It's much deeper than that. In Fundamentalist Protestantism "heaven" is a holding area for disembodied souls awaiting the resurrection of the body and the return to a material paradise earth--the way we were actually supposed to live in the first place. So far from being the "final purpose" of our existence and something even an unfallen Adam would experience, the whole thing is a contingency. And because paradise earth is man's natural state, no purgation is required to enter either it or the heavenly "holding area;" this would make as much sense as saying Adam would have had to be purified before he could have been created! Once one accepts J*sus' vicarious damnation in one's place, there's simply no where else to go.
Oddly enough, I spoke on this to the intermediate school relious education class last spring. With the priest and deacon both there. With their approval. Of course, our bishop and I have tangled in public on the Catholic faith and the diocesan establishment. On television (heh heh heh).
You're a brave man. I still have the four letters sent to me by the late Archbishop Whelan of Hartford, Connecticut during my written correspondence with him. He was most singularly unsympathetic.
I don't have a lot of time for FR due to a change in career and escalating responsibilities with five kids at home. If you wish to note what you consider to be posts that contain ideas contrary to the word of God, please let me know. I have no problem confronting Catholics and have done so many times on FR. However, I do it in private, not in the public forum, for the sake of onlookers' satisfaction.
Mark, I'm so sorry I bit your head off. I'm just so blasted rubbed raw by the more conservative Catholics here never saying anything and claiming to never notice anything, when I can find plenty of stuff easily. And of course you don't confront people publicly, though it might do some good to simply publicly post a contrary opinion without chewing anyone out. I've been dealing with something as well during the past four months; hopefully this will be through tomorrow.
Did you even read the article? It posed it as a possibility, while acknowledging that it was in no way a definite conclusion. You and I have known each other here for a long time. I don't post speculative stuff like this. I realize that people might and do not begrudge them this; however, claiming that this article is the Gospel Truth, assuming that I actually see it, would normally get me involved.
It always struck me as peculiarly strange that the "ancient unchangeable church" produces so much "speculation" such as this while Fundamentalist Protestantism does not. Where does this itch for novelty come from? No such article would ever appear in Sword of the Lord, for example. Why are "heretical" Fundamentalist Protestants satisfied with what G-d says while the church of billions of illiterate peasants simply cannot leave things alone without doubting and questioning everything? Is there any way you can explain this to me so that I can understand it? Is the need to prove "we're not like those awful people" so great?
I will defend the integrity of Deuteronomy as what God wanted Moses to know. I will consider Joshua down a notch. God did not dictate Joshua.
I am most astounded to read that statement from a Catholic, I admit.
I know that you are disappointed in the Church. We have had conversation before on this. Believe it or not, it does distress me.
Thank you, Mark. As hard as this may be to believe, I really appreciate that.
Come on -- one can mock the differing beliefs of the afterlife. the Torah doesn't comment on it. Only post the Exile do we see the beginning emerge in Ezekiel
That's not true. Each interprets what G-d says in a different way. Let's leave aside the old argument about myriad interpretations for a while and just to this point you make -- doubting and questioning everything is why we no longer have animal sacrifices in a synagogue -- or why we know (unlike what our secular foes toss at us) that the OT's injunct against killing the Canaanites is not comparable to Islam's jihad.
well we illiterate rednecks are that way only :-P