Are non-Christian religions acceptable?

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Not only that, but also INCORRECT according to Catholic teaching. Perhaps it is correct according to Protestant Fundamentalist teaching, but it is NOT the teaching of the Church. Salvation might be more difficult for those who do not have the Sacraments, but it is possible based on ways known only to G-d. That is the Church’s position, and you don’t have to be Catholic to know this.
 
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meltzerboy2 said:
Not only that, but also INCORRECT according to Catholic teaching.
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Of course you are right. IMHO, I know some Buddhists who are honest and decent persons, people you can trust. They pray regularly to Buddha, are loyal to their families and would never even think of cheating on their spouses. How many Roman Catholic marriages these days end in divorce or annulment because one of the spouses had cheated? Do they think that they can go to heaven while disregarding Luke 16:18?
 
Eddie18 said:
There are obvious inconsistencies in what was taught in centuries past and what is being taught now, … Many Catholics are in complete confusion and have lost their faith because of the situation.
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I thought that Catholic teaching never changes?
 
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If they die as such and without faith they have no other viable destination. But those Jews and Muslims who lived their lives in sincerity of faith and goodwill, God will enlighten them before they die, as St. Thomas Aquinas says, for there is no salvation apart from confessing Christ. None. It’s no more judgmental than saying those who jump off the cliff die when they hit the bottom. It has nothing to do with individuals, but simple consequences.
 
It doesn’t. Culture and the climate of mass pop-psychology however makes for a poor religious incubator.
 
StAugustine said:
If they die as such and without faith they have no other viable destination.
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You mean that Buddhists go to everlasting fire in hell even though they were honest and faithful to their spouses. But Catholics can commit any sin they want, including cheating on their spouses, and go to confession, apply for and receive a plenary indulgence and they will go to heaven?
 
Don’t get confused, go back and research “The necessary means of salvation.”
  1. There are those means that are necessary hypothetically, by God’s command, and they can therefore be set aside at his command. This is the kind of necessity that is inherent in the sacraments and baptism. The necessity to be baptized is necessary by a hypothetical necessity of means, and can admit of exception in extenuating circumstances.
  2. Faith is ABSOLUTELY necessary by a necessity of means and has ZERO exceptions. Amongst the articles of faith you HAVE to profess for salvation EXPLICITLY
  3. There is a God who rewards the just and punished the wicked.
  4. He created a supernatural order.
  5. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.
  6. God is a Trinity.
This is the entire content of the Athanasian Creed still used in the official prayers of the Church to this day, especially in the Divine Office.
 
Athananasian creed.

Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled; without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; Neither confounding the Persons; nor dividing the Essence. For there is one Person of the Father; another of the Son; and another of the Holy Ghost. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, is all one; the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is; such is the Son; and such is the Holy Ghost. The Father uncreated; the Son uncreated; and the Holy Ghost uncreated. The Father unlimited; the Son unlimited; and the Holy Ghost unlimited. The Father eternal; the Son eternal; and the Holy Ghost eternal. And yet they are not three eternals; but one eternal. As also there are not three uncreated; nor three infinites, but one uncreated; and one infinite. So likewise the Father is Almighty; the Son Almighty; and the Holy Ghost Almighty. And yet they are not three Almighties; but one Almighty. So the Father is God; the Son is God; and the Holy Ghost is God. And yet they are not three Gods; but one God. So likewise the Father is Lord; the Son Lord; and the Holy Ghost Lord. And yet not three Lords; but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity; to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; So are we forbidden by the catholic religion; to say, There are three Gods, or three Lords. The Father is made of none; neither created, nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone; not made, nor created; but begotten. The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten; but proceeding. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Ghost, not three Holy Ghosts. And in this Trinity none is before, or after another; none is greater, or less than another. But the whole three Persons are coeternal, and coequal. So that in all things, as aforesaid; the Unity in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity, is to be worshipped. He therefore that will be saved, let him thus think of the Trinity.

Cont’d
 
Furthermore, it is necessary to everlasting salvation; that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. For the right Faith is, that we believe and confess; that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man; God, of the Substance [Essence] of the Father; begotten before the worlds; and Man, of the Substance [Essence] of his Mother, born in the world. Perfect God; and perfect Man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Equal to the Father, as touching his Godhead; and inferior to the Father as touching his Manhood. Who although he is God and Man; yet he is not two, but one Christ. One; not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh; but by assumption of the Manhood into God. One altogether; not by confusion of Substance [Essence]; but by unity of Person. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man; so God and Man is one Christ; Who suffered for our salvation; descended into hell; rose again the third day from the dead. He ascended into heaven, he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he will come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men will rise again with their bodies; And shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting; and they that have done evil, into everlasting fire. This is the catholic faith; which except a man believe truly and firmly, he cannot be saved.

There it is, the formal teaching of the Church as expressed in the Athanasian Creed.

Lex Orandi, Lex credendi. We believe what we pray. I believe.

Who else believes?
 
You are assuming confession works without true sorrow for sin and intent to turn away from evil.

It doesn’t. If you mean the Catholic to be as flippant as he appears, no- neither will be saved.

The Buddhist will not be saved because he does not have the virtue of faith, without which it is impossible to please God,

And the Catholic in your scenario will not be saved because he treats Gos like a slot machine.

Also, your comparison of goods is flawed. Marital fidelity is not the greatest good. Fidelity to God and to the dictates of your conscience are greater, for which reason if a man were to leave behind his wife in the process of conversion, say because she threatens to leave him if he converts, he actually does good and not evil, because God has priority. He has offered to God a pleasing sacrifice.
 
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StAugustine said:
The Buddhist will not be saved because he does not have the virtue of faith, without which it is impossible to please God,
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That is your personal opinion. I don’t see how you know that all Buddhists will go to hell. The Bible is full of hyperbole and most people don’t take everything literally. For example, I haven’t seen any Christians plucking out their eyeballs or cutting off their hands. And yet according to what I read, sins are committed by the hands of Catholics just as they are with others.
StAugustine said:
You are assuming confession works without true sorrow for sin and intent to turn away from evil.
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I know what I am assuming and it is not what you falsely claim. I was assuming that the penitent had imperfect contrition at the time of confession.
 
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Everyone goes to Heaven now. And when they get there they get a participation award. And a sticker!(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
 
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Christ is using hyperbolic imagery to indicate to what degree we should hate sin.

I just posted the Athanasian Creed which is part of the Extraordinary form of the Mass on certain Sundays AND the Extraordinary form of the Divine Office AND is still used in BOTH forms of the ritual of Exorcism.

I wonder why the Church has found it so efficacious to recite this creed against Satan?

But no, it’s not my opinion, it is the teaching of the Church in the council of Florence and is an official dogma-

The Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes, and proclaims that those not living within the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics cannot become participants in eternal life, but will depart “into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels” [Matt. 25:41], unless before the end of life the same have been added to the flock; and that the unity of the ecclesiastical body is so strong that only to those remaining in it are the sacraments of the Church of benefit for salvation, and do fastings, almsgiving, and other functions of piety and exercises of Christian service produce eternal reward, and that no one, whatever almsgiving he has practiced, even if he has shed blood for the name of Christ, can be saved, unless he has remained in the bosom and unity of the Catholic Church.

The official dogmatic teaching of the Church is that the unity of the Church demands conversion and faith.
 
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anon10271182 said:
Everyone goes to Heaven now. And when they get there they get a participation award. And a sticker!!
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Actually, if you read the Catechism, it alludes to the possibility of something along those lines, although without the snark and sarcasm.
 
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What does the Church’s Athanasian Creed say which she has used for 1600 years and forms a part of her liturgies until this day? What’s THAT say? What kind of people go to Hell? It’s posted above “wink, wink” along with the dogmatic portion of Cantate Domino by Pope Eugene IV.
 
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It says, “wink wink” that those who have done evil will go into everlasting fire.

What it doesn’t say “wink wink” is that “those who will go into everlasting fire for evildoing include everyone who doesn’t believe this, to include Jews and Muslims”. And it says “catholic” - universal.

The Nicene and Apostle’s Creeds say nothing about anyone descending into fire for not knowing of the Christian faith and not believing in something they’ve not been guided to. Hence the Catechism.

Or do you just dispense with those creeds because they don’t fit this definition? It’s a serious question.
 
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“Alludes” is the operative word. The documents of V2 in no way validate the belief known as universalism.
Universalism is heresy.
 
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Yep. It doesn’t say “they’re damned to hell for all eternity”, either.
 
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