Since his elevation to the head of the Catholic faith, I have become a fan of Pope Francis — a pontiff who has become truly revolutionary in his faith and his lifestyle. As someone raised in the Catholic Church, I have never seen his equal. He has washed the feet of a Muslim female prisoner, declined the pomp and formality of past popes, and remained a humble priest in his lifestyle. Now, Pope Francis has written a long letter to a non-Catholic saying that he believes that even atheists can go to heaven and that God cares more about your heart than your profession of religion. At one time, such views would have gotten you burned at the stake. Even today, conservatives in the Catholic Church, like those associated with Opus Dei, are grumbling about this new Pope. Mark recently discussed the same view of the Pope on non-believers and now there is a report of a possible consideration of dropping celibacy for priests.
What is interesting is to see the continued effort to make Pope John Paul a saint when Pope Francis may be the most truly revolutionary man to ever hold that religious office. In his letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, Francis stated that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences. He said “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.”
It is a remarkably tolerant and enlightened view of faith at a time of extreme orthodoxy and religious intolerance. It is all the more remarkable given the increasingly antagonistic language directed against non-believers. There is obviously a rising concern among political and religious leaders that faith is declining in society. Thus, even though the non-religious is now a majority in places like England, politicians are ratcheting up such rhetoric. The Pope’s words are in stark contrast to those of people like Tony Blair with his comparisons of atheists and agnostics to terrorists.
The Pope’s reforms also now include the possibility of allowing priests to marry — a major change in religious doctrine. Italian Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s second-in-command, told Venezuela’s El Universal newspaper that celibacy is not dogma. As such, it is not unchanging divine law. Many have argued for years that marriage could bring a broader array of people to the priesthood and reduce the sexual scandals that have plagued the church.
Pope Francis, as stated earlier is a breath of fresh air. I hope is able to shake up the Church.
Oh for Criminy sakes RWL, Jesus is coming back to kill us!!!!
All he has to do is wait about one hundred years and he gets every single one of us. :o)
LOL @ Professor JT’s grammatical error (nice catch Elaine) of jail and heaven. How can you get that one wrong? Or was it done on purpose to reveal an atheistical jab at believers?
A few point(s):
David said: “His belief system is a common Christian belief system found among most of the sects of Christianity.”
Catholicism is not Christianity. Even though most catholic priests, vactican, etc will tell you that it is, Catholicism is it’s own religion. See the following article:
http://carm.org/is-catholicism-christian
Is Roman Catholicism and Christianity the same thing?
by Matt Slick
“No, Roman Catholicism and Christianity are not the same thing. Christianity is properly defined by certain doctrines that are revealed in the Bible. It is not defined by simply saying that as long as you believe in Jesus, you’re a Christian. Mormons believe in Jesus, but their Jesus is a brother of the devil in the pre-existence. The Jesus of the Jehovah’s Witnesses is Michael the Archangel. So, just saying you believe in Jesus doesn’t make you a Christian. This is why the Bible tells us who Jesus really is, God in flesh, creator of the universe. Likewise, there are essential doctrines, and if any of those essential doctrines are violated, then a church would only appear to be Christian but not really be Christian. What are those doctrines? The Bible tells us. Let’s take a look.”
“There is only one God and you are to serve no other gods (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8).
Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).
Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).
Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).
The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).
God is a Trinity (Matt. 28:19; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 13:14).”
“Jesus was born of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:25).
So, someone who is a true Christian will believe these things and not violate them. Roman Catholicism violates two of them (#1 and #4). First of all, by its practice of promoting Mary (and the Saints) to the level of God-like capabilities, they break the commandment to have no other gods before the true and living God. In Roman Catholicism, they say that Mary is the mediatrix (Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 969); Mary made atonement for the sins of man (Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, page 213); Mary is the subject of preaching and worship (Vatican Council II, p. 420); etc.”
“Also, Catholicism violates the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone. Paul the apostle, for example, tells us in Romans 4:5, “But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.” But Roman Catholicism denies that and says, “…so that all men may attain salvation through faith, Baptism and the observance of the Commandments,” (CCC, par 2068). Also, consider this:”
“If any one saith, that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean, that nothing else is required to co-operate in order to the obtaining the grace of Justification, and that it is not in any way necessary, that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema” (Council of Trent, Canons on Justification, Canon 9).
“So, even though Roman Catholicism claims to be Christian and that it is the one true church, it violates the essentials of the Christian faith. It goes beyond what is written in God’s word (1 Cor. 4:6). It denies the sole and true sovereignty of the living God by promoting prayer to and the worship of Mary. Also, it denies justification by faith alone in Christ alone. It is not a Christian church.”
Nevertheless, why would an atheist (or non-believer), muslim, anyone of a different faith/religion, etc care about what the Pope says?
Ter ner said: “I for one am sorry he said an atheist can go to heaven. Lucifer/Satan must be so happy for that. It goes so well with his plan for a one-world religion coming. It’s so simple. We do not earn it. We do not deserve it . There are NO groups to join. It is a free gift. google: John 3:16.”
LOVE IT! You can see this in most a few non-demonational christian churches who refuse to speak about sin, and accept (meaning will not tell them that you cannot be accepted in the Kingdom of Christ if you refuse to be born again, and to abandon the sinful lifestyle that you are currently involved in) sinful behavior/activities of their members to become part of their church (just so they can attract ‘paying members’ to fill their wallets, manisons, and to become mega churches).
He (Jesus Christ) is coming back, and he is not bringing love, hope, faith, meekness this time. Instead, he will be bringing the sword.
RWL wrote: “Catholicism is not Christianity. Even though most catholic priests, vactican, etc will tell you that it is, Catholicism is it’s own religion.”
It really comes down to how you define Christianity. What is necessary for a religious sect to be considered a Christian religion?
Seems to me that you have fallen for an article by someone in one sect of Christianity attempting to argue theologically that the Roman Catholic sect is too different from them to be considered Christian. Lots of Christian sects do this. The Muslim sects do it too, which is why they fight so much over there. The truth is that these Christian sects all profess to be followers of Christ. If a religious sect claims to follow Christ as the supreme head of their religion, that makes it a Christian sect. No need to get nitty gritty into the theology of it all in order to determine who the TRUE BELIEVERS really are.
David,
In the subject area of Christianity, I would hope everyone would refer to the Chirstian experts, than your non-Christian expertist. 🙂
RWL – Who did you have in mind as the Christian experts? I hope you do not consider Matt Slick to be one. His esoteric reformed protestant opinion differs from most experts on exactly who is Christian. He reminds me of how Roman Catholics use to believe anybody not in the in the Roman Catholic church were not true Christians. Since Vatican II in the mid 1960’s, they have considered them “separated brethren.”
Wikipedia lists Catholics as the largest Christian denomination.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members
So perhaps you can urge your experts to go over to Wikipedia and edit the various topics that you claim have this information wrong. Apparently many other experts disagree with your favorite experts.
How refreshing this Pope.
How long can he possibly last in the Catholic Church monarchy?
“and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go to him with a sincere and contrite heart.”
Lifes’ mercy has no limit if you live with a sincere and contrite heart.
Whether God exists or not. The true and sincere self, senses truth and sincerity itself. Follow your bliss with blissful balance.
@jcar and dave: I’m with Dave on this. Please, jcar, do NOT pray for me. I am a recovered Catholic and a born-again atheist. Nice try, pope, but you ain’t fooling me.
Dave, +1
Galileo then Tim Jones, stem cell research now. Same old Church.
Nuclear weapons, GMOs, the Internal Combustion Engine… hurray for science!!
There should be a beattitude for driving clunkers.
Pope Francis is just what the church needs.
I fear Pope Francis may develop a fatal illness soon…
As far as priests marrying, it may open the priesthood to a much larger pool of people but it won’t necessarily stop the pedophilia. Most pedophiles are heterosexual and are usually married. (ex. Jerry Sandusky) They are sexually attracted to young children of either gender. What they require is an opportunity to be around lots of children and absolute trust.
Back in my religious days, the Lutheran minister who performed my wedding and baptized my eldest son was arrested for molesting a 10-year old boy. The minister was married with four children of his own.
As an atheist, I don’t want to go to heaven. The Bible says there is no eating, no drinking, no sleeping and no sex in heaven. Just endlessly praising god for all eternity. I prefer to rot in the ground.
“The bible calls heaven eternal bliss. I don’t care how blissful it is. It’s eternal. You’ll get used to it. And then you’ll be f**king bored!” ~ Jim Jefferies
Thank you Dave. This new pope guy has said some nice things but I believe you put his statements in proper perspective.
JCar: I think for people like you.
Opps! * car is as …
That car is a cute as a spotted pup. I want it!
I pray for people like Dave.
The pope is a mammal who pretends to be a conduit and spokesperson for a very particular supernatural entity that was invented and subsequently edited during times of immense science illiteracy. Nothing more.
This one waves, makes statements, washes feet, and bedazzles his dresses a little less, and that’s supposed to impress? How about “praising” scientists who are actually trying to uncover truths about the world, who also lack funding and, pathetically, public interest? The pope, conversely, speaks as a sadly accepted figure of authority, making declarative statements as of he or anyone in his position has access to another realm. This is epic absurdity, people.
As far as the switch on celibacy:
“A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.”
-Carl Sagan
Reblogged this on Jesse Talks Back.
As an atheist, I have not been a fan of the Catholic Church and find its existence a bane on the rest of us. Now, while I won’t be converting, this pope seems to be a rather good person and more in line with what most people in the world are like. So I welcome this tolerant, open man, and will treat him as I would any other who is the same. It seems like he will be rising above the past and trying to be good man.
roxie6251 1, September 13, 2013 at 10:40 am
You may think Francis is the most revolutionary pope, but you weren’t around for John XIII.
*****
I think you mean John XXIII. He was a revolutionary pope too.
“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.”
This is simply a re-statement of Catholic doctrine. It’s not revolutionary… it’s in the catechism!
And there are married priests now, though only a few in the Roman rite. A change there would *not* be a major change in doctrine, but in discipline and practice.