Posted on 09/12/2013 1:29:41 PM PDT by BenLurkin
In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.
Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: “You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe in God is to obey their conscience.
“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
The Catholic Church has always taught that if you lived your life according to the Beatitutes, and you were not exposed to Christianity, that you can still go to heaven. This is all Pope Francis is trying to say. On the otherhand if you were exposed to the teachings of Jesus Christ and ignored him and turned away from you, you don’t go to heaven. Pretty simple.
As long as you BELIEVE, that is all that counts.
Thanks for the ping. I like your post 79 as a response to post 48.
No, it’s not parsing words. You just took offense.
And NONE of that will give me God’s mercy and grace. That is what we were talking about
Not ignoring your request just so you know, I’m trying to remember where I saw it..was looking around several books of the Bible, and my mind is drawing a blank, I WILL get back to you when I find it again.
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