Apparently now we don't have to believe in God to get to Heaven!

Did you hear the one where the Pope wrote a newspaper and said you don't have to believe in God to go to Heaven? 

Pope Francis said nothing new. 

This has been in the Catechism for I don't know how long. Here's the deal - a snippet of a quote from his 2,500-word letter has been grabbed and taken out of context. Why? Why would reporters do this? Maybe because they are looking for the Catholic Church to change.

The media. The media who hates Christianity and everything that it stands for. The media who hates anyone who is pro-life or who stands for traditional marriage. This is who you trust for your Catholic theology? The media grabs on to what they think drives their agenda, and their agenda isn't the teachings of the Catholic Church. 

The Catholic Church stands for truth and won't change according to the whims of the world. And the media and the world HATES this. So they hold on to every snippet of a quote that may point to the fall of the Catholic Church as we know it. Because this would mean the rise of their agendas.

This stuff drives me bonkers. Then again, maybe I'm underestimating Pope Francis and his brilliant plan to use the media.

Leila Miller at the Little Catholic Bubble has a great series called "Little Teachings", and she addresses the question, "Can non-Catholics be saved?" As she emphatically states, 

There is no salvation except through Christ Jesus, and it is simply impossible for anyone to get to Heaven without Him.

And this is not a contradiction to what Pope Francis wrote in his recent letter.

Let's think of this in another way. I'll use an example. Amy reads in the Bible that love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Amy is a brand new Christian, and since she hasn't been in church long or read the Bible very much yet she interprets this verse to mean it's fine to sin all she wants. Jesus' love will cover it. But Amy is wrong. She hasn't read that verse with the context of the entire Bible, so she in mis-interpreting it. 

The same is true of what many non-Catholics are doing with Pope Francis' recent statements. The statements are snatched out and interpreted without an understanding of Catholic theology. The pope is not saying that you can get to heaven without Jesus. I know that's what it sounds like, but that's not what he's saying at all.

But you shouldn't just take my word on the matter. Search it for yourself. Catholicism is the oldest Christian faith, the biggest Christian faith, and the only Christian church who claims to have been started by Jesus himself. Isn't it worth further investigation?

And for God's sake, don't get your Catholic teaching from the unbelieving world or the general media.

Leila's post that talks about the salvation of non-Catholics and non-believers isn't a full teaching on the matter, but it is a really, really, really good way for a quick start to understanding this topic (as are her other little teachings). Please read Leila's teaching (from a year and a half ago), and read what the Pope really said in his letter to fully understand what was said. And here's a good piece from the National Catholic Register that also goes into what Pope Francis wrote. That is - if you really want to understand what Pope Francis was saying in his letter. Or you could just go on being ill-informed and using snippets of quotes from the Pope to use against him and the Catholic Church. Either way, it's your choice.

Jesus gave us the Catholic Church to help guide us while we're here on Earth. He built his Church and promised that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it. Jesus always keeps his word. He's pretty awesome that way.

kristy

The Pope declares now even atheists can go to heaven!

Did you hear that Pope Francis said that atheists can go to heaven?  He didn't.  But that's how some of the news reports frame the pope's comments yesterday from his residence.

The fastest growing religion in American now in the "none"s.  He's reaching out to them.  How wonderful!  Except people everywhere are trying to spin his words.  The secular media is reporting that he's declaring that atheists are good enough to get to heaven.  Not that the atheists care, because they don't believe in heaven.  But if a pope were to declare that anyone who does good can get into heaven, wouldn't that make the message of redemption through Christ null and void?  Oooooh - the secular world would LOVE to hear the message of Christ made null and void.

Then there are Protestants who are shaking their heads (I know because I used to be one of them), thinking, "Those poor Catholics.  Don't they know good works will never get anyone into heaven?"  To which I now want to scream from the rooftop - YES!  Yes, we know good works will never get a single person into heaven!

Pope Francis is gently trying to communicate to atheists.  His incredible humility and love can help win could for Jesus!  Love will bring them in!  How does one win the soul of an atheist?  He has to convince the atheist that he needs Jesus.  You can shout and shout and shout all you want to an atheist and tell him he needs Jesus or he will go to hell, and the atheist will just shrug his shoulders and laugh as he walks away.  Instead, Pope Francis is extending his hand to atheists and gently leading them to Christ.  Yelling at them that they are going to hell will not win their souls.  But extending a friendly hand, meeting them where they are, and loving them as Christ loves then will break down the walls that keep their minds and hearts closed to the message of the Gospel.

Pope Francis is NOT saying that atheists can work their way to heaven or that they are "OK" where they are.  That is not what the Bible says and it's not what the Church has taught for 2,000 years.  And a pope CANNOT contradict what the Bible says and what sacred Tradition has has handed down to us. It just cannot be done.  

Jesus' redemption is available for atheists.  They have to accept it to receive it, but it is always available to them.  Pope Francis is acknowledging that, as they are made in God's imagine, they are inherently designed to do good and have a will to do good.  It's in the way they are designed (whether or not the atheist wants to acknowledge that about themselves or not.)  

I am very excited about our new Pope.  There is something special about him, and the whole world sees it.  I believe his humble spirit and love will win souls for Christ.  I believe he will change the Church in a big (big and humble, that is) way.  All for the glory of God.

kristy