Question about the salvation of people who believe other religions

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My Protestant friend and my other friend who doesn’t know what to believe were arguing about religion. When my Protestant friend talks to her, it seems like he is attacking her like she is damned to hell because she doesn’t believe Jesus is the way. My Protestant friend says that the bible says that Jesus is the ONLY way to get to heaven. I chimed in and said it is possible that other people of other religions may be saved. (Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the cathecism state this?) He wants to know where in the bible does it say that other people may be saved when in the bible it says that the only way to the Father is through Jesus…

Can anybody help?

Thanks!
 
You are both right. The only way to salvation is through Jesus (and, FWIW, there is no salvation outside the Catholic Church), but someone who has never heard of Jesus can be saved.

We are judged on how well we made use of what we knew. Everyone at least has a conscience and the basic understanding of good and evil. For those who knew no higher theology, but chose the good - the merits of Christ’s Sacrifice apply to them as well, even if they didn’t know about Jesus while they lived. They still need Jesus. They may not know Jesus, but Jesus knows them!.

God is Just. He will not condemn us for something that was beyond our control. This is often called “invincible ignorance.”
 
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MeOnly:
My Protestant friend and my other friend who doesn’t know what to believe were arguing about religion. When my Protestant friend talks to her, it seems like he is attacking her like she is damned to hell because she doesn’t believe Jesus is the way. My Protestant friend says that the bible says that Jesus is the ONLY way to get to heaven. I chimed in and said it is possible that other people of other religions may be saved. (Correct me if I’m wrong but doesn’t the cathecism state this?) He wants to know where in the bible does it say that other people may be saved when in the bible it says that the only way to the Father is through Jesus…

Can anybody help?

Thanks!
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I would recomend the document *Dominus Iesus *by the Congregration for the Doctrine of The Faith. Could a non-believer be saved by Christ without professing belief in Christ? It’s possible. But I would assume that your non-believeing friend has heard of Christ and Christianity and she is not prohibited from learning more about Him and obtaining Salvation through Baptism and the other Sacraments.
 
Yes. Bro Rich. My Protestant friend and others have introduced her to Jesus. He is very pushy which causes them to argue instead of any positive results. Her argument is how can she choose Chrisitianity of any other religion when she wasn’t born into one (like he was) because everybody she has talked to from other reglions believe theirs is right so how can she tell the difference?
 
Your friend brings up a good objection. We are surrounded by thousands of religions and cults. I would ask her, just what KIND of a religion did Jesus teach? What did he and his church say was required for us to be a Christian anyway? What church in HISTORY superseded the death of the apostles? Did what they believe agree with the apostles teachings? Is there any church today that follows that same pattern? Your friend needs to investigate this on his or her own. This is the only way she or he can arrive at truth.
 
The Catechism does address this very issue. It is a teaching that I think sometimes gets watered down. All people are saved through Jesus Christ whether they realize it or not. That’s the rub.

Paragraphe #847 addresses three conditions that apply to someone who is ignorant of Christ and His Church:

  1. *]seek God with a sincere heart
    *]moved by grace
    *]try in their actions to do his will as they know it through the dictates of their conscience

    Given these conditions, then they MAY be saved.

    Most folks forget about Paragraph #848 and the responsibility we have to evangelize. Here is what 848 says:

    "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

    Good Luck!

    Peace,

    MilesJesu
 
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