a much better person than I am. Honestly. She’s, like, Episcopalian, Church of England. She prays, she believes in God, she knows Jesus, she believes in that stuff. And it’s just not fair if she doesn’t make it, she’s better than I am. But that is a pronouncement from the chair. I go with it.”

[Ol' Sox]

What has been always taught and believed by all Catholics is that you must enter the Catholic Church in order to be saved.

Is this an ex cathedra position or is the attempt to harmonize the "incompatible" doctrines? I seek to know, not argue.

[mom3boys]

"I am Catholic."

Just curious. If you are a Catholic, then why did you try to post this thread with the heading "Mel Gibson says non-Catholics can go to hell"? See post #14 by the Sidebar Moderator.

[HairOfTheDog]

But nice try at dividing to conquer, MSNBC. Won't work.

Mel is no victim of MSNBC. He did this interview to promote his film and the quotes are his. For what its worth, Christians would have to be united in order to be divided, the nasty arguing on this website alone indicates to me that there is no love-loss between the 50-odd denominations of churches in my community.

[Ol' Sox]

Sounds like two denominations...

Wouldn't be the first time!

[CWW]

Not to single your comments out, but I find it amazing onthis thread and others, that many (not all) of my Protestant brethern are so hell bent on telling us Catholics what the Catholic Church believes and why it is so wrong. If you would expend half that effort evangelizing non-Christians instead of trying to point out every perceived flaw with in the Catholic Church's 2000+ year history, think of how many people you would bring to Chirs!!

Also, in my 42 years as a Catholic, I have never heard a Catholic Priest, Bishop, Cardinal, Pope or Brother tell be that non-Catholics are going to hell. Sadly, I have attended Protestant services with my wife and other family members where the minister stated that Catholics were going to hell, that we were a cult, the the Church was the Great Harlot of Revelation and that the Pope was the anti-Christ or his precussor.

What does all of this bickering do but widen the divisions among us?

As for me, I would rather focus on our common beliefs -- That Chirst, the Son of God, came to earth, lived and died for my sins, and freely gave my the unerned gift of Eternal Life. That's it. That's what Chritianity is all about, Cahrlie Brown!

[HairOfTheDog]

they think they are the only ones here

That is the truest humor I have heard in a long time!

[evets]

'Cause that's what he said: "There is no salvation for those outside the Church..." I wasn't offended.

[O.C. - Old Cracker]

This is a transparent attempt, particularly the headline, to paint Gibson as a flake. Never mind that millions of other devout Catholics (errantly) believe the same thing. The media's attempt to kill the film didn't work, so now they'll try to destroy his credibility instead. Satan is really in a tizzy over THE PASSION.

Look, don't get yourself so excited over this article. I didn't figure that Mel Gibson's theology was perfect, at least not like my own, but I figured after watching The Patriot, Braveheart, and We Were Soldiers that I could trust him to do an honorable job depicting the greatest moment in human history. I can't imagine entrusting any other Hollywood type to do a good job on this.

[Gamecock]

LOL

Something out RC friends will deny is that there are about 224 seperate Catholic (big "C") denominations.

(The exact number escapes me right now)

[CobaltBlue]

Were you ever taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, never had sexual intercourse after she gave birth to Jesus?

Before OR after. Yes.

Were you ever taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was without sin?

Conceived without original sin. Yes.

Were you ever taught that Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, was a co-redemptrix with Jesus?

No, that's silly. People pray to Mary because they believe she'll listen sympathetically, like a mother, and that she will pray for them in Heaven, but she's only human.

Were you ever taught that the unleaven bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ?

Of course. Jesus said it Himself. "This is my body. This is my blood."

[WKB]

If you are poor how does that allow you to give significant help to others ?


I was just making a little funny
Something this thread needs.

[dangus]

>>Maybe instead of getting mad and dismissing my post, you should think about how dangerous it is when a church starts relying on mortal man to make the rules instead of simply relying on the Bible.<<

OoOOOooOOOooOOOoOOOooooo, Gee! Thanks, mister! I never thought of that! If not for your carefully reasoned, innovative and thought-provoking assertions, I don't know what I'd do!
</sarcasm>

Yeah, I see... so you are going to attack the papacy by taking a partial exerpt, fitting it into an alien context and making it look like the Pope was calling Islam efficaceous for salvation. That's EXACTLY what I meant by arson. What the Pope said IS scriptural. Spread you lies and deceit elsewhere, you servant of Satan!

[dangus]

Darn, I thought he was a Jew.

Yup... just like the current Archbishop of Jersualem. He's a Jew who is a Catholic. It's happened before: Saint Edith Stein, Cardinal Lustigier, Saint Peter, Saint James,...

[MississippiMan]

Look, don't get yourself so excited over this article.

I'm not.

MM

[BlackElk]

What a gracious response! Thank you. Please also understand that Mel is misreading Catholic doctrine if he thinks that his wife or you must be specifically a member of the Roman Catholic Church to enter heaven. The RCC excommunicated Leonard Feeney, SJ, and the Feeneyites of the 1950s and afterwards for teaching that. Feeney publicly repented and returned to Catholicism. Some followers did not. These doctrines are far more complex than the Classics Comix version of Catholicism that results from poor catechization.

NSQ: The Scriptures teach that outside the church there is no salvation. We Catholics believe (and you are not surprised at it though you undoubtedly disagree) that the Church founded by Jesus Christ is the Roman Catholic Church established by Him upon Simon bar Jonah whom He renamed Peter and to whom He gave the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and that Peter passed those keys of authority to Linus who passed them to Cletus who passed them to Anacletus and so forth through John Paul II in our own time. We also believe in the Mystical Body of Christ which includes all those validly baptized but mere membership in which does not guarantee salvation. To further confuse non-Catholics (and because it is true), we also believe in baptism of blood and baptism of desire. The purpose of all this is not to debate but to state some of the complexities not referenced by Gibson or his interrogator. It also is no surprise to me that non-Catholic Christians believe otherwise.

We should all copy King Black Robe's post, frame it and place it in plain sight in our homes because his post has this matter exactly right. He is not indifferent to the differences but understands that it is God, not Mel and not any of us, who makes the salvation decisions as to each of us.

Whatever Mel's errors may be, thank God for him and for the movie that opens in mere weeks. May God utilize that film to fulfill his own plan which just has to be better than any of ours!

Let us all also remember RobbyS in our prayers as he undergoes surgery today.

[Jaded]

Our parish has "Sunday School" or CCE. Every Sunday. Pre-school through high school.

The problem we have is that it is during Mass for the younger kids. So mom and dad go to Mass and the kids go to CCE. IMO, they miss out on alot. Officially this is discouraged, but the parents do what is easiest and least time consuming.

[dangus]

His father did not break from the Catholic church. His father belongs to a group known as Sedavacantist, who believe that the current Pope is an anti-pope, and that the Chair of St. Peter is now vacant. This is heresy, but not apostasy.

[mom3boys]

Yes, but why did you change the actual heading? Don't you see the difference in the actual title and the title you wanted it to have?:

"Mel Gibson says non-Catholics can go to hell"

versus

"Mel Gibson says his wife could be going to hell"

You can disagree with the latter theologically, but your title makes him seem like he hates anyone who isn't Catholic (if he did, then why would he have married a non-Catholic?). I've had people tell me I'm not saved because I don't do such and such. I disagree with them, but that's their theology. Telling me I "can go to hell" is another matter.

[dangus]

No-one said you made it up. You purposely twisted and misconstrued it. The conclusion you reach is specifically contradicted elsewhere, both in Lumen Gentium and the Catechism.

[CobaltBlue]

I just googled "catholic church" and "sunday school" and saw some Catholic churches that have Sunday schools.