Posted on 12/29/2015 11:47:48 AM PST by Jan_Sobieski
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."
[...]
In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: "If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?"
(Excerpt) Read more at timesofindia.indiatimes.com ...
He may be referring to the idea in Romans 1 about those that do not have the Law but whose “consciences accuse, or now even excuse them, on that day...”?
Wisconsin Synod (WELS) is doctrinally sound, also.
Matthew 10:14
And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Matthew 10:15
Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
God should tell the Pope to mind his own business and just continue the 1,500 year old tradition of leaving Him alone.
Unfortunately, this Pope is ‘tantum partialis scripture et socialismi’ (partial scripture and socialism).
This Pope works in the shadows with others of the New World Order and instrumental in bringing together the unity of religions the Bible tells us will come.
Often you will see the 'ONE WORLD" emblem on his plane...
BUT BUT BUT... He carried his own bags and stays in cheap hotels.
Marty Robbins had that figured out when he sang "Devil Woman."
As I recall, The beginning of the Protestant Reformation was the result of a series of Non-Christian Popes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Leo_X
The character of Leo X was formerly assailed by lurid aspersions of debauchery, murder, impiety, and atheism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Julius_II
Despite an illegitimate daughter (and at least one mistress), it was also suggested that Julius may have had homosexual lovers - although there is no evidence that he was sexually active as pope
But I've seen the full range of Human filth amongst Protestants also
Often you will see the ‘ONE WORLD” emblem on his plane...
It is an Airline..................
He denied someone the joy of carrying his bag so that he could prove something about himself.
How about Protestants? I guess they still have to be believers.
Cardinal Bishop Sodano should convene the conclave for the purposes of electing a new pope following Francis’ screaming self-excommunication and implied resignation.
HF
You would think even the Pope would get that, wouldn’t you?
“So the Pope is ruler over God now? He can override Him?”
Yes! Says this dope..
It is starting to look like the Unitarian Church, of indecision.
“condemned already” While I don’t like to involve in Catholic/Protestant disputes in spite of what the Pope says I accept what the Bible makes clear!
John 3-18
“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”
Is what the headline reads anywhere even remotely what he said??? He said that God’s mercy has no bounds and that you have to follow conscience, which only non-sinners do, in other words nobody.
THINK for a minute — Jesus is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And his last prayer was: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”
What does all this mean for pagans and Buddhists and atheists who have never heard about Christ, or having heard, do not know enough to believe? Did the Son of God’s prayer go unanswered for those who do not know what they are doing because of ignorance?
His mercy draws everyone to eternal life. Not everyone responds (to believe otherwise is the heresy of universalism). Some respond thinking that they need no mercy, from God or from anyone else (that’s the heresy of Pelgianism).
Then there are those who respond without full knowledge of what they are doing. “Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison?”
This saying illuminates the spiritual status of those who do not believe in God due to innocent ignorance. If they respond to Christ in one of His “distressing disguises” (Mother Theresa’s phrase), then Jesus says He counts it as a response to Him. They are not getting into heaven without Christ, they are getting into heaven by receiving Christ in disguise.
“Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me. These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
In conclusion, the Pope is just reiterating basic Catholic doctrine in harmony with Scripture — but using his provocative modern-media sauce to get the attention of everyone — atheists and Christians — to THINK about God’s gifts of Mercy and Sanctifying Grace.
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