Why drag AM into it?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2495846/posts?page=1358#1358
mm: BTW, because I was baptized Catholic and have dissociated myself from their church, they think that that guarantees me a place in hell as a special kind of heretic unless I repent and return to the church.
JA: Oh, no, the Catholic Church won’t guarantee you a place in hell for heresy. You can do that all by yourself.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2495846/posts?page=1415#1415
The Church does not send anyone to hell. People choose hell for themselves.
FWIW, you didn’t really respond to the comment I made. You erected a strawman to beat down.
The Catholic church certainly does teach that those who don’t follow it are going to hell, ESPECIALLY those who willingly left the Catholic church, and practitioners of Catholicism agree with it, as has been seen on many Catholic threads and as I have been told by Catholics personally.
My salvation is based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, not membership or adherence to a certain denomination. Churches don’t save. Jesus does.
The Catholic church can try to blackmail me back into it all it wants with threats of my eternal destiny, but it’s wasting its time. I would never join up with ANY organization which uses such despicable tactics or those such as ex-communicating people, which in the RCC eyes is sending them to hell. What kind of church would really exercise that power even if they really had the ability to do so?
You are wrong about what I said, and about the Catholic Church.
But I’m willing for you to find ANYWHERE in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that you will go to hell for leaving the Church. Frankly, I would think they would most likely THANK you for leaving.
Amen, metmom! That is why I KNOW that I HAVE eternal life. My salvation rests upon the finished work of Christ who died FOR me and all who place their trust in him.
Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
INDEED. AMEN! AMEN!