Oh really!!??
Because not knowing doesn’t keep them from sinning, it only diminishes their guilt - but damage is done regardless.
The Wikipedia article lists some criticisms of Kohlberg’s theory. I also note that, according to this theory, it appears one can’t develop the kind of moral compass that Catholics are supposed to have until adulthood – which would mean that even a teenager can’t be culpable of a mortal sin. This is absurd.
Yes! And it keeps them out of hell because their guilt is diminished. Let’s face it, I know TONS of people who grew up Catholic and not one of them is still Catholic in practice, so according to the Church, not only are they sinning, but going straight to hell for it because they should “know better”.
Of course there are criticisms to every theory, but this is truly one of the best studies of the moral development of the human being, based on Piaget, who is unquestionably the greatest in his field. Up until adolescence, kids are basically robots, believing something is wrong because you tell them it is and doing what they are told without understanding. In adolescence, they naturally rebel and are much more peer oriented, after which they actually start to think and reason about morality for themselves, acting a certain way because they understand what they are doing and are able to reason and truly choose good vs. evil for themselves.
A beautiful text
Thank you for posting that!
This is the impression I get too. The Church never says just how many “might” be in hell; there are varying positions throughout Church history, but taken as a whole, I feel we must err on the side of caution and assume that there will be many, if not a majority of the human race burning in supreme torture and despair where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched, forever. and I do mean FOREVER.
. where is the freedom in this??Yes, this is often how i feel. It’s terrifying and I don’t want to pass that on to my children. My anger and frustration though is not at God,but often at the Church. I think the Church has tried SO hard to come up with an explanation for everything that they have become as legalistic as the Pharisees that Jesus was always railing against in some cases. Mortal sin, venial sin, valid/invalid confessions, perfect/imperfect contrition, indulgences, sins are forgiven but we still spend time in Purgatory, one Mass missed and you go to hell, the “age of reason” being 7 years old, etc., etc. I don’t think Jesus intended for it to be like this. I could be wrong, but it doesn’t feel right. I often wonder exactly how the apostles practiced their faith after Jesus died and I wish we could go back o that simplicity.This is the impression I get too. The Church never says just how many “might” be in hell; there are varying positions throughout Church history, but taken as a whole, I feel we must err on the side of caution and assume that there will be many, if not a majority of the human race burning in supreme torture and despair where the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched, forever. and I do mean FOREVER.
Consider how many people live their lives completely oblivious to this reality.
At death, many non-religious people will be taken by surprise as they fall into the flames. Yes, yea I get it. According to Church teaching, these people will be made aware of the truth and they will truly understand why they deserve hell, and how it happened that they rejected God. But for most people, far too much of the reality of God and hell hits them like a ton of bricks AFTER DEATH. and then it is too late…This hardly seems fair…
Many people go around, (myself included), lifelong Catholics, having no idea what will happen when I die. If I died right now, I have NO CLUE what will happen, weather I will go to hell or heaven, or reincarnate, or nothingness or who knows what.
HOWEVER, according to the Church, EVEN NOW, and God knows already, my eternal choice exists, in the mind of God, and in my own heart, EVEN if I am unaware of it!!
No one knows for sure if he will have the “grace of final perseverance” This is why the universe is such a dangerous place; we are indeed *literally * grasping for God as we dangle above the great pit. What a terror! what a horror! when i think of this reality I am intensely angry at God, and all my faith is gone, and I want nothing to do with religion ever again.
and Finally, why must we subject our children to the knowledge of this terror?
how so? Or are you really saying that no matter how ‘dull’ and ‘strict’ the Church is you are going to moan, sigh, complain but ultimately ‘stick to it’ because it’s truthful?
The other churches don’t have the sacraments because they rejected the church they came from (the Catholic Church). If you want to go back to simpler times, perhaps we should go back to public confessions…
