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[NotTheGuyYouKill]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/w...o-believe-in-god-to-go-to-heaven-8810062.html

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.”

Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff’s comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church’s fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. “Francis is a still a conservative,” said Mr Mickens. “But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world.”

In a welcoming response to the letter, Mr Scalfari said the Pope’s comments were “further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all”.

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?”

 

[genjiZERO]

How well thought out.

 

[The Artisan]

the lyrics to no church in the wild come to mind

 

[Rebel Leader]

The pope already said this a long time ago

 

[Reverend Funk]

Then what the heck is church even for?

 

[BennyBlanco]

I don't think he's the first pope to say something along the lines of "live a virtuous life and you'll get into heaven"

 

[Soriku]

Then what the heck is church even for?

To fund the clergy's mansions.

 

[Mighty Chin]

Nah I'm Good. Sounds like a silly place.

 

[Angelus Errare]

I think he's trying to be hated by conservatives in America.

All I need for him say next is "Black Lives Matter" and shit will get real.

 

[Apathy]

Then what the heck is church even for?

To waste a Sunday morning

 

[BennyBlanco]

I think he's trying to be hated by conservatives in America.

All I need for him say next is "Black Lives Matter" and shit will get real.

Gonna go out on a limb here and say most conservatives are protestants who don't care. Only catholic president ever was Kennedy.

 

[IdreamofHIME]

We'll call that plan B.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

This is from 2013 and not exactly what he said.

 

[Hellwarden]

To waste a Sunday morning

Aww, come on, don't be so bitter.

I'm not believer myself, but loads of people find comfort and joy in faith. And despite the stupidity of quite a few of them, most of them are alright.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Gonna go out on a limb here and say most conservatives are protestants who don't care. Only catholic president ever was Kennedy.

If this is them not caring, I shudder to think how they would act if they did care.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

I will tip my fedora and block out the view.

 

[John Kowalski]

I'll pass.

 

[umop_3pisdn]

Then what the heck is church even for?

Enriching your life I guess.

 

[El Topo]

A very old statement (from 2013) that was misinterpreted by people without theological knowledge. Here's the thread from 2013 based on the exact same misleading article:
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=676057

 

[M0nochromatic]

What about the pastafarians and satanists tho

actually i guess the satanists dont want to

 

[QuantumZebra]

Then what the heck is church even for?

I'm gonna play devil's advocate (lol) and say, it is for people who genuinely want to worship a god they believe in?

 

[Foffy]

I'd be humbled if the dualistic ideas of heaven were plausible.

 

[rambis]

Then what the heck is church even for?

Well, Christians are commanded to fellowship with other Christians. So if we're going out on limbs, I'd imagine something to do with that.

 

[Nairume]

The pope already said this a long time ago

He did, but it was vague enough that the Vatican turned around and tried did damage control over it.

This time he's being even clearer on it.

 

[MattyG]

I mean, as long as I don't have to worship God for eternity like some of my Christian friends think we'd have to, okay.

I will tip my fedora and block out the view.

Admiral Woofington
m'Souls, m'lady
(Today, 08:03 PM)

 

[Lothar]

What asshole would even worship a being that rejected people from heaven and sent them to hell just because of their thoughts?

Of course if there is a god and a heaven and if that god is good at all, then atheists go to heaven.

 

[The Albatross]

I actually think he's saying that the Atheist is someone who turns away from their conscience, which would otherwise lead them to a faith in God, and so by turning back and accepting their conscience, they can accept God.

I'm not sure if this is a new position for the Church, which has always maintained that if you turn to God even after being an atheist, your sins can be forgiven.

To me, this does not sound like the Pope is saying that atheists can go to heaven, and frankly, that's certainly against Catechism of the Catholic Church.

 

[BUNTING1243]

i feel like i'd probably ask God if we were cool right before i died. just to cover all my bases.

i like this pope a lot, he seems really nice.

 

[BennyBlanco]

If this is them not caring, I shudder to think how they would act if they did care.

I don't think they care about who he thinks is and isn't going to heaven. They definitely care about political statements he makes because he has global clout.

 

[Zoned]

Aww, come on, don't be so bitter.

I'm not believer myself, but loads of people find comfort and joy in faith. And despite the stupidity of quite a few of them, most of them are alright.

"If the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of divine reward, then brother that person is a piece of shit; and I'd like to get as many of them out in the open as possible. What's it say about life, hmm? You gotta get together, tell yourself stories that violate every law of the universe just to get through the god damn day. Nah. What's that say about your reality".

 

[Usobuko]

Then what the heck is church even for?

For superstar pastors to rake in millions.

 

[Agnostic]

I want to burn in hell.

 

[akira28]

If this is them not caring, I shudder to think how they would act if they did care.

he'd really need the Popemobile then.

I want to burn in hell.

you can do that in Heaven, whenever you want. Wanna go to hell? Done. Just let them know when you're ready to leave.

 

[Brakke]

This is from 2013 and not exactly what he said.

Yeah this is silly. That douche does make a lot of threads, maybe he made this one back in 2013 and it caught stuck in the buffer somewhere.

 

[Alcoremortis]

Then what the heck is church even for?

Growing up Catholic, we were taught that the church is there to guide moral living. If you have a well-formed conscience, you might do very well without the church, but for people who do not (which is the vast majority of people), the church helps them form that conscience.

It seems the pope was basically saying the same thing that has been Catholic doctrine for decades.

It's a bit different than "all atheists can go to heaven" and more, "if you are able to have a well-formed conscience without the guidance and assistance of the Church, it is possible, albeit unlikely, to live a moral life".

 

[Dennis]

Pope spreads the good word that GAF is going to heaven.

GAF is like

 

[Vincent Alexander]

Nah I'm Good. Sounds like a silly place.

As an Atheist, I welcome this news. I shall prepare my silly hats posthaste

 

[Makai]

I forgot about this. It's still shocking.

 

[Scrooged]

Didn't the church later say he didn't really mean it, or that he was taken out of context or something?

 

[Razorback]

So he picks and chooses whatever sounds nice? What is the Bible even for?

Sometimes I wish the vatican would just stick to the scripture 100%. That way it would be much easier to ridicule them.

 

[NateDrake]

If this is them not caring, I shudder to think how they would act if they did care.

GOP: "God controls climate!"
Pope: "Man impacts climate and we need to combat climate change!"
GOP: "The Pope doesn't speak for God...he's wrong."

 

[Frecklestein]

Oh sick, thanks, Pope.

 

[ElTorro]

But I've already committed the one unforgivable sin countless times. (Is god so merciful that he can forgive what he cannot forgive? Theology is complicated!)

GAF, am I fucked?

 

[Walpurgis]

I think he's trying to be hated by conservatives in America.

All I need for him say next is "Black Lives Matter" and shit will get real.

I don't think he has a death wish.

 

[Ptaaty]

So he picks and chooses whatever sounds nice? What is the Bible even for?

Sometimes I wish the vatican would just stick to the scripture 100%. That way it would be much easier to ridicule them.

It is almost impossible to stick 100% to scripture. As someone raised fundamentalist turned agnostic, I have read the Bible cover to cover multiple times and realize that it is inconsistent and illogical when one tries to apply 100% literal / consistency.

There are enough statement which are believed to be Jesus words which have some overriding concepts and direction. Mostly a push towards love, acceptance and the idea that judgement belongs in God's hands not people.

This is where the pope is right on. You can't continue to pick and choose on making at huge deal on some areas and not others (like homosexuality while ignoring the adjacent statement about divorce). I believe he is being the most logical of all.

 

[Mimosa97]

This is the kind of things that my devout catholic grandma used to tell me. She didn't believe in Hell, only in Heaven. She would have loved this Pope.

 

[TheKaeptain]

I think he's trying to be hated by conservatives in America.

All I need for him say next is "Black Lives Matter" and shit will get real.

Will love for this to happen.

 

[Team Alucard]

I only want to go if Heaven really is line-dancing with the Backstreet Boys

 

[MattyG]

But I've already committed the one unforgivable sin countless times. (Is god so merciful that he can forgive what he cannot forgive? Theology is complicated!)

GAF, am I fucked?

Sorry ElTorro, masturbation is the one thing that God just won't forgive. Have fun with your skin being melted off or whatever those crazy cats down in Hell get up to these days though!

 

[Aiustis]

I think heaven was a big part of the reason I was okay with being an atheist. I once asked my sunday school if I could just stay dead instead of going to heaven because it sounded really boring.