Could Hitchens be in Heaven?

[openmind77]

The Catholic Church doesn’t teach that someone is in Hell, the Church leaves that up to God as it should be!!! THAT IS what the Catholic Church teaches!!! I like the way non-Catholics try to tell us Catholics what we believe. Very wrong!!! We pray for all departed souls, including those of non believers. God Bless, Memaw

OK, I stand corrected - the Catholic teaching is that Hitchens is probably not in hell because of the infinite mercy of God and prayers of Catholics.

 

[Memaw]

OK, I stand corrected - the Catholic teaching is that Hitchens is probably not in hell because of the infinite mercy of God and prayers of Catholics.

The Catholic Church teaches that we are all responsibly for our own actions and we have to stand before God at the time of our death and GOD judges us as to our Eternity. Our prayers cannot keep someone from Hell if they die unrepentant of mortal, (serious) sins. Our Prayers for those who have died are only for those who were repentant but haven’t atoned for their sins. Those in Purgatory. No prayers, (Catholic’s or anyone else’s), can “force” someone to repent of their sins. Even God will not do that. If someone is in Hell, it is because they chose that path and wouldn’t repent of it before they died. God Bless, Memaw

 

[Lucretius]

There was a man that said to him, Lord, is it only a few that are to be saved? Whereupon he said to them: Fight your way in at the narrow door; I tell you, there are many who will try and will not be able to enter. When the master of the house has gone in and has shut the door, you will fall to beating on the door as you stand without, and saying, Lord, open to us. But this will be his answer, I know nothing of you, nor whence you come. Thereupon you will fall to protesting, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence; thou hast taught in our streets. But he will say, I tell you, I know nothing of you, nor whence you come; depart from me, you that traffic in iniquity. Weeping shall be there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets within God’s kingdom, while you yourselves are cast out. Others will come from the east and the west, the north and the south, to take their ease in the kingdom of God. And indeed, there are some who are last, and shall then be first, some who are first, and shall then be last (Luke 13:23-30).

The Catholic teaching is that we don’t know if Mr. Hitchens is saved or not, and that speculating is at least fruitless, but possibly harmful.

Christi pax,

Lucretius

 

[Lucretius]

So in other words…in answer to the OP’s original question, “Could Hitchens be in Heaven?”…the answer is: YES!

We will be quite surprised on who we will find in Heaven. We might find that many respectable people will be missing, and many people guilt of grave crimes will have somehow made it (this is paraphrasing an Essay by Fulton Sheen called " ‘Nice’ People").

The most surprising thing to find in Heaven though is that we somehow made it!

Christi pax,

Lucretius

 

[Aloysium]

I Imagine the focus will be not on oneself but on:
WOW!!!
And we will know ourselves and each other truly, as God loves us.
Holy, Holy, Holy

 

[openmind77]

The Catholic Church teaches that we are all responsibly for our own actions and we have to stand before God at the time of our death and GOD judges us as to our Eternity. Our prayers cannot keep someone from Hell if they die unrepentant of mortal, (serious) sins. Our Prayers for those who have died are only for those who were repentant but haven’t atoned for their sins. Those in Purgatory. No prayers, (Catholic’s or anyone else’s), can “force” someone to repent of their sins. Even God will not do that. If someone is in Hell, it is because they chose that path and wouldn’t repent of it before they died. God Bless, Memaw

OK, one more correction: Clearly Hitchens has not repented of his sins (probably used contraceptives all his life), so he is probably in hell (but he could be in heaven because we just don’t know).

 

[Memaw]

OK, one more correction: Clearly Hitchens has not repented of his sins (probably used contraceptives all his life), so he is probably in hell (but he could be in heaven because we just don’t know).

The Catholic Church teaches that we CANNOT judge anyone’s Eternity. That is God’s job only. We can only judge their actions as to whither they are good or evil. Their soul is between them and God. We have no idea what a dying person is thinking or feeling just before they die. Even the “good” thief on the cross was forgiven just before he died. And promised Heaven. The unrepentant one wasn’t!! No one knows if Hitchens repented before death. Only God and him. That is why we pray for those who have died. They aren’t really “dead”. Just to earthly life. Purgatory is a part of Heaven, NOT a part of Hell. And we all must atone for our sins before entering Heaven. Rev.21-27, Mt. 5-26, 2 Tim. 1-16-18, Our prayers for them help them atone. Just as our prays for each other on earth help us. God Bless, Memaw

 

[rose_kelly]

I don’t think we can judge a man’s eternal salvation based on our own preferences, likes, or dislikes about them. Only God truly knows a man’s soul. God doesn’t compare us to others because he knows it is not a level playing field. Something s are much harder or easier for others. He is not going to judge us by how successful we were. He just asks us to try.

But, this saying comes to mind.

!
I dreamt death came the other night
And heaven’s gate swung wide;
With kindly grace an angel came
To usher me inside.

Yet there to my astonishment
Stood folks I’d known on earth,
Some I had judged as quite unfit
Or of but little worth.

Indignant words rose to my lips
But never were set free;
**For every face showed stunned surprise
NO ONE expected me! **/QUOTE]

I meant to mention this earlier. The message in that poem and especially those last lines, certainly struck a chord with me.

 

[NM505StKate]

Considering Mr. Hitchens and his stance I am going to assume he is dead. Nothing more or less.