Can teenagers go to hell?

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Abigail_Lee

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After death ,can teenagers end up in Hell?
I mean is that possible if it is ,i found it cruel as they are in a process of growing up ,and they undergo some really difficult changes in the hormones, brain… they tend to be confused ,they are often moody … so is it fair for them to end up there ,as they are not fully developed but influenced by moody emotions and hormones .
 
Abigail_Lee said:
After death ,can teenagers end up in Hell?
I mean is that possible if it is ,i found it cruel as they are in a process of growing up ,and they undergo some really difficult changes in the hormones, brain… they tend to be confused ,they are often moody … so is it fair for them to end up there ,as they are not fully developed but influenced by moody emotions and hormones .
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If you have reached the age of reason and are of sane mind - you are responsible for your actions both here on earth and in heaven; that is temporal and eternal consequences.

Remember: God is being merciful. Mercy essentially here is not getting the punishment we deserve: hell. We already deserve hell if you will. ***We now will avoid hell by accepting the gift of God’s mercy. ***
 
The factors you listed (influx of hormones making you crazy) would be considered mitigating circumstances when judging any sins committed by teenagers (mitigating circumstances make a sin less bad but don’t excuse it completely).

In terms of cognitive development a person doesn’t gain perspective taking ability till they’re about 12 and doesn’t fully develop decision making ability till they’re about 18 so it would be very unlikely for a child/teenager to go to hell due to the requirements of “full knowledge, full consent” for a sin to be mortal.
 
Flopfoot said:
The factors you listed (influx of hormones making you crazy) would be considered mitigating circumstances when judging any sins committed by teenagers (mitigating circumstances make a sin less bad but don’t excuse it completely).

In terms of cognitive development a person doesn’t gain perspective taking ability till they’re about 12 and doesn’t fully develop decision making ability till they’re about 18 so it would be very unlikely for a child/teenager to go to hell due to the requirements of “full knowledge, full consent” for a sin to be mortal.
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Thank you for this ! 🙂 I believe if a teenager dies it is more likely that he or she goes to Purgatory , of course based on what kind of sins the person has committed.
 
Abigail_Lee said:
Thank you for this ! 🙂 I believe if a teenager dies it is more likely that he or she goes to Purgatory , of course based on what kind of sins the person has committed.
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Teenagers are more than capable of committing mortal sin and going to hell.

However, I think the real question is how many teenagers are actually committing mortal sin? While some teenagers do commit mortal sin, I think most young people who commit mortal sin regularly are college age or older… i.e. no longer under their parent’s roof.

For example, I went to a public university. While I knew of kids who had sex in high school, I knew many guys & girls who were virgins when starting college. But none that I knew were virgins by the time they graduated college.
 
Flopfoot said:
In terms of cognitive development a person doesn’t gain perspective taking ability till they’re about 12 and doesn’t fully develop decision making ability till they’re about 18 so it would be very unlikely for a child/teenager to go to hell due to the requirements of “full knowledge, full consent” for a sin to be mortal.
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There is a difference of “full knowledge” of something being wrong vs. full understanding in the sense that:
  1. I know it is wrong because parents, church, bible, conscience etc. tells me it’s wrong to do X.
VS.
  1. I don’t know “why” they tell me this is wrong.
Having full knowledge that something is wrong is not the same as having full understanding of why a certain thing is wrong. Teenagers are indeed quite capable of committing mortal sins with full knowledge, without having full understanding. As such they are very capable of choosing in opposition to God and going to hell.

God knows our hearts, minds, intentions, and he is the perfect judge who takes all things into consideration.
 
I believe it is very difficult to go to Hell at any age! Otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have chosen to suffer and die for all of us, not only “the chosen few”. When we die we shall understand how much unnecessary suffering we caused and then we shall have the opportunity to repent and make amends - as far as we can - in Purgatory. The power of God’s love for us is so great that only diabolical hatred can withstand it. Most - if not all - of our sins are due to some form of ignorance and selfishness rather than cold-blooded pride and malice.

Only God knows to what extent we are** fully **responsible for our behaviour. Even though we are often guilty there are often mitigating circumstances. This shouldn’t be an excuse for not trying to avoid sin because Jesus warned us about the real danger of Hell. The best way to do that follow His example and do what we can for others - even in small ways like St Thérèse of Lisieux. Helping them helps us forget our selfish desires and have less opportunity to be tempted! She was only twenty-four when she died but she has inspired people all over the world with her “little way”. She wrote:

“Great deeds are forbidden me, The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers, and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.”*
storyofasoul.com/

*There are over a hundred free Catholic e-books listed on this website.One of my favourite saints is included: the Curé of Ars - who is relevant to this thread because he was pursued by the devil!
 
Yes, and so can children after second grade or so. Full knowledge doesn’t mean complete understanding. In fact, everyone (over the age of reason, the age at which we begin receiving confession and communion) is deemed to have “full knowledge” of the entire natural moral law. This includes many things that teenagers might do. See CCC1859-1860 (emphasis added)

1859 Mortal sin requires full knowledge and complete consent. It presupposes knowledge of the sinful character of the act, of its opposition to God’s law. It also implies a consent sufficiently deliberate to be a personal choice. Feigned ignorance and hardness of heart do not diminish, but rather increase, the voluntary character of a sin.

1860 Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense. But no one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man. The promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders. Sin committed through malice, by deliberate choice of evil, is the gravest.

Unintentional ignorance is actually a pretty hard thing to achieve in this day and age.
 
tonyrey said:
I believe it is very difficult to go to Hell at any age!
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Jesus seems to believe the exact opposite, that is it difficult to go to Heaven! He tells us “drifting along” with the culture (especially an evil culture like ours) is to find ourselves damned.

“Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.” Lk 13:24

And

"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ Matt 7:22-23

And many other places, aside.

We don’t typically tell people to “strive” to do easy things, nor are easy things those that “many” try to do “and shall not be able.”

This accords with the teaching of the doctors of our Church (see St. Augustine, who called mankind a massa damnata, of the martyrs (see St. Cyprian), Infallible Ecumenical Councils (see Council of Florence, which said "those not living in the Catholic Church…will depart into ‘everlasting fire’ Cantate Domino]) of the past, and even of Vatican Two which declared,

"very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, have exchanged the truth of God for a lie and served the world rather than the Creator… To procure… the salvation of all these, the Church… takes zealous care to foster the missions. (LG 16) (in other words, these people need to convert to be saved).

Mother Mary also disagrees with you (see her revelation at Fatima) as does the revelation Jesus gave to St. Faustina (of Divine Mercy fame). Jesus told the saint,

“Souls perish in spite of My bitter passion. I am giving them the last hope of salvation; that is the Feast of My Mercy. If they will not adore My mercy, they will perish for all eternity.”

He also showed Faustina how immense Hell is.
 
Abigail_Lee said:
Thank you for this ! 🙂 I believe if a teenager dies it is more likely that he or she goes to Purgatory , of course based on what kind of sins the person has committed.
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Yet, the Church teaches the age of reason is about 7 years old.
 
tonyrey said:
I believe it is very difficult to go to Hell at any age! Otherwise Jesus wouldn’t have chosen to suffer and die for all of us, not only “the chosen few”. When we die we shall understand how much unnecessary suffering we caused and then we shall have the opportunity to repent and make amends - as far as we can - in Purgatory. The power of God’s love for us is so great that only diabolical hatred can withstand it. Most - if not all - of our sins are due to some form of ignorance and selfishness rather than cold-blooded pride and malice.

Only God knows to what extent we are** fully **responsible for our behaviour. Even though we are often guilty there are often mitigating circumstances. This shouldn’t be an excuse for not trying to avoid sin because Jesus warned us about the real danger of Hell. The best way to do that follow His example and do what we can for others - even in small ways like St Thérèse of Lisieux. Helping them helps us forget our selfish desires and have less opportunity to be tempted! She was only twenty-four when she died but she has inspired people all over the world with her “little way”. She wrote:

“Great deeds are forbidden me, The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers, and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love.”*
storyofasoul.com/*

There are over a hundred free Catholic e-books listed on this website.One of my favourite saints is included: the Curé of Ars - who is relevant to this thread because he was pursued by the devil!
Click to expand...
If you have reached the age of reason and are of sane mind - you are responsible for your actions both here on earth and in heaven; that is temporal and eternal consequences.

Remember: God is being merciful. Mercy essentially here is not getting the punishment we deserve: hell. We already deserve hell if you will. We now will avoid hell by accepting the gift of God’s mercy.
 
opusAquinas said:
If you have reached the age of reason and are of sane mind - you are responsible for your actions both here on earth and in heaven; that is temporal and eternal consequences.

Remember: God is being merciful. Mercy essentially here is not getting the punishment we deserve: hell. We already deserve hell if you will. We now will avoid hell by accepting the gift of God’s mercy.
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Why do we already deserve Hell?:confused:
 
tonyrey said:
Why do we already deserve Hell?:confused:
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In a matter of speaking we already deserve hell. How?

When Adam sinned we all sinned. Deserve hell.

God promised a Savior.

Only those who accept Jesus Christ will be saved.

Why?

Because only those who accept HIS Mercy then Forgiveness for Original Sin and personal sin will be saved.
 
1037 God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end. In the Eucharistic liturgy and in the daily prayers of her faithful, the Church implores the mercy of God, who does not want "any to perish, but all to come to repentance"
 
opusAquinas said:
In a matter of speaking we already deserve hell. How?

When Adam sinned we all sinned. Deserve hell.

God promised a Savior.

Only those who accept Jesus Christ will be saved.

Why?

Because only those who accept HIS Mercy then Forgiveness for Original Sin and personal sin will be saved.
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405 Although it is proper to each individual** original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam’s descendants**.
 
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