www.telegraph.co.uk Heaven open to everyone, says Pope By Bruce Johnston in Rome THE Pope has amended a Vatican pronouncement that the Roman Catholic Church was the "only way to salvation", saying that Heaven is open to all as long as they are good. He said at an audience that "all of the just on Earth, including those who ignore Christ and his Church" were "called upon to build the kingdom of God". His words repeated what was pronounced at the Second Vatican Council 40 years ago, but were clearly intended to repair harm to religious dialogue caused by a document issued in September. The document, signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the Pope's chief of doctrine, said that the way of salvation was "only in the unique and universal Catholic Apostolic Church". The amendment follows criticism of the pronouncement, which called other faiths "gravely deficient" as a means to salvation.
Where, exactly, is heaven? ------------------ When we tire of well-worn ways, we seek for new. This restless craving in the souls of men spurs them to climb, and to seek the mountain view. -- Ella Wheeler Wilcox
It's a shame that God sent his only son, Jesus, to die on a cross for the sins of the world when all we had to do is be good. Say how do you know if your good out weighs your bad? Is it a 1 sin for 1 good deed scale or do some count more than others? With the stakes so high - Eternity in Heaven or Eternity in Hell - you think a rulebook would be in order. Or was that the 10 commandments? Is 4 out of 10 good enough? ------------------
The way I understand it Art, is that Christ Died for Christians and Hell is for everyone else, AND NOW The Pope goes and just jimmys Heaven's door so any 'ol SOB can get in....When JC gets back he's gonna be PISSED! ------------------ C-son
Is anyone else frightened by the fact that in the eyes of some people the Pope has more credibility on this than any other person? He is just a man after all, and it really doesn't matter what he says about it. If his statement is true, it was true before he said it. If it's false, his statement doesn't change the facts. Just a thought. ------------------
The pope always makes me laugh. ------------------ Ceo of the Walt Williams fan club. Web site coming soon atheistalliance.org
If I ever get into Heaven I am going to ask God to make the Rockets beat the Jazz in 97. That way I get to watch the Rockets vs. Bulls. ------------------ SUCK POLICE!!!!!! To point out individuals or teams that have managed to reach the pinnacle of SUCKINESS!!!!! ----- Who Else? The Washington SUCKskins!!!!!!!!! $100 Million down the drain!!!!!!!
This is becoming a rapidly growing occurance in the Catholic Church. Not long ago, they announced that heaven was a "state of mind" and that we could have "heaven on earth." Personally, I appreciate the fact that they are being open minded in light of some of the recent discoveries in translations of things like the Dead Sea Scrolls and Gnostic Gospels. However, this from the same church that opposes any form of birth control? ------------------ Mmmmmmm. Sacrelicious.
TraJ: I agree that the pope is just one man, but hopefully his statement will create more tolerance in his followers. I hate when I hear people say that character is less important in deciding a man's fate than religion. ------------------
