Condemned to Hell?

[Riley259]

This question has probably been dealt with alot on this forum and I’m familiar with the standard answers given but somehow I’m still not satisfied yet. My question concerns the fate of those who engage in some gravely sinful activity without repentence. The simple answer is that those who does this without repentence will be condemned to Hell. However, there are a myriad of reasons why a person might not be as culpable as it may appear. To take an extreme example…what about someone who engages in serial killing but due to their abusive background, compromised psychiatric status, and distorted idea of right and wrong and their lack of knowledge of God or His potential to forgive…does someone like this automatically go to Hell after they die in a state of mortal sin? I realize this example is an outlier but there are many situations where a gray area of culpability exists …at what point is the person freely choosing to do evil or even has knowledge that it is seriously evil. How about the millions of people who don’t know Christ or even God and don’t have the advantage that us Catholics or Christians do in terms of a revealed moral code. I know that God has inscribed a moral code on all of our hearts but the potential for this becoming faded or blocked out is so great in this very confused world and greater for someone who through no fault of their own had a compromised upbringing that challenged their ability to discern true right and wrong. How is this ultimately sorted out in a fair and just way? Given God’s all powerful and infinite nature, perhaps He is able to justly sort this out and in the end they’ll be no complaints of unfairness, etc. in how everyone was judged but from my vantage point it seem so difficult to do…I guess that’s why He’s God and I’m not. Perhaps I answered my own question but feedback and discussion is welcome.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

This question has probably been dealt with alot on this forum and I’m familiar with the standard answers given but somehow I’m still not satisfied yet. My question concerns the fate of those who engage in some gravely sinful activity without repentence. The simple answer is that those who does this without repentence will be condemned to Hell. However, there are a myriad of reasons why a person might not be as culpable as it may appear. To take an extreme example…what about someone who engages in serial killing but due to their abusive background, compromised psychiatric status, and distorted idea of right and wrong and their lack of knowledge of God or His potential to forgive…does someone like this automatically go to Hell after they die in a state of mortal sin? I realize this example is an outlier but there are many situations where a gray area of culpability exists …at what point is the person freely choosing to do evil or even has knowledge that it is seriously evil. How about the millions of people who don’t know Christ or even God and don’t have the advantage that us Catholics or Christians do in terms of a revealed moral code. I know that God has inscribed a moral code on all of our hearts but the potential for this becoming faded or blocked out is so great in this very confused world and greater for someone who through no fault of their own had a compromised upbringing that challenged their ability to discern true right and wrong. How is this ultimately sorted out in a fair and just way? Given God’s all powerful and infinite nature, perhaps He is able to justly sort this out and in the end they’ll be no complaints of unfairness, etc. in how everyone was judged but from my vantage point it seem so difficult to do…I guess that’s why He’s God and I’m not. Perhaps I answered my own question but feedback and discussion is welcome.

That is correct, God will deal with this during the Particular Judgment.

 

[LilyM]

Of course God reads hearts and minds, and like any just judge makes allowances for things like psychiatric disorders, abuse, poor upbringing if the person in spite of their best efforts can’t quite succeed in erasing its effects, and so on.

He is perfectly just, so no-one will end up in Hell without understanding why they are there - and why they DESERVE to be there.

 

[Verbum]

Hi Riley,

The Church defines mortal sin in order to guide us as to who can receive the sacraments. It does not condemn people to hell. Only God knows the hearts of men and women and only God can decide on their eternal fate.

Verbum

 

[Trishie]

“Cease to do evil. Learn to do good, search for justice, help the oppressed, be just to the orphan, and plead for the widow. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” [Isaiah 1:17-18]
**
Riley, regarding the choice for heaven or hell you might find it helpful to read Jesus word’s on how and why He judges souls. Jesus has given His commandments of love, and it’s our free choice whether we choose to live by them or reject them. **

Matthew 25 verses 31-46

“The Last Judgement”
“When the Son of Man comes in all His glory, escorted by all the angels, then he will take his seat on his throne of glory. All the nations will be assembled before him and he will separate men from one another as the shepherd separates sheep from goats.
He will place the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. then the King shall say to those on his right hand,” Come you whom my Father has blessed, take for your heritage the kingdom prepared for you since the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was a stranger and you made me welcome. I was thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you made me welcome; naked and you clothed me; sick and you visited me, in prison and you came to see me.

Then the virtuous will say to him in reply, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you hungry and feed you; or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you welcome; naked and clothe you; sick or in prison and go to see you?

And the King will answer, " I tell you solemnly, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me."

Next he will say to those on his left “Go away from me with your curse upon you, to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels, for when I was hungry you never gave me food; I was thirsty and you never gave me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you never made me welcome, naked and you never clothed me, sick and in prison and you never visited me.”
Then it will be their turn to ask, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty; a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and not come to your help?”
Then he will answer, “I tell you solemnly, in so far as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.” And they will go away to eternal punishment, and the virtuous to eternal life."