Man, since when did Catholics turn into Calvinists? - sinkspur
Actually, if we're comparing ratios and percentages, it bears mentioning that Calvinists have generally taught that God has Elected the Salvation of all those infants whom He has permitted to die in the womb or infancy. This is not a dogma which is universally taught by every single Calvinist, but it is a dogma which has been generally taught by the majority of great Calvinists throughout history from John Calvin himself on down through the ages.
By contrast, the Roman Catholic church expressly denies the salvation of unbaptized infants who die in the womb or in infancy. From my thread "Baptism does not Regenerate" (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1076118/posts)
But the Lord of all Lords insists upon the very opposite. For the Word of God assures us that infants of believing parents are sanctified even from their conception, long before they could ever be baptized -- First Corinthians 7:14. Compare also: Genesis 17:5-12; Luke 1:5-7,39-45; II Timothy 1:3-5 & 3:14-15.
When one considers the high rates of infant mortality throughout most of history, not to mention the hundreds of millions (or more) throughout the ages who have been killed by Abortion, it becomes clear that the majority of Calvinist theologians throughout history have foreseen a heavenly New Jerusalem whose population numbers perhaps in the billions. Many (perhaps even the majority) having died only a few months or years after Conception and having experienced little time on this Earth prior to being made Citizens of Heaven, yes; but who can presume to deny God's prerogative to save as many hundreds of millions, at whatever age, as He sees fit?
Oh yeah -- the Roman Catholic Church does so presume. For by her own imprimatur, Roman Catholicism declares that all those hundreds of millions or even billions of unbaptized infants are even now sweltering in the agonies of Hell.
And if a Romanist wants to flinch from this express teaching of his own Church, then he must answer me this: If it is not True that hundreds of millions or even billions of unbaptized infants are even now sweltering in the agonies of Hell, then why did the Roman Catholic church pronounce such dogma to be nihil obstat -- without error?
Unless, of course, Romanism is just Dead Wrong on this false teaching of hers... as she is so utterly wrong, on so many of her dogmas in so many areas of theology.
"Nihil obstat" is not necessarily consonant with Catholic doctrine.
I've never been taught, or heard, that unbaptized infants are in hell. Rather, the Church posits "limbo," a place of natural happiness.
The fact is, there is no infallible teaching about the souls of unbaptized infants. Thus, we are free to believe that God, in His own way, gives even the souls of infants the chance at choosing Him, and thus achieving the Beatific Vision.