I can't come to terms with this

[puzzleannie]

I can’t accept that these people are going to Hell:

My mother for being unapologetic about having me and my brother by my father while they were and still are fiancees.

My friends, some of whom are really nice people, for leaving Christianity.

?

you don’t know that
nobody knows that
the Catholic church does not teach that
try coming to terms with your own spiritual health first and leave the others to God

 

[Newbie2]

I don’t like any of that either, tell you the truth. There are athiests and agnostics who are in heaven while other some other christians are in grave danger.

When someone lectures you about where another person is headed to for their eternal destination, you can politely ask them “Hey, are you God? Have you been to Heaven? No? Then shut up and mind your own buisness.”

People who deny the existence of God and those who acknowledge his existence but ignore him are in heaven?

How do you come to that conclusion? Scripture and the Church suggest otherwise.

 

[MarianD]

try coming to terms with your own spiritual health first and leave the others to God

How can I come to terms with my own spiritual health if this major issue isn’t resolved? The fate of others is as important as my own fate.

 

[cargau]

I can’t accept that these people are going to Hell:

My mother for being unapologetic about having me and my brother by my father while they were and still are fiancees.

My friends, some of whom are really nice people, for leaving Christianity.

Honestly, these people are great people. Without my mother, I’d obviously be nothing. Without these friends, the good times I enjoy with them would not exist. But how could it be fathomable that these amazing people are going to Hell while some of these other Christians are going to Heaven even though they make my stomach churn.

Hopefully God will be merciful. I know He’s just, and I know that what is just isn’t bringing some cold-hearted “Christians” into Heaven and sending the best people I know to Hell because they simply didn’t know the wrongs they did. Or is He this just? I don’t know, and I can’t come to terms with it. Can anyone help me here?

Marian,

With all due respect, it doesn’t matter what you think. Jesus spent His last three years preacing about the Kingdom and what was necessary to gain eternal life. He never said, just be nice and show your friends a good time. No, Jesus taught us to Love God and each other.

There may be a variety of ways to Love God and neighbor, but rejecting the Church He instituted for the Salvation of souls seems like a lousy plan. We cannot just sin and say, “Oh well, we’re really nice”. That is simply disingenuous and intellectually dishonest. Jack the ripper was really a nice guy if you neglect to consider a few slashings…

Your premise is not new. I went to Catholic school in the 50’s and this was the drivel we were fed. Jesus holds us to a higher standard. “Be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect”. At the same time the Church gives the the saving sacrament of reconciliation when ever we fail to meet these standards.

Finally, I am not judging the people you love. I don’t know what is in their hearts and as Joseph of the Old Testament said, “I am not God”. I won’t presume to know their fate but you should not presume on God’s goodness either.

God gave us His laws so that we may remain free to love Him. If we ignore or reject His laws we limit our capacity to love Him. And that most certainly could put one’s soul in jeapordy.