Are you scared of dying?

[Statius]

I am certainly not looking forward to the experience of death itself, but I suppose I am only a little scared of being dead. I think it is good to be mindful of one’s own mortality, and not to imagine that one will have infinite opportunities to accept God’s mercy, but I think we have every reason to be hopeful, as God’s mercy is there for any who choose it.

 

[Thoughtfulone]

yes, the bible is full of counsel on how to avoid sin, but nowhere does it says any sin, big or small, automatically condemns you to hell. No matter how great or small the sin, it is forgiven and absolved in confession, or even with a sincere act of contrition at the moment of death. Even then we are still given the opportunity at our personal judgement, when we will have full knowledge of the consequences, to choose God and union with him in heaven, or to reject him for all eternity. That is what condemns one to hell.

What is this personal judgement and is this consistent with Catholic doctrine?

 

[puzzleannie]

The Catholic faith does have an insanely long list of things that will send one to hell and it seems the list just keeps getting longer.ht?

I am going to repeat this one more time for people who so want to cling to their misconceptions that they close their ears to the truth, because they choose fear over love: the Church has one and only one thing on the list of what will send you to hell, and that is refusal of God’s forgiveness, love and mercy at the moment of death and judgement in a fully informed free will choice to separate oneself from God forever.

The Church has a list of mortal sins, it was revealed by God, it is called the 10 commandments. The human race keeps adding new and innovative ways to break those commandments, and that is why the list of sins keeps growing longer.

 

[fbl9]

snip…
The Church has a list of mortal sins, it was revealed by God, it is called the 10 commandments. The human race keeps adding new and innovative ways to break those commandments, and that is why the list of sins keeps growing longer.

Exactly:thumbsup:

 

[Thoughtfulone]

Will someone please answer my question? What is this personal judgement and is it consistent with Catholic doctrine? I ask this because if someone is killed suddenly, they have no opportunity for confession or even a perfect act of contrition. What becomes of them? Do they have a chance to repent somehow?

 

[fbl9]

What is this personal judgement and is this consistent with Catholic doctrine?

Personal judgement is done by Christ at the time of one’s death.This is consitant with Catholic doctrine.I am unsure about the chance to repent at this judgement, it is written of the Lord saying "they will not be forgiven in this life or the next"St. Matthew 12:32…This “personal” judgement done at one’s death decides one’s final destination. The general judgement at the end of time is done to show God’s mercy.

 

[challam2010]

Fear of death is universal among people because we don’t KNOW what is beyond – we have all kinds of supposition and theories and theology-based answers, but the only Person we believe for sure who has returned is Jesus.

In all the millions of words the Catholic Church has described our faith and all the pronouncements it has made throughout the centuries, the Church has never declared ONE person to be in hell.

On the other hand, with canonization, both by acclamation in the early centuries and more formalized as in today’s rite, the Church does declare a person to be in the presence of God, which we know as heaven.

Doctrine states there is a hell, and Jesus talked about it a few times in His ministry – but we do not know without doubt that there is anyone in residence.

Jesus taught us to address God in our prayer as “Father” - not as Judge, not as Condemnor, not as the wrathful God of the OT – but literally in Arabic as “daddy.”

As much as we love our own children and would never condemn them to eternal punishment, how much more does God love us, Who died to save us? Our puny minds and hearts simply cannot comprehend the love that the trinitarian God has for us.

We have rules, we have complicated ways of grading and measuring sin…Jesus left us two commandments – Love God, Love and serve Him as we love and serve one another. What we do for the least of those we meet on our journey, we do to Him.

Pretty simple – difficult to do every time, but God knows our motives, our limitations, our degree of trying, our failures and our successes.

I’ve buried practically my whole family, including two sons, and I was present at the death of my husband, who passed to Jesus conscious and in perfect peace. I’m afraid to go through the doorway, but I’m only a little bit nervous about meeting Jesus on the other side, and my life has not been saintly.

God loves us…trust in that love and His infinite mercy.

 

[roveau]

I thought Mortal sins were VERY serious… by what your saying I probably commit a mortal sin 3 times a week…

Anything mortal is a serious matter.

When you commit a mortal sin make sure you are sorry for it, say an act of contrition and head for the nearest available confessional as soon as you can. You repeat this for as many times as necessary. You will receive graces from God to improve yourself, you will make progress eventually.

Getting back on topic. I’m not scared of dying but I don’t look forward to it because I don’t want to go just yet. This is a special time for us if we think in terms of Eternity and I want to make the most of it, with God in mind.

If you live to an old age and with the infirmities of old age you do grow weary of life and tend to look forward to your departure to the next life. I have known many old people and almost none of them were afraid of dying, some were impatient to go.

 

[cyberwolf001]

I am going to repeat this one more time for people who so want to cling to their misconceptions that they close their ears to the truth, because they choose fear over love: the Church has one and only one thing on the list of what will send you to hell, and that is refusal of God’s forgiveness, love and mercy at the moment of death and judgement in a fully informed free will choice to separate oneself from God forever.

The Church has a list of mortal sins, it was revealed by God, it is called the 10 commandments. The human race keeps adding new and innovative ways to break those commandments, and that is why the list of sins keeps growing longer.

You can through all the fancy words on this you want and claim those who disagree with you reject love for fear (even if we are doing the opposite) but the CATHOLIC CHURCH keeps declaring things mortal sins and one mortal sin = hell and enough venial sins will equal a mortal sin. However the Church refuses to say how many and yet I’ve had confessors tell me unless I did a venial enough to make it mortal don’t bother them with it

A perfect scheme to keep the faithful afraid.

 

[Sam_777]

I’m not scared of dying , at least I will see YHWH/YHWH’s Word/YHWH’s Spirit.

 

[McatholicN]

You can through all the fancy words on this you want and claim those who disagree with you reject love for fear (even if we are doing the opposite) but the CATHOLIC CHURCH keeps declaring things mortal sins and one mortal sin = hell and enough venial sins will equal a mortal sin. However the Church refuses to say how many and yet I’ve had confessors tell me unless I did a venial enough to make it mortal don’t bother them with it

A perfect scheme to keep the faithful afraid.

Actually, I don’t think that a certain amount of venial sins equals mortal sin. A lot of venial sin will make someone more succeptible to mortal sin, but you have to actually commit a sin of grave matter to qualify for mortal sin.

 

[cyberwolf001]

Actually, I don’t think that a certain amount of venial sins equals mortal sin. A lot of venial sin will make someone more succeptible to mortal sin, but you have to actually commit a sin of grave matter to qualify for mortal sin.

I’ve heard both repeatedly. Yet another case of the RCC being unable to give a straight answer. An on a very important subject at that.

 

[illmatic]

Yeah, it scares me. I’ve been thinking about it a lot recently and I’ve kind of reached the conclusion that Christ is real, I have faith and I love him. When I condemn my actions, I do it out of love for Christ. And I trust him. If heaven is not for me, so be it. I will still live my life with Christ at the centre and do everything I can to bring glory and honour to him. I don’t know if that helps though.

 

[fons_vitae]

You can through all the fancy words on this you want

Nice appeal to the stereotypical “common man,” who doesn’t need them intellekshuls, who enjoys neopagan esotericism… oh wait, that’s not common at all.

and claim those who disagree with you reject love for fear (even if we are doing the opposite)

This is a common problem… people conflating “brief pleasant feeling” or even a lasting euphoria with love/charity/agape, which is primarily an act of the will.

but the CATHOLIC CHURCH keeps declaring things mortal sins and one mortal sin = hell and enough venial sins will equal a mortal sin. However the Church refuses to say how many and yet I’ve had confessors tell me unless I did a venial enough to make it mortal don’t bother them with it

A perfect scheme to keep the faithful afraid.

I actually started a thread on similarly conspiratorial thinking. Now that is very common, on every side.

 

[cyberwolf001]

Nice appeal to the stereotypical “common man,” who doesn’t need them intellekshuls, who enjoys neopagan esotericism… oh wait, that’s not common at all.

Nice try. I refer to the habit (no pun intended) of many Catholics I encounter refusing to give straight answers. Instead we get walls of text using obscure terminology being used in it’s most archaic meanings to explain a point that could be summed up in a sentence with plain modern English.

Oh and we Pagans are at 12% and climbing so it’s getting more common. I think there is a few of us in almost every county of the USA.

This is a common problem… people conflating “brief pleasant feeling” or even a lasting euphoria with love/charity/agape, which is primarily an act of the will.

Which has nothing to do with what I was talking about. But best to stick to the talking points eh?

 

[fons_vitae]

Nice try. I refer to the habit (no pun intended) of many Catholics I encounter refusing to give straight answers. Instead we get walls of text using obscure terminology being used in it’s most archaic meanings to explain a point that could be summed up in a sentence with plain modern English.

You’re kidding, right? Neopaganism’s lifeblood is archaicism. I thought that’s what it was all about–a decent imitation of an older religious system that the Enlightenment West unfortunately dismantled, correct?
sigh They don’t make pagans like they used to. Plato and Aristotle must doing a facepalm right now.

Which has nothing to do with what I was talking about. But best to stick to the talking points eh?

I just ask you to define your terms, and not end every question with an “eh,” eh wot?

 

[livnlern]

You can through all the fancy words on this you want and claim those who disagree with you reject love for fear (even if we are doing the opposite) but the CATHOLIC CHURCH keeps declaring things mortal sins and one mortal sin = hell and enough venial sins will equal a mortal sin. However the Church refuses to say how many and yet I’ve had confessors tell me unless I did a venial enough to make it mortal don’t bother them with it

A perfect scheme to keep the faithful afraid.

Why be afraid? There will always be priests that you get along with better than others. They’re human too and some might be more in tune with you. You can go to a different one for confession next time.
I think people are getting too caught up in the details. Of course you have to be aware of mortal sin. But for the most part, Jesus wants us to be kind and caring for each other. We’re all going to mess up from time to time, but we have to keep trying. Keep going and don’t give up. God doesn’t give up on us as long as we don’t give up on Him.

 

[Kingbear]

Cyberwolf, You are in my Prayers.

To the original poster, why would we be scared of dying?
Each day we are challenged and each day we must acknowlage our sin,and repent in our hearts if we have no access to a preist, but our first thoughts should be of humility and repentance.

I personally keep a book and make a quick note of when my thoughts or deeds stray from the easy path we have been offered. This is no Burden, as the Lord said “My Yoke is Light”.
It is a matter of a few hours each week to acknowlage, record and repent of our errors.
We are only on earth a length of time equal to a drop of water in a univese sized ocean. What Hardship is there repenting in the face of this! With true and honest humility felt in the heart?

Our toil here will be rewarded in ways we cannot know of!

 

[cyberwolf001]

You’re kidding, right? Neopaganism’s lifeblood is archaicism. I thought that’s what it was all about–a decent imitation of an older religious system that the Enlightenment West unfortunately dismantled, correct?
sigh They don’t make pagans like they used to. Plato and Aristotle must doing a facepalm right now.

When in doubt say it isn’t authentic. Honestly we Pagans could end up being the majority in this nation by 80% complete with our own schools and temples on every corner and some would still be calling it an imitation.

An for the record we prefer to keep our language as simple and straight forward as possible on the important issues and work to keep it up to date in modern language. We look to the best of the old and bring it forward into a modern context.

Our Gods are not the same yesterday, today and forever. Anything that is the same yesterday, today and forever is dead useless.

I just ask you to define your terms, and not end every question with an “eh,” eh wot?

Interesting it seems you said to me:

Nice appeal to the stereotypical “common man,” who doesn’t need them intellekshuls, who enjoys neopagan esotericism… oh wait, that’s not common at all.

This is a common problem… people conflating “brief pleasant feeling” or even a lasting euphoria with love/charity/agape, which is primarily an act of the will.

I actually started a thread on similarly conspiratorial thinking. Now that is very common, on every side.

Nothing at all about defining my terms. Just going for the fast talking points.

 

[fbl9]

Cyberwolf, You are in my Prayers.

To the original poster, why would we be scared of dying?
Each day we are challenged and each day we must acknowlage our sin,and repent in our hearts if we have no access to a preist, but our first thoughts should be of humility and repentance.

I personally keep a book and make a quick note of when my thoughts or deeds stray from the easy path we have been offered. This is no Burden, as the Lord said “My Yoke is Light”.
It is a matter of a few hours each week to acknowlage, record and repent of our errors.
We are only on earth a length of time equal to a drop of water in a univese sized ocean. What Hardship is there repenting in the face of this! With true and honest humility felt in the heart?

Our toil here will be rewarded in ways we cannot know of!

Do you have huge arms, i mean carrying that phonebook sized note pad around
That is a very interesting idea.