[evets]

During a group discussion of religious leaders from around the world, held at the Thanksgiving World Assembly in Dallas, Texas, in March of 1999, Cardinal Francis Arinze, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, is quoted as follows:

"(A document from the Second Vatican Council) says that God's grant of salvation includes not only Christians, but Jews, Muslims, Hindus and people of good will. That is, a person can be saved, can attain salvation, but on condition that the person is open to God's action. ..." ...

Robert Ashley, news director at Dallas radio station KHVN-AM, asked Cardinal Arinze: "So you can still get to heaven without accepting Jesus?"

Cardinal Arinze answered: "Expressly, yes (he laughs with the audience)."

also:
Let me quote from African Cardinal Francis Arinze, the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue at the Vatican.
"There isn't only one religion in the world, . . . ." "As we get set to step into the third millennium, the followers of the various religions have no choice but to come closer to one another, to listen to one another, to try to understand one another better and to try to collaborate more for a better world." (The San Diego Union-Tribune, Thursday, June 25, 1998, page A-14, by Sandi Dolbee.)

[1stFreedom]

>>Expressly, yes (he laughs with the audience

The Church teaches that they are saved because of Christ. It's not a salvation outside of Him. It's through Him and his Death and ressurection. They may not know that truth, but God knows their hearts and God will judge them accordingly. If they are saved, it is because of Christ.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

2 Kings 2:11

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.

Elijah is in heaven.

I don't agree with the idea that those who have beliefs contrary to the teachings of Jesus are eligible for heaven, but to say that no one who died before the resurrection of Jesus or died without having the opportunity to hear the Gospel presented have no chance at salvation is wrong.

Paul says in Romans 2
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
14(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law,
15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Verses 14 and 15 make it clear that those who have not heard the law will be judged for their actions since the law is written on their hearts.

their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.

The mercy that God grants to mankind by sending his Son to die for all sins does not stop, it is continuing still. Those who do not hear the Gospel still have knowledge of good and evil and make those choices. Those choices will be weighed in the end, and according to the Bible, will provide the evidence to whether they will enter into heaven.

[RAT Patrol]

Your post 23 is interesting and I'd have to strongly disagree with him on Salvation. But the thing is, I really only care about his views on politics. Now, if that were one of my church leaders talking about salvation, I'd take major issue with it. In the political arena, the issue is irrelevant. Don't you think?