What happens to people from other religions when they die?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ResoluteSheep
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
R

ResoluteSheep

Guest
Many people are not yet in the True Church by Jesus Christ. I know a few Protestants and Muslims who are very zealous and fervent for their faith, not because it’s appealing to them in terms of carnal issues, but because they believe it is the true faith as revealed by God. Many of them are convinced that the Catholic Church is not the True Church, and that their faith is true. I believe they’re the people who would convert to Catholicism once they believe it is the true faith instituted by Jesus Christ. A Muslim also told me that he would convert to Christianity if it was the true religion revealed by God.

What would happen to these individuals if they were to die unbaptized into the 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. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 847)

And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more. (Luke 12:47-48)
 
Sure we do! We know that all people, when they die, are judged by God in His justice and mercy, and learn their eternal destiny (heaven or hell).

Oh? Do you mean “we don’t know what this guy’s judgment is, or that guy’s judgment”? Well, of course not – we don’t know that about anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic or unbaptized, 'cause…
the bottom line is that only God knows what happens to the souls of anyone after death.
Click to expand...
😉
 
There is a saying I once heard,not sure who coined it."Everyne in heaven will be Catholic,however,not every Catholic will be in heaven.😉
 
Gorgias said:
Oh? Do you mean “we don’t know what this guy’s judgment is, or that guy’s judgment”? Well, of course not – we don’t know that about anyone, Catholic or non-Catholic or unbaptized, 'cause…
😉
Click to expand...
Well, yeah, except canonized saints, the apostles, Mary, Moses, Abraham, Isaiah, Enoch, etc… We know what their judgement was.
 
“In my(Father’s)house there are many mansions.” Peace
 
ResoluteSheep said:
Many people are not yet in the True Church by Jesus Christ. I know a few Protestants and Muslims who are very zealous and fervent for their faith, not because it’s appealing to them in terms of carnal issues, but because they believe it is the true faith as revealed by God. Many of them are convinced that the Catholic Church is not the True Church, and that their faith is true. I believe they’re the people who would convert to Catholicism once they believe it is the true faith instituted by Jesus Christ. A Muslim also told me that he would convert to Christianity if it was the true religion revealed by God.

What would happen to these individuals if they were to die unbaptized into the Church?
Click to expand...
As the good Deacon mentioned in his post, we simply don’t know.

God knows everyone’s heart and knows what they would have done under different circumstances. So we pray that God will have mercy on their souls.

Remember, there is also a significant difference between a non-Catholic or non-Christian who is still a person of good will and believes in God as he was taught, vs someone who attacks the people of God.**

** NOTE: same thing can be said about Christians and Catholic Christians who are not charitable towards others of different faiths/denominations.

God Bless
 
Jeanne_S said:
There is a saying I once heard,not sure who coined it."Everyne in heaven will be Catholic,however,not every Catholic will be in heaven.😉
Click to expand...
This is very true, but it doesn’t mean they were Catholic while on Earth. As my pastor often says, we have no idea if Christ appears to non-Christians of goodwill a moment before their death, giving them the opportunity to convert.

In regards to protestants, all baptized protestants are members of the Body of Christ, imperfect, but still members.

I personally, think devout, cradle Protestants have little to worry about unless they constantly ridiculed & insulted the Mother of God, and/or willfully spread lies & hate against the Catholic Church.

God Bless
 
phil19034 said:
This is very true, but it doesn’t mean they were Catholic while on Earth. As my pastor often says, we have no idea if Christ appears to non-Christians of goodwill a moment before their death, giving them the opportunity to convert.

In regards to protestants, all baptized protestants are members of the Body of Christ, imperfect, but still members.

I personally, think devout, cradle Protestants have little to worry about unless they constantly ridiculed & insulted the Mother of God, and/or willfully spread lies & hate against the Catholic Church.

God Bless
Click to expand...
Exactly.That is the point of the quote.We cannot know the conversions that take place at the moment of death. 👍
 
Todd977 said:
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. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 847)
Click to expand...
I think we all would want to see the word “will” in that sentence. …true? But will in that spot, is not scriptural nor is it reasonable.

Re: may

It may rain next week. Then again it may not.

So all I’m saying, may in that sentence, gives hope, but it isn’t a very strong prediction
T:
And that servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more. (Luke 12:47-48)
Click to expand...
IOW, one’s ignorance better be completely innocent. Otherwise,

From the CCC
**1791 ** ignorance can often be imputed to personal responsibility. This is the case when a man “takes little trouble to find out what is true and good, or when conscience is by degrees almost blinded through the habit of committing sin.” In such cases, the person is culpable for the evil he commits.
 
This kind of question uncovers the exact thing that many folks find distasteful about Catholicism. Please bear with me.

The idea that Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do, is exactly what some find offensive about Catholics.

We cannot do anything to earn our salvation, but we can lose it.

Being Catholic is no ticket to salvation.

I like to be with Jesus at the mass, and be with him at the cross.

What happens to any of us when we die is in God’s hands.
 
The Catechism addresses this question.

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm
Catechism of the Catholic Church:
Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.
Click to expand...
 
Jesus told his disciples to go two by two to the towns and annouce the good news. And if the people did not accept them and their message, they they were to shake the dust from their garments and move on. This is exactly what St. Paul did in his travels.

But the one thing never mentioned by Jesus was, what will happen, if anything, to those people who reject the message.
 
BornInMarch said:
The Catechism addresses this question.

vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c1a1.htm

Originally Posted by Catechism of the Catholic Church
*Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, **can be saved. ***It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.
Click to expand...
Can be saved, leaves an opening, a possibility.

it doesn’t mean will be saved
 
Frankenfurter said:
This kind of question uncovers the exact thing that many folks find distasteful about Catholicism. Please bear with me.

The idea that Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do, is exactly what some find offensive about Catholics.
Click to expand...
I would change that chracterization

-]“Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do,”/-]

The Catholic Church is superior because of her founder.
F:
We cannot do anything to earn our salvation, but we can lose it.
Click to expand...
True
F:
What happens to any of us when we die is in God’s hands.
Click to expand...
true
 
steve_b said:
I would change that chracterization

-]“Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do,”/-]

The Catholic Church is superior because of her founder.
Click to expand...
I would change even that. There’s no “superior” or “inferior” here. Rather, the Church that Christ founded subsists in the Catholic Church, and therefore:

-]“Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do,”

The Catholic Church is superior because of her founder./-]

The Catholic Church is the vehicle through which the Grace of God is imparted to humanity.
 
Gorgias said:
I would change even that. There’s no “superior” or “inferior” here. Rather, the Church that Christ founded subsists in the Catholic Church, and therefore:

-]“Catholics are somehow superior to others because of what we do,”

The Catholic Church is superior because of her founder./-]

The Catholic Church is the vehicle through which the Grace of God is imparted to humanity.
Click to expand...
Are you suggesting “subsists in” somehow changes anything?

I would change back to what I posted with one addition…AND His promises 😉

Because
  • Jesus founded one Church with a hierarchy He established on Peter as the leader, thereby making it superior. To say less would be indifferent to what Jesus did.
  • “subsists in” ewtn.com/library/doctrine/subsistit.htm doesn’t change anything as you can see.
Therefore,

The Catholic Church is superior because of her founder AND His promises
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top