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Ah...it seems I was pretty close to the issue at hand - being ‘saved’.

My Protestant room-mate was quite sure I was doomed...and very despondent that his Catholic grandmother was as well.

There is salvation in the Catholic religion...you just take a different road to get there. Now I’m no theologian, so that’s as far as I get.

Now I posed this question to my room-mate (who was academically very smart): “What about people in the middle of the jungle who have never heard of the Christian religion - are every single one of them doomed to hell?”. He couldn’t give me a good answer to that question. I suspect a just God would not create a world where half its inhabitants had never even heard of the one religion that would save them from eternal damnation...and the answer to my question is ‘no, not everybody in the remote jungle will go to hell’. If my suspicion is correct, the notion that all Catholics are going to hell starts to unravel.

I will say this. Our little Catholic church got started in Alabama in the 1970’s, where we were regarded as ‘weird’. We had mass in a trailer. And that was trailer sat in.....a Methodist church parking lot! The Methodists had shown Christian kindness and offered up the space, until our parish could purchase land and build a church building. Later in life that same Methodist church took me into their Boy Scout program (my church didn’t have one), without reservation, and made me feel completely at home. So I have no quarrel with Protestants.

My brother recently got married. His wife is around 40, and they were required to go to marriage classes, as per usual in the catholic church. Now my brother is Catholic and she is Protestant. She went to the classes almost against her will...but loved them. She found the Catholic church to be very refreshing, and has since ‘converted’. It turns out that she had grown up with a very incorrect idea of what it was like in a Catholic church. So, my recommendation is go to mass a few times. You can see for yourself what a Catholic church is like - for most people it is not at all what they thought it would be.

“What about people in the middle of the jungle who have never heard of the Christian religion - are every single one of them doomed to hell?”. He couldn’t give me a good answer to that question. I suspect a just God would not create a world where half its inhabitants had never even heard of the one religion that would save them from eternal damnation...and the answer to my question is ‘no, not everybody in the remote jungle will go to hell’. If my suspicion is correct, the notion that all Catholics are going to hell starts to unravel.

While this is a very pleasant thought it's not what Scripture tells us.

Rom. 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

The idea that there are paths to salvation other than through Faith Alone in Jesus Christ Alone is a different gospel than what we see in Scripture.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way , the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Theis is why Evangelical Christian churches commit so much time, energy and money to missions.

Well I have read a couple of responses on this thread, and I will say that the person who previously responded to your question about an aboriginal in the jungle is correct, and Jesus (receiving Him) and being saved by merely accepting His payment for our sins (Eph 2:8-9 “For by Grace you have been saved through faith”).

This is the only way, if one were to Believe the Bible. And yes it is Christian love to accept and love everyone (inspite of our sins) no matter what Church a person decides, perhaps this thread is a way for God to nudge you to return to a Bible Believing Church, Friend???

Now my brother is Catholic and she is Protestant. She went to the classes almost against her will...but loved them. She found the Catholic church to be very refreshing, and has since ‘converted’. It turns out that she had grown up with a very incorrect idea of what it was like in a Catholic church.

Being Protestant often means being just as lost as a typical RC, which i was, despite being raised devout. Rome generally affirms Trinitarian baptized Prots as sep. brethren, as she imagines the act of baptism regenerates, even without moral cognizance, repentance and faith by baptized. And that by this the soul is formally justified due to interior holiness ("infused charity"). Thus they usually end their salvation process by becoming good enough to enter Heaven thru suffering torments in Roman purgatory (rejected even by the EOs).

Most mainline (Meth. etc.) Prots are not much different, thinking their level of goodness itself will gain them Heaven, as per above and like this Catholic on Catholic answers:

I feel when my numbers up I will appoach a large table and St.Peter will be there with an enormous scale of justice by his side. We will see our life in a movie...the things that we did for the benefit of others will be for the plus side of the scale..the other stuff,,not so good will..well, be on the negative side..and so its a very interesting job Pete has. I wonder if he pushes a button for the elevator down for the losers...and what .sideways for those heading for purgatory..the half way house....lets wait and see.... — http://forums.catholic.com/showpost.php?p=4098202&postcount=2

So, my recommendation is go to mass a few times. You can see for yourself what a Catholic church is like - for most people it is not at all what they thought it would be.

I did so for 6 years after manifestly becoming born again thru heartfelt tearful repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus to save me in His mercy and grace, as a contrite guilty + empty, destitute sinner, though raised devout, and realized the profound differences btwn institutionalized religion and evangelical faith.

I quickly realized and wondered at the foundational contrast btwn what happened to me and other RCs (and which, besides even nature seeming new, was a heightened realization of my own sin. I found little personal fellowship in Christ with others, except with a few Catholic charismatics whose meetings i went to looking for life, but which were treated as 2nd class members. The hierarchy made them join in with the nun's marxist type "social justice" program, and they went along, and wondered at the spiritual loss in their meetings.

In any case, my real food that edified and challenged my soul was evangelical radio, even after i had joined a evangelical church. It is now more of a mixed bag, but some of the best preaching i know is on Youtube, as here and here . Thank God. I need it.