Do Non-Christians go to hell?

[yuzurusan]

I posted a similar question on Yahoo Answers but I still havent gotten an answer I feel is right. I think it would be much better to post it here. I will just copy and paste the text from my question here.

What does the Catholic Church teach about the afterlife? Can non-Christians go to Heaven?
I was agnostic for a year and I finally came back to being Catholic. But now something is bothering me again. Who can go to Heaven? Why? Do people just need to do whats right and good to go to Heaven if they arent Christian? Or does someone have to be Christian to go to Heaven? If you have to be Christian to go to Heaven, I would think thats not fair. Because that would mean that Non-Christians would go to hell wouldnt it? So if someone is a different religion or has different beliefs and they do good and help people and respect others, would they go to Heaven or hell? If they go to hell for not being Christian, then that is unfair. God is supposed to be just isnt he? He can do anything. If he would let someone like that go to hell, then that is not justice. I’m not saying he is sending them there or something. I’ve heard about how people go there because of their ‘choice’ to not be with God. But is that really fair? God made us and i’m sure he knows how skeptical a lot of us are. Is there really any proof he exists? Anything like that? So if they dont ‘choose’ God, does that mean they are punished forever? but how are they supposed to choose God if they cant really know if he exists or not? What if they are raised in another religion? Do they go to hell for that, even if they are good people? Does a GOOD person deserve ETERNAL punishment for not believing in the right thing? That isnt justice! If God can do everything, wouldn’t that include being able to prevent that good person form going to hell? I wanted to strengthen my relationship with God but I still l don’t have enough faith. But then when I started worrying about all this, I realized I probably couldn’t love God if innocent and good people go to Hell because of their beliefs. By the way, im a teenager. And I have scrupulosity. But anyways, is that what the Church teaches about Heaven and hell? or does it teach that even non-Christians can go to Heaven if they do good? I don’t know what the Church teaches about all this, so that is why I am asking. I’m not trying to be rude if it seems that way, but I am just getting very upset about this. Please help me, and really, thank you.

Okay, so that is what I wrote on yahoo answers. I want to ask it here instead. Just some other information, Im a teenager starting high school next year. I have scrupulosity and I constantly worry about things like this. I was a strong believer about a year and half to two years ago, but then I became agnostic for about a year. But then I became Catholic again and grew in my relationship with God, until the other day when I started worrying about this. Its making me very sad and depressed and I think I still want to have a relationship with God. But I just dont know if im able to love Him if its true that innocent or good people go to hell just because of they arent the right religion. There are tons of religions, how would they know that this is the right one? What about those countries where only a very small number of people are Christian? They dont deserve eternal punishment if they are good people. This has been really worrying me and making me upset. Please help me. And this is probably a lot of text, but thank you for reading. Really, thank you so much.

 

[thistle]

I posted a similar question on Yahoo Answers but I still havent gotten an answer I feel is right. I think it would be much better to post it here. I will just copy and paste the text from my question here.

What does the Catholic Church teach about the afterlife? Can non-Christians go to Heaven?
I was agnostic for a year and I finally came back to being Catholic. But now something is bothering me again. Who can go to Heaven? Why? Do people just need to do whats right and good to go to Heaven if they arent Christian? Or does someone have to be Christian to go to Heaven? If you have to be Christian to go to Heaven, I would think thats not fair. Because that would mean that Non-Christians would go to hell wouldnt it? So if someone is a different religion or has different beliefs and they do good and help people and respect others, would they go to Heaven or hell? If they go to hell for not being Christian, then that is unfair. God is supposed to be just isnt he? He can do anything. If he would let someone like that go to hell, then that is not justice. I’m not saying he is sending them there or something. I’ve heard about how people go there because of their ‘choice’ to not be with God. But is that really fair? God made us and i’m sure he knows how skeptical a lot of us are. Is there really any proof he exists? Anything like that? So if they dont ‘choose’ God, does that mean they are punished forever? but how are they supposed to choose God if they cant really know if he exists or not? What if they are raised in another religion? Do they go to hell for that, even if they are good people? Does a GOOD person deserve ETERNAL punishment for not believing in the right thing? That isnt justice! If God can do everything, wouldn’t that include being able to prevent that good person form going to hell? I wanted to strengthen my relationship with God but I still l don’t have enough faith. But then when I started worrying about all this, I realized I probably couldn’t love God if innocent and good people go to Hell because of their beliefs. By the way, im a teenager. And I have scrupulosity. But anyways, is that what the Church teaches about Heaven and hell? or does it teach that even non-Christians can go to Heaven if they do good? I don’t know what the Church teaches about all this, so that is why I am asking. I’m not trying to be rude if it seems that way, but I am just getting very upset about this. Please help me, and really, thank you.

Okay, so that is what I wrote on yahoo answers. I want to ask it here instead. Just some other information, Im a teenager starting high school next year. I have scrupulosity and I constantly worry about things like this. I was a strong believer about a year and half to two years ago, but then I became agnostic for about a year. But then I became Catholic again and grew in my relationship with God, until the other day when I started worrying about this. Its making me very sad and depressed and I think I still want to have a relationship with God. But I just dont know if im able to love Him if its true that innocent or good people go to hell just because of they arent the right religion. There are tons of religions, how would they know that this is the right one? What about those countries where only a very small number of people are Christian? They dont deserve eternal punishment if they are good people. This has been really worrying me and making me upset. Please help me. And this is probably a lot of text, but thank you for reading. Really, thank you so much.

The Church teaches that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church, that baptism is necessary for salvation and you must die in a state of grace. To be within the Catholic Church you must be subject to one of the following baptisms - sacramental baptism as a Catholic, baptism of blood, baptism of desire (explicit), baptism of desire (implicit/invincible ignorance).
The Church does not define which individuals or groups of people might be captured under invincible ignorance so any views on who might be are speculation.
Outside the above baptisms nobody can be saved.

 

[Trishie]

From the official teaching of the Catholic Church
in the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding non-Christians

scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p3.htm

The Church and non-Christians

839 "Those who have not yet received the Gospel are related to the People of God in various ways."325

The relationship of the Church with the Jewish People. When she delves into her own mystery, the Church, the People of God in the New Covenant, discovers her link with the Jewish People,326 "the first to hear the Word of God."327 The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God’s revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews “belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ”,328 "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable."329

840 And when one considers the future, God’s People of the Old Covenant and the new People of God tend towards similar goals: expectation of the coming (or the return) of the Messiah. But one awaits the return of the Messiah who died and rose from the dead and is recognized as Lord and Son of God; the other awaits the coming of a Messiah, whose features remain hidden till the end of time; and the latter waiting is accompanied by the drama of not knowing or of misunderstanding Christ Jesus.

841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day."330

842 The Church’s bond with non-Christian religions is in the first place the common origin and end of the human race:

All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city. . .331

843 The Catholic Church recognizes in other religions that search, among shadows and images, for the God who is unknown yet near since he gives life and breath and all things and wants all men to be saved. Thus, the Church considers all goodness and truth found in these religions as "a preparation for the Gospel and given by him who enlightens all men that they may at length have life."332

844 In their religious behavior, however, men also display the limits and errors that disfigure the image of God in them:

Very often, deceived by the Evil One, men have become vain in their reasonings, and have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and served the creature rather than the Creator. Or else, living and dying in this world without God, they are exposed to ultimate despair.333

845 To reunite all his children, scattered and led astray by sin, the Father willed to call the whole of humanity together into his Son’s Church. The Church is the place where humanity must rediscover its unity and salvation. The Church is “the world reconciled.” She is that bark which “in the full sail of the Lord’s cross, by the breath of the Holy Spirit, navigates safely in this world.” According to another image dear to the Church Fathers, she is prefigured by Noah’s ark, which alone saves from the flood.334

“Outside the Church there is no salvation”

846 How are we to understand this affirmation, often repeated by the Church Fathers?335 Re-formulated positively, it means that all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body:

Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is the mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and Baptism, and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.336

847 This affirmation is not aimed at those who, through no fault of their own, do not know Christ and his Church:

Those who, through no fault of their own, do not know the Gospel of Christ or his Church, but who nevertheless seek God with a sincere heart, and, moved by grace, try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience - those too may achieve eternal salvation.337

848 "Although in ways known to himself God can lead those who, through no fault of their own, are ignorant of the Gospel, to that faith without which it is impossible to please him, the Church still has the obligation and also the sacred right to evangelize all men."338

 

[yuzurusan]

So are you guys saying that if someone knows that the Catholic Church exists, but they arent Catholic, then they are going to Hell?

 

[InLight247]

Can non-Christians go to heaven? Only the merciful God knows those people’s faith and lives. No one says non-Christians will go to hell. It is up to God if they enter heaven.

But for Catholics, we know our faith is a sure way to heaven. That is not saying we can take things for granted. We still have to work our salvation with fear and trembling like St. Paul said. Eternity is a serious matter, but we don’t have to be scrupulous. Put God first, do our best, and leave the rest to God.

 

[Meemai]

Can non-Christians go to heaven? Only the merciful God knows those people’s faith and lives. No one says non-Christians will go to hell. It is up to God if they enter heaven.

But for Catholics, we know our faith is a sure way to heaven. That is not saying we can take things for granted. We still have to work our salvation with fear and trembling like St. Paul said. Eternity is a serious matter, but we don’t have to be scrupulous. Put God first, do our best, and leave the rest to God.

Would like to point out that as Catholics we are under the belief that our faith is a sure trip to heaven. We might as well be wrong. We can’t say for sure and cannot guarantee this. We do believe it but we cannot guarantee it.

 

[Blessed_is_He]

I feel that is what purgatory is for. To wash away sins and make our souls pure for God.

 

[thistle]

So are you guys saying that if someone knows that the Catholic Church exists, but they arent Catholic, then they are going to Hell?

What we are saying is that there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church and to be inside the Catholic Church you must be subject to one of the four forms of baptism mentioned in my earlier post.
We cannot say who may or may not be under baptism of desire - implicit/invincible ignorance.
In my personal opinion (which might not be right) there will be very few captured under that.

 

[mdgspencer]

They would have to know that Catholicism is the way God wants them to follow, and then refuse to follow it, to become lost souls. I have known Hindus and have been amazed at how little they knew of Christianity, let alone Catholicism.
I expect there are far more non-Christians in heaven than Christians–mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, or perhaps millions of years, were all non-Christians. And I am sure that great crowds of non-Christians enter heaven every year. There is nothing in Catholicism that forbids Catholics from such a conviction about non-Christians.
I agree that Catholicism is the way God wants people to follow, but this in itself doesn’t answer the question of what relationship non-Christians may have with God. How many people are baptized by desire is a question the Church has never spoken of.

So are you guys saying that if someone knows that the Catholic Church exists, but they arent Catholic, then they are going to Hell?

 

[Trishie]

So are you guys saying that if someone knows that the Catholic Church exists, but they arent Catholic, then they are going to Hell?

Just knowing the Catholic Church exists isn’t sufficient to ‘damn’ anyone. Many people genuinely don’t know it has the fullness of truth. They are not blamed for what they honestly do not know or for prejudices they were raised in but do not know are false.

In addition to the Catechism, where in these words do you find such blind condemnation? Certainly if anyone knows the Church is the true Church of the Lord and deliberately, lazily, or for personal convenience, abandons the Catholic Church, these persons are truly culpable.

Excerpt of Dogmatic Constitution of the Catholic, LUMEN GENTIUM, solemnly promulgated by his holiness Pope Paul v1 on November 21, 1964

"15. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*) For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*) They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power. Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*) Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth."

Remember that God sees the mind and the heart.
Remember Matthew 25 verses 31-46,
and note what the Pope said recently
catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077

 

[PRmerger]

What does the Catholic Church teach about the afterlife? Can non-Christians go to Heaven?

Anyone who tells you that a particular person, group, religion, race, creed, philosophy is in hell is proclaiming something that is above his pay grade.

[SIGN1]We simply do not know the demographics of hell.[/SIGN1]

We do know that anyone who is in heaven is there because he has embraced Christ and His Body, the Catholic Church.

 

[Jeanne_S]

Would like to point out that as Catholics we are under the belief that our faith is a sure trip to heaven. We might as well be wrong. We can’t say for sure and cannot guarantee this. We do believe it but we cannot guarantee it.

Everyone in Heaven will be Catholic…however,not every Catholic will be in Heaven

 

[Elizium23]

Would like to point out that as Catholics we are under the belief that our faith is a sure trip to heaven. We might as well be wrong. We can’t say for sure and cannot guarantee this. We do believe it but we cannot guarantee it.

On the contrary! We can absolutely guarantee it because God himself has revealed this Truth to us! It is heresy to say that our faith is somehow doubtful or unsure when Jesus said “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Salvation is secured through the Church and a sacramental life beginning with Baptism is the only true way to Heaven. This has been assured to us, and proven by the scores of saints who intercede for us in the Church Triumphant, throughout all of salvation history.

 

[mdgspencer]

I agree with you in the sense that everyone will be Catholic in heaven because they know then that Catholicism is the way God desires for men–and because too, for example, they now revere the Virgin Mary and the saints who they see in holiness before them, and see the Blessed Trinity face to face and can only worship then. But on the other hand many or most of these people would still have been non-Christians or non-Catholics in life.

Everyone in Heaven will be Catholic…however,not every Catholic will be in Heaven

 

[Carlan]

I feel that is what purgatory is for. To wash away sins and make our souls pure for God.

I rather think that you are close to the answer, after all, we humans are all God’s Children and He wants us all to b e one in him. The Beatitudes tell us that to see the face of God we must be pure of heart before that can happen, those of us who cannot raise their hand to that Question at their judgment after death God will finish purify them in the state called Purgatory.
So I say to our young friend, none of God’s children ,Christian, Jew, Muslim or other knows for sure until our journey on this earth is through. As Catholics following the Apostolic Church as the body of Christ,we believe in Him and his revelations and our hope is in Him.So I say to you keep praying for understanding and enlightenment God loves us all and want us to be with him forever. Keep the Faith!
Peace, Carlan

 

[Rete]

It’s up to Jesus, but the only reasonable path to salvation is doing what he told you to do, and not doing what he told you not to do.

I hope for a lot of things in the afterlife, but the only things I know and trust are what Jesus said in the Gospels, and the Holy Spirit says through the Church.

All we can do is try our best to live the life we are told to live. To die in grace, and to hope for salvation. I worry more about the salvation of my family and me. That’s enough concern to last a lifetime.

After that I can only hope for the best for those around me. I can try to convince them to turn around. I can hopefully pull Catholics back who have strayed. But I don’t want to get into the business of deciding for God. I just beg Him every day to let me die rather than fall and to guide my children to salvation.

 

[Jeanne_S]

I agree with you in the sense that everyone will be Catholic in heaven because they know then that Catholicism is the way God desires for men–and because too, for example, they now revere the Virgin Mary and the saints who they see in holiness before them, and see the Blessed Trinity face to face and can only worship then. But on the other hand many or most of these people would still have been non-Christians or non-Catholics in life.

Exactly! I think the point is we can’t assume the state of ones’ soul at the time of death including the possibility of conversion.God is called the hound of heaven,no doubt he wants all of us with Him.

 

[autumnmoon]

Just knowing the Catholic Church exists isn’t sufficient to ‘damn’ anyone. Many people genuinely don’t know it has the fullness of truth. They are not blamed for what they honestly do not know or for prejudices they were raised in but do not know are false.

In addition to the Catechism, where in these words do you find such blind condemnation? Certainly if anyone knows the Church is the true Church of the Lord and deliberately, lazily, or for personal convenience, abandons the Catholic Church, these persons are truly culpable.

Excerpt of Dogmatic Constitution of the Catholic, LUMEN GENTIUM, solemnly promulgated by his holiness Pope Paul v1 on November 21, 1964

"15. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*) For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*) They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power. Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*) Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth."

Remember that God sees the mind and the heart.
Remember Matthew 25 verses 31-46,
and note what the Pope said recently
catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077

 

[autumnmoon]

Just knowing the Catholic Church exists isn’t sufficient to ‘damn’ anyone. Many people genuinely don’t know it has the fullness of truth. They are not blamed for what they honestly do not know or for prejudices they were raised in but do not know are false.

In addition to the Catechism, where in these words do you find such blind condemnation? Certainly if anyone knows the Church is the true Church of the Lord and deliberately, lazily, or for personal convenience, abandons the Catholic Church, these persons are truly culpable.

Excerpt of Dogmatic Constitution of the Catholic, LUMEN GENTIUM, solemnly promulgated by his holiness Pope Paul v1 on November 21, 1964

"15. The Church recognizes that in many ways she is linked with those who, being baptized, are honored with the name of Christian, though they do not profess the faith in its entirety or do not preserve unity of communion with the successor of Peter. (14*) For there are many who honor Sacred Scripture, taking it as a norm of belief and a pattern of life, and who show a sincere zeal. They lovingly believe in God the Father Almighty and in Christ, the Son of God and Saviour. (15*) They are consecrated by baptism, in which they are united with Christ. They also recognize and accept other sacraments within their own Churches or ecclesiastical communities. Many of them rejoice in the episcopate, celebrate the Holy Eucharist and cultivate devotion toward the Virgin Mother of God.(16*) They also share with us in prayer and other spiritual benefits.

Likewise we can say that in some real way they are joined with us in the Holy Spirit, for to them too He gives His gifts and graces whereby He is operative among them with His sanctifying power. Some indeed He has strengthened to the extent of the shedding of their blood. In all of Christ’s disciples the Spirit arouses the desire to be peacefully united, in the manner determined by Christ, as one flock under one shepherd, and He prompts them to pursue this end. (17*) Mother Church never ceases to pray, hope and work that this may come about. She exhorts her children to purification and renewal so that the sign of Christ may shine more brightly over the face of the earth."

Remember that God sees the mind and the heart.
Remember Matthew 25 verses 31-46,
and note what the Pope said recently
catholic.org/hf/faith/story.php?id=51077

So you are saying the Pope Paul V1 declared we are united linked with other Christians
but many christian churches do have communion, Because I have been coming to the Catholic Church to consider joining but not to make others I know are Christians and bare the evidence of it to think they are out cast to God would be just embarible.

 

[BigdogAman]

Yes of course they can infact his holiness the pope said this year even athiests could make it in. My personal belief is Christ everlasting and gracious mercy doesn’t just stop with Christians but allows all of us a equal shot at the pearly gates my personal belief is all sinners have a chance to go there and I can guarantee I will recieve hate for this but I feel Homosexusls can get in to Heaven too. Christ’s mercy extends to all because he died for all and if we condemn others because of faith culture creed sexuality background of political stance we are no better than the Jews in the New Testament that believe the messiah would come for them and them alone. If you doubt Christs mercy my siblings in Christ you doubt like Thomas and must be showed yet we have learned we don’t need to see his mercy but we need to feel it and let it flow through us. Christs mercy is so gracious that he took in a prostitute and they became great friends. My message here is we all have a equal shot out God is fair and can stare into the eyes of a man and can tell every sin he committed since birth and he can also see all the good you have done and he can also see whether or not you are good or bad. Thanks and God bless.