Pope's letter to non-believers in Italian paper La Repubblica

Vatican Radio ^ | September 11, 2013

[NYer]

(Vatican Radio) Does God forgive non-believers? Does absolute truth exist? And is God merely a creation of the human mind?
In a lengthy letter to the former editor of the Italian daily ‘La Repubblica’, Eugenio Scalfari, Pope Francis shares reflections on these three questions and urges all non-believers to engage with Christians in an open and sincere conversation.

Listen to Philippa Hitchen's report:

In the letter published on Wednesday, the Pope laments the impasse that has grown up over the centuries with those who see Christianity as ‘dark and superstitious,’ in opposition to the ‘light of reason’.
Quoting from the recent encyclical ‘Lumen Fidei’, the Pope stresses that, on the contrary, faith must never be intransigent or arrogant, but rather humble and able to grow in relationship with others.


Responding to the three questions posed by the Italian journalist and writer, the Pope says the key issue for non-believers is that of “obeying their consciences” when faced with choices of good or evil. God’s mercy, he stresses, “has no limits” for those who seek him with a sincere and contrite heart.


Reflecting on the question of absolute truth, Pope Francis says he prefers to describe the truth in terms of a dynamic relationship between each Christian and Jesus, who said, ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’. The truth of God’s love, the Pope insists, is not subjective, but it is only experienced and expressed as a journey, a living relationship with each one of us, in our different social and cultural contexts.


Thirdly, Pope Francis considers the question of God as a creation of the human mind, who will thus disappear when human beings cease to exist on earth. In my experience, he says - and in that of so many other Christians past and present – God is not merely an idea but is a “Reality” of infinite goodness and mercy, revealed to us through his son, Jesus of Nazareth.


Reflecting on the originality of the Christian faith in relations to other religions, the Pope stresses the role of Jesus who renders us all sons and daughters of God, therefore also brothers and sisters to each other. Our arduous task, he says, is that of communicating God’s love to all, not in a superior way, but rather through service to all people especially those on the margins of our societies.


Finally the Pope spoke of his deep respect and friendship for people of Jewish faith – especially those with whom he worked so closely in his native Argentina. Reflecting on the terrible experience of the Shoah, he said, we can never be grateful enough to the Jews who maintained their faith in God, thus teaching us too to remain always open to his infinite love.

[Jim Robinson]

Please do not give RM a bad time. No personal attacks or potty language on the RF. If you do not wish to comply with RM’s guidelines, please do not post on the RF. Thanks.

[antceecee]

I used no potty language... worse has been directed at me in my years here at FR. This poster continually refers to Catholics as a “cult” and his/her posts remain intact. Does FR agree with this?

[antceecee]

Why does FR protect you????

[Jim Robinson]

You have frmail.

[WVKayaker]

FreeRepublic does not offer any special protection to anyone. In the past, I have had my posts removed, my threads removed, and even been suspended.

God can guard our hearts and minds, but the RM and Jim Thompson are not to be tested! They keep us all on a leash, and there are good reasons why!

[WVKayaker]

Sorry you had to remove my posts. I will try not to involve myself in such flame wars... but I am happy to see equal protection.

[Syncro]

Two quotes that should be read by all followers of the Pope (and of course all Christians) who post here in the Religion Forum at Free Republic:

...faith must never be intransigent or arrogant, but rather humble and able to grow in relationship with others.

Our arduous task, he says, is that of communicating God’s love to all, not in a superior way, but rather through service to all people.

And from the Bible:

Paul wrote in Philippians 2:5-8: "Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped for his own selfish enjoyment, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross."

1 John 2:6: “he who says he abides in Christ ought to walk in the same way as he walked.”

[The Ignorant Fisherman]

That is nuts!! Thank God that He saved me out of Catholicism in His grace and mercy!