Is almost everyone in Hell?

[ready]

And?

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Again, I tend to believe Scotus, but I live as if I do not.

Nobody is casting stones here. Your statement about casting stones is most unfitting. Jesus Himself speaks of His sheep being placed on His right side and the goats, on His left – He did NOT say that ALL would be found on His right side – only His sheep. If you think that everybody in this world is a sheep of His or dies as His sheep, then you need to get in touch with reality – and I mean no disrespect. If you think that everybody dies repentant of their mortal sins, then you are naïve unto folly – there are countless stories of people who have committed some grave crime like murder who express their lack of remorse before their execution. One such man in the 1920’s murdered a priest with a gun just as the priest gave him Holy Communion at the altar rail. Just before the man’s execution he exclaimed with glee that at least he got rid on one more of them!! You are very, very wrong and most unwise to believe that God would reward such an unrepentant cold-blooded murderer (of a priest !) with heaven!! Read the Scriptures before you go accusing people of casting the first stone. My friend, you don’t know what you are saying.

 

[ready]

Modernists believe in Universal Salvation, which is the error that Luigi Daniele and the group of Franciscans he speaks of is promoting. For a dose of the truth about the fewness of the saved, please read what Jesus Christ, the Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and other Saints have taught about it. God bless you. saintsquotes.net/Selection%20-%20Fewness.html

 

[Nelka]

Jesus said many go to Hell and a few go to Heaven but I would say most go to Purgatory before getting to Heaven.

 

[ready]

Jesus said many go to Hell and a few go to Heaven but I would say most go to Purgatory before getting to Heaven.

I think that sounds very reasonable, Nelka, for nothing unclean can enter into heaven. A man must atone for all of his sins and be made spotless before bring able to live in heaven with God. God bless you.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Modernists believe in Universal Salvation, which is the error that Luigi Daniele and the group of Franciscans he speaks of is promoting. For a dose of the truth about the fewness of the saved, please read what Jesus Christ, the Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and other Saints have taught about it. God bless you. saintsquotes.net/Selection%20-%20Fewness.html

I am not promoting anything. You need to back off.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Jesus said many go to Hell and a few go to Heaven but I would say most go to Purgatory before getting to Heaven.

I could not argue against that. Nicely stated.

 

[Tom_Baum]

Not sure about “almost everyone”.

Hell exists, and is a place of spiritual and physical torment.

Hell is not “empty”.

Scripture and Tradition both state that “many” will be in Hell. However, “many” does not equate to “almost everyone”, though there are some Saints who have expressed this viewpoint. It is a tradition, but it is not a Church dogma.

If we consider that God wills that “all” be saved (1 Tim 2: 4), then “many” may be a relative concept.

For simplicity’s sake, let’s assume that God creates only 100 people.

If 30 of them are lost and end up in Hell, would that still not be “many” to a God who loves us and wishes us all to be saved?

It’s worth noting that when Jesus was asked this question (“shall only a few be saved?”) He didn’t answer with a number. Instead, He pointed out that it’s easy to get to Hell, and that therefore, we should make every effort to steer clear (“strive to enter through the narrow door.”)

When Jesus was asked, “Then who can be saved?”, didn’t He answer something to the effect that “With man it is impossible, with God ALL things are possible”?

 

[christofirst]

The Church teaches that hell exists, and the possibility of ending up there also exists. It has been rightly pointed out that we on earth do not know who, if any, are actually damned.

What bothers me is when I hear people sound as though they are perhaps secretly hoping that hell will be well-populated! I am probably misunderstanding their well-intentioned warnings, but the message can come across to me as all cold, hard justice, with no trace of mercy. How can such a pessimistic view be reconciled with the infinite mercy of God?

When I hear more talk of hell than of heaven, I am reminded of our Holy Father Francis’ words, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.”

I fully appreciate the warnings, and like others here I try to live my own life so as not to end up in hell. But when it come to the fate of any one else, I side with Von Balthasar, as he proposed in his book, Dare we Hope “That All Men Be Saved”? This is the hope I have, that all will be saved.

 

[ready]

When Jesus was asked, “Then who can be saved?”, didn’t He answer something to the effect that “With man it is impossible, with God ALL things are possible”?

This is what Jesus was asked about the saved (Luke 13:22 - 30):

"22. And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

1. Then said one to him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said to them,
2. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
3. When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence you are:
4. Then shall you begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets.
5. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
6. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
7. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
8. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

 

[ready]

The Church teaches that hell exists, and the possibility of ending up there also exists. It has been rightly pointed out that we on earth do not know who, if any, are actually damned.

What bothers me is when I hear people sound as though they are perhaps secretly hoping that hell will be well-populated! I am probably misunderstanding their well-intentioned warnings, but the message can come across to me as all cold, hard justice, with no trace of mercy. How can such a pessimistic view be reconciled with the infinite mercy of God?

When I hear more talk of hell than of heaven, I am reminded of our Holy Father Francis’ words, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.”

I fully appreciate the warnings, and like others here I try to live my own life so as not to end up in hell. But when it come to the fate of any one else, I side with Von Balthasar, as he proposed in his book, Dare we Hope “That All Men Be Saved”? This is the hope I have, that all will be saved.

Von Baltahsar was a Modernist. Listen to what Jesus Christ, the Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, and other Saints (not one of them a Modernist) have taught about the fewness of the saved. saintsquotes.net/Selection%20-%20Fewness.html

 

[ready]

I am not promoting anything. You need to back off.

No, my friend, you need to stop misleading people into believing that there is such a thing as Universal Salvation. Universal Salvation goes against the teaching of Jesus Christ, Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and many Saints. They did NOT teach that hell is empty or will be empty at the end of the world. Jesus is clear about how at the end of the world there will be some on His right side and some on His left. side, that there will be both sheep and goats. God bless you.

 

[TK421]

If out of 100 people only 1 person will be saved, and if you love the Lord your God and accept his sacramental graces, you will be that one person that is saved. If out of 100 people only 1 person will be condemned, and if you do not love the Lord your God and do not accept his sacramental graces, you will be that one person that is condemned.

 

[ready]

If out of 100 people only 1 person will be saved, and if you love the Lord your God and accept his sacramental graces, you will be that one person that is saved. If out of 100 people only 1 person will be condemned, and if you do not love the Lord your God and do not accept his sacramental graces, you will be that one person that is condemned.

I’ll try my best to obey God’s word (to love Him), so I can be saved. And I 'll pray hard for others to be saved. Saints have said that souls fall into hell like snowflakes, so I know I must pray hard. for souls and work hard at being obedient to God’s word. God bless you.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

The Church teaches that hell exists, and the possibility of ending up there also exists. It has been rightly pointed out that we on earth do not know who, if any, are actually damned.

What bothers me is when I hear people sound as though they are perhaps secretly hoping that hell will be well-populated! I am probably misunderstanding their well-intentioned warnings, but the message can come across to me as all cold, hard justice, with no trace of mercy. How can such a pessimistic view be reconciled with the infinite mercy of God?

When I hear more talk of hell than of heaven, I am reminded of our Holy Father Francis’ words, “There are Christians whose lives seem like Lent without Easter.”

I fully appreciate the warnings, and like others here I try to live my own life so as not to end up in hell. But when it come to the fate of any one else, I side with Von Balthasar, as he proposed in his book, Dare we Hope “That All Men Be Saved”? This is the hope I have, that all will be saved.

Me, too. Perfectly explained.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

This is what Jesus was asked about the saved (Luke 13:22 - 30):

"22. And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.

1. Then said one to him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said to them,
2. Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say to you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able*.
3. When once the master of the house is risen up, and has shut to the door, and you begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us; and he shall answer and say to you, I know you not whence you are:
4. Then shall you begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets.
5. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.
6. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.
7. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
8. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last."

Perhaps our Lord means directly. It is certainly what I would love to have happen to me. I doubt that it will, though, so I hope for Purgatory.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

No, my friend, you need to stop misleading people into believing that there is such a thing as Universal Salvation. Universal Salvation goes against the teaching of Jesus Christ, Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and many Saints. They did NOT teach that hell is empty or will be empty at the end of the world. Jesus is clear about how at the end of the world there will be some on His right side and some on His left. side, that there will be both sheep and goats. God bless you.

And you need to stop misleading people about what I am saying. Because it is getting old.

I said that I believe that that is the case (I can’t imagine anyone saying no to Jesus at their particular judgement), but that I live my life as if it is NOT the case. Nowhere did I tell others what to do/think/believe.

I did a bit more research, and it appears that St Therese held this belief, BTW.

Also, we as Catholics are not permitted to “place” (believe that) someone is in Hell. Why? Because that is God’s judgement to make, not ours. The Church has always taught this. So, it seems to me, “populating” Hell is a very presumptuous thing for anyone to do. The Church has stated that we are not allowed to do this. Therefore, if I can not presume to place a single person in Hell, it follows that all of us can not place a single person in Hell, ergo, we don’t know if anyone is in Hell. Does that mean that no one is there? I don’t know, because it’s none of my Damned business, you might say.

Doing so misses the point. We must live our individual lives in His service. We must worry about populating the world you might say, with our good works (as little as they are) in thanksgiving for His sacrifice for us; not worry about populating Hell with “all those sinners”*.

*I am in no way saying that “they” aren’t sinners, obviously, as we are all sinners.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

I’ll try my best to obey God’s word (to love Him), so I can be saved. And I 'll pray hard for others to be saved. Saints have said that souls fall into hell like snowflakes, so I know I must pray hard. for souls and work hard at being obedient to God’s word. God bless you.

Nope. Your obeying His Word is a fantastic thing and to be encouraged. Your loving Him, too. But you can in no way “earn” your salvation. Only God could do that, and He did-in the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

Please read this article by Fr Robert Barron (it appears that I am in very good company in holding my views )

wordonfire.org/Written-Word/articles-commentaries/March-2011/Is-Hell-Crowded-or-Empty-A-Catholic-Perspective.aspx

 

[SilverCamellia]

Do you know even if you go to Confession, your sins are forgiven, but the punishment due to them are not forgiven and this is why we have Purgatory.

Thank you for writing this. I was under the error that a confessed sin had no other consequence, that it had been wiped clean. I was thinking that Purgatory was only for minor sins that had not been confessed. Thanks for informing me. Not looking forward to my time in Purgatory now

 

[ready]

Please read this article by Fr Robert Barron (it appears that I am in very good company in holding my views )

wordonfire.org/Written-Word/articles-commentaries/March-2011/Is-Hell-Crowded-or-Empty-A-Catholic-Perspective.aspx

Sorry, Luigi, Fr. Barron’s view on hell is that of a modernist. I’ve already seen his video on hell. I can’t watch his videos anymore lest I endanger my soul. I’m sorry that we disagree with each other. Please know that I mean you no harm: I just think it is more charitable to warn people about what Jesus, the Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church and many Saints have taught about the fewness of the saved, then not to warn them. I’m not trying to get people to be hopeless, but vigilant. I want as many souls in heaven as possible! Best wishes and God bless you.