Harry Bosch

I have a simple question. Most of the literalists here think that there are only two alternatives: heaven or hell. And that the only way to heaven, is through the son, Jesus Christ. My question: what about people who die who never had a chance to believe in Jesus or who never even heard of him? My first example would be babies who die in infancy. Secondly, what about all the people who lived in Africa, South America, North America, Australia, Asia, and all the islands in between since the 1700’s. Are they currently rotting in hell?

TheFisherman

I think that, by their own definition, you go to heaven or the "other place". In this case, hell.

They try to use the "innocent" clause to deal with the very young or mentally deficient, and maybe even the very old who think they are now babies again. These people get a "free pass" into heaven.

Everyone else was a "heathen" to be converted, to have their souls saved.

I don't want to "have to go" to any place with so many darn rules and exceptions.

Wars have been fought over those very ideals.

abe smith

Go round to the Chancery office at your local RC sect's cathedral & tell them (you could write him a letter, I suppose...) you'd like the Bishop to tell you the answer to your question, including what the current status is of the old dogma(s) about LIMBO, unbaptised infants and other unbaptised persons, aborted (human) fetuses..... I wd expect the Bishop to reply (politely) to your qy; if not you might address it to the President of Notre Dame University who could refer you to one of his Theology faculty.
Indeed you might try search *Catholic Encyclopedia* on-line; heading *LIMBO*. (In RCism that's not a dance.)

You'ld be better off getting your info from the Horse's Mouth, always/about anysubject; rather than getting probable MISinformation from ignorant "sources".

Harry Bosch

There's no need. I already know the standard Catholic answer. Most of the literalists on this board are conservative Protestants. In fact, correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think that most Catholics believe in a literal Bible. The Pope has said that science does not conflict with Catholic belief. Its probably one of the few things that I would agree with Magus about: the Bible contains no specific language regarding a purgatory.

Heathen Dawn

This question (of the OP) has been asked here an umpteen times, and it always leads to the following exchange:

Xian: no, people who have had no chance to hear the gospel go to heaven.

Atheist: so by preaching the gospel to those tribes, you’re creating a chance for them to go to hell.

Or I might imagine some Christian saying people who have never heard go to hell anyway, and then the atheist responds it gives lie to the notion that God is good.

My answer, as it has always been: leave the poorly-devised Christian scam behind and choose a more sensible religion, or no religion at all.

Harry Bosch

According to Magus, sin cannot enter heaven. Apparantly babies sin by being so selfish. Their selfishness is demonstrated by their crying when they are hungry (I'm not joking!!).

Zeda

When I attended a fundamentalist church, we were taught that everyone is responsible for the knowledge they had. In other words creation bore witness of the creator to the heathen. They could still put thier faith in God, through thier witnessing of the heavens, etc.

In hindsight, I wonder then why we spent so much money on missions?

As for babies, there was an age of reason (generally around 7, though specific to the intelligence of the child). Before that it was assumed, although there is no indication in the Bible, that they would be saved.

Our church did not practice infant baptism, so that wasnt an issue.

Chili

No, only protestants can go to hell and this includes Catholic heretics.

Chili

. . . says the ignorant.

Fact is abe that heaven and hell are religion specific and therefore is heaven for Catholics only which does not mean that all Catholics go to heaven. But if heaven is for Catholics only hell must also be for Catholics only and therefore can we make a distinction between the "faithfull" and "heretics" and instantaneously condemn heretics to hell -- or they would not be heretics. From this follows that Catholics cannot go to hell as Catholic but only as heretic in which case they are no longer Catholic.

Limbo is the place for the unbaptised who must go by their lymbic system for orientation and thus without the communion with the saints in heaven and outside the security that is extended by the faith community. These would be prone to heretic perversion and that is why infant baptism is important in Catholicism.

Chili

Correct. Bible study is not recommended in Catholicsm because it leads to literalism and that has always been the avenue for lucifer to enlighten them. Luther was just one of those and along this line can the protestant church claim apostolic tradition on the anthema side of the Catholic church right bact to Peter.