Pope Francis assures atheists: You don’t have to believe in God to go to heaven [John 8]

Times of India ^ | 12/26/2015 | Michael Day

[Jan_Sobieski]

In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences. Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: "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."

[...]

In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: "If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?"

[vladimir998]

That headline is BS. There is not a single quote in the article that shows he said anything like what is in the article.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Antonio Scalfari is a 90-year-old atheist who by his own admission conducts "interviews" with no audio recording and without even taking written notes, and then puts in " "'s (in "QUOTES") things that the Pope did not say.

Then, taking it to a new level of almost stratospheric incoherence, "The Times of India" manages to under-think, under-research and over-speculate, that is, to mush it up even more.

And you-- uh--- you go to "The Times of India" for theology?

Where do you go for science news: the National Enquirer?

[exit82]

You are correct.

John 14:6 is quite clear.

There is only one way to God, and that is through Jesus Christ.

And Jesus Himself said so.

He would be in the best position to know.

This Pope is not only wrong, he is dangerous.

[caww]

Pope Francis has made it abundantly clear from day one that he ecumenical outreach is a top priority. He has already held a number of very high profile ecumenical meetings. Not only has he worked hard to reach out to leaders from various Christian traditions, he has also made it a point to try to acknowledge the mutual bonds that he feels with all other religions.

This Pope has believes that Muslims worship and pray to the “one God” that he also worships and this “all roads lead to the same God” philosophy we know is a hallmark of the one world religion that the global elite have been slowly building toward for decades. They know that even with a one world economy and a one world government, humanity will never be truly united until there is ‘a single global religion’ and this will surely be under the banner of the Pope....who is showing himself to be diametrically opposed to the Christianity that we find in the Bible. He tends to throw out Biblical truth for the sake of “friendship between men and women of different religious traditions”....which is betraying the faith that he claims to represent.

If there is going to be a one world religion, there will have to be a bond formed between Roman Catholicism and Islam...and no doubt the Pope is following Obama and the Elites in their outreach to Islam... They are the two largest religious traditions on the planet, and so any truly “global religion” would definitely require the participation of both of them.

My advice to catholics is it’s time they leave catholicism before they cannot and will not have that choice for they will surely be blinded to do otherwise in the strong delusion God says he will send.

[RitaOK]

I’m afraid your scriptural attribution to belief alone is severely truncated, for defining Holy Mother Church. But, since we will never advance a discussion, best to end it.

I was in the Church of Christ briefly. Once.

[Jan_Sobieski]

Come on...he had made this comment many times since he has taken the helm of the church. Including the sodomite comment. Are you apologizing for Francis?

[BenLurkin]

Do you know something detrimental about the Time of India that you could share with the rest of us?

Anyway, try this link if you’re looking for a source “closer to home”

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/pope-francis-assures-atheists-you-don-t-have-to-believe-in-god-to-go-to-heaven-8810062.html

[redgolum]

I keep saying that the Catholic church is in crisis.

Oh, and because of this I had a rather odd Christmas holiday as the “Catholic” relatives keep dragging out what old Frank was reported to have said about XYZ.

Can’t wait for the next Holiday dinner this weekend.

[Mrs. Don-o]

FYI, from this month's Vatican declaration on the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate (in case you want to look it up for some context):

http://209.157.64.200/focus/f-religion/3373448/posts?page=1#1 (Free Republic link)

One good outtake:

"Confessing the universal and therefore also exclusive mediation of salvation through Jesus Christ belongs to the core of Christian faith..."

[Jan_Sobieski]

It never fails to amaze me how many hoops the apologists for this false teacher will jump through to interpret what he says. He has had made comments like this many times since he has taken the helm of the Roman Catholic Church...including the sodomite comment. He even spoke to the United Nations in "His Own Name"!

John 5:42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

[RaginRak]

Why do we need a Pope...or churches??

[caww]

Jesus never said ignorance was an excuse for not accepting the salvation offered which all men will know.....that is our mission to reach out with the Gospel Message. Further many Ignorant people have indeed come to him by the faith God gives them to believe. We were all “Ignorant”....to begin with. Be it having no knowledge of the things of God, though he clearly says nature speaks volumes of him, or under false teachings that lead people astray or keep them from the truth of His Salvation message.

Further the Pope said nothing about people ‘Thinking about God” as you indicated. It does not help the Popes poor position by excusing him where there is no excuse.

[Irenic]

I think Mrs, Don-o may be right. I just found this and apparently this is old and it’s been brought back out again, second article in a couple of days about this.
http://www.christianpost.com/buzzvine/7-times-pope-francis-was-misquoted-132679/

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Dec 26 2015
http://www.oregonlive.com/today/index.ssf/2015/12/pope_francis_offers_hope_to_fa.html#incart_2box

[MayflowerMadam]

This pope guy cracks me up.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Yeah, it was also in the Oregonian. Meh.

I don't consider The Times of India to be uniquely incompetent. You can get the same sloppy reportage from the NYT and WaPo as well. And Reuters (Philip Pullella) is a particular egregious offender.

Why don't they even mention that all of Eugenio Scalfari's quotes are fabricated --- admittedly so, Scalfari concedes this freely.

So everything from sourced from Scalfari that begins with the words "Pope Francis stated" or the equivalent, followed by a supposedly direct quote, is journo-fiction. Of interest:

#89

[Mrs. Don-o]

The fact is that nothing "quoted" by Scalfari was actually "said" by Pope Francis.

Only a person seriously into defamation would find that fact irrelevant.

[Caipirabob]

Darn good question...and I think not. That plus my whole perception of bears has changed.

[philetus]

Truthorfiction.com is using semantics to try to deny this because of the words.

“Pope Francis Says Atheists Go to Heaven – Fiction!” which is true.What he actually said is

“‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: We will meet one another there.”

I think they look like fools for even going there.

[caww]

We don't need either really....but the church is where ever believers gather together....the first Christians didn't have churches after all. Rather they met in their homes.

I do believe there will come a time where the true believers will not be able to worship openly, though there will be a false representation of "church", it will not include the body of Christ.....the Jewish converts met with Jesus away from the Synagogues...often in secret.

[tet68]

I’m kinda waiting for His Popeness to tell Islam
that you don’t have to be a muslim to get to paradise.

Hey, we get 72 virgins, no matter what.
Yo, can’t touch this!