“However, if you do believe it’s up to God, but still based upon, in part, prayers of the living on behalf of those who are dead, then the prayers of Catholics should indeed be able to help persuade God to let Hitler into Heaven, even if he dies in apostasy. This is something Protestants do not believe.”
You know, this is such baloney. Like there are just tons of Catholics out there who want to pray to get Hitler out of Purgatory, even though any religious person who believes in Heaven and Hell knows where Hitler currently resides, and it ain’t Purgatory. Gee, I’ll make sure to pray every night now that Hitler gets let out of Purgatory, because, why, that’s what Catholics believe, that they have that power, and that God is going to listen to them and take Hitler in out of the rain (or fire). Geez, these theological threads get so absolutist in the blink of an eye. My religion or hit the road Jack.
If you are a ‘good’ Catholic, you must consider Hitler is in Purgatory and pray for him. You if are not Catholic, you can simply give up on the concept of Purgatory and let the whole issue rest.
It's Catholics who create this after-death mess and believe praying for the dead is justifiable and good.