“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.”
The pope specifically says .”those who do not BELIEVE in God”. The pope does not say ,”those who are ignorant of God”. How can they not believe if they don't know who he is?
If someone asked you any kind of question about someone you were ‘invincibly ignorant’ (you state that as though it has some scriptural background. where did you get that?) of, what would be your reply? You probably would say something like, “I have no idea who he/she is, so I don't know”. You wouldn't come out and flatly say, “ I don't believe him/her?
How about this line from the ‘pope’ for a cherry on the sundae?
“Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.”
This guy's nuts and this is the kind of comment you get from a clueless teenager. Thousands of murderer's, rapists, abortionists, etc. have no problem with their conscience relative to their crimes. Does that mean they didn't sin? This ‘pope’ seems to think so. Please run, no sprint, in the opposite direction from this guy.
Has this Pope already gone senile?
But in any case I would say that one could argue from scripture that invincible ignorance and the fruits thereof is in play throughout the New Testament at least.
Christ said He had to leave but the apostles needn't worry because He would send the Holy Spirit,the Spirit of Truth to dwell in their hearts. Several persons were accepted as having the Truth when they acknowledged Jesus as the Son of God. Peter was elevated after he told Christ that was who He was. The thief on the cross was told that he would be with Him (Christ) in paradise because he spoke the truth both with regard to his own unworthiness and guilt as well as to Christ's innocence. Many persons knew the Truth because it is in ones heart,planted by God.(P)(p) Julia,Pilate's wife knew Jesus was innocent as did Pilate but he chose to wash his hands of the whole thing and throw it out to the crowd,hoping that they would not put Christ to death but too weak and scared of losing his position to act on the Truth. The crowd,through ignorance,brainwashing or pridefulness chose to ignore Truth and call for death. Two thousand years not much has changed.