Addendum

Visit:

Pope Francis sparks controversy for suggesting atheists' can go to heaven

for information on Pope Francis' comments on original sin.

G-d is Not a Country Club

Big controversy going on. Pope Francis says that good deeds can ensure salvation even for atheists, and then the Vatican rushes to do damage control, because this breaks with the original doctrine of "no salvation outside the Catholic Church."

Visit this Huffington Post article by Sara Nelson:
Atheists Who Do Good Are Redeemed By Jesus As Well As Catholics, Pope Francis Says

and then see this update:

Vatican Confirms Atheists Still Going To Hell, Despite Pope Francis Remarks 

 

Pope Francis described how some of Jesus' disciples were upset to see a nonbeliever doing good:

They complain: "If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good." And Jesus corrects them: "Do not hinder him," he says. "Let him do good."

Then the Pope said: 

"This was wrong. . . .Jesus broadens the horizon. . . .The root of this possibility of doing good—that we all have—is in creation."

Ms. Nelson then reports that the Pope went even further to be absolutely clear in a simulated "conversation" between himself and a questioner:

"The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: Do good and do not do evil. All of us."

"But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good."

"Yes, he can. . . .The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone!" 

"Father, the atheists?" 

"Even the atheists. Everyone!  We must meet one another doing good."

"But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!" 

"But do good: We will meet one another there.”

Now this is revolutionary stuff! I never heard a priest say anything like this, let alone a Pope. Poor guy. Every time he tries to extend G-d's mercy and goodness to the world, somebody comes in and tries to put a cork in Pope Francis' mouth. It also happened to him when he was willing to let Argentina's gay marriage law go unchallenged outside the Church.

I cannot help but chuckle too. The Vatican claims that there is such a phenomenon as papal infallibility on matters of doctrine (not that I ever believed that ANY human being can have that—not even a Pope!). Now the Vatican is trying to say that the Pope made a mistake. Whoops—they can't have it both ways. Either the Pope is infallible; hence, there is a change in doctrine OR the Pope is fallible and misspoke. Well, that's a problem that comes up according to their rule book. It's very different in mine.

Pope Francis is a true Person of G-d in my rulebook. He does not presume to wear a cloak of infallibility. He does not presume to judge as G-d would judge. The Pope simply preaches what he was taught as the doctrine and offers it to everyone. He looks for the good in all people, because he truly believes that goodness saves and evil damns. He knows that not everybody can or will necessarily follow the Way of Christ in a literal and doctrinal fashion. Yet, the expression of who and what Jesus was does emerge in such people. 

Why shouldn't g-dly people welcome goodness wherever it is discovered? Is it not G-d's Will that goodness be spread as far and wide as possible? Isn't it our G-d given duty to do that spreading? Every act of good creates more good in the world. We keep paying it forward. And, in doing so, we make our souls cleaner and more whole. We help to heal other souls too.

I've never believed that salvation only was given to people who professed a certain kind of creed. I've seen too much goodness everywhere, in all sorts of people, to imagine that they would burn in Hell just because they didn't all go to one Church. And I've seen too much evil everywhere so many times—even inside the the Church—to ever believe that Church could keep evil out of its confines.

It's never really a matter of cosmology, in my view. It's a matter of intent and action based on that intent. G-d knows what is in our hearts. G-d is everywhere and is All Knowing and All Seeing. I believe that I have said before that every act of good, whether consciously or not, is a prayer. Even if Heaven for atheists simply represents a moral life that contributed to humanity and was well-lived, that is a kind of salvation. 

I believe that we are all part of a G-dhead in some way or another. We are all connected. Our souls are all part of it. It is within us as well as all around us. Each of us perceives it differently. This is as it was meant to be, because we are all adding to the wisdom of the collective human soul.

It is enjoyable to meet with people who believe as I do. Yet, I learn so very, very much from people who believe differently. Each time I encounter someone with different ideas and beliefs than my own, I learn something. It could be a new way of reaching G-d or doing good. It could be about another kind of evil, most especially intolerance. Whatever it is—it is KNOWLEDGE. Apple and snake be damned, I am not Eve, and I am allowed to seek knowledge. And the Jesuits do that so, so how bad can that be?

Pope Francis even said there was no original sin. I agree with him. We carry karma from past lives (which I believe in), and we have to work out that karma, but we are not damned from a sin committed by our ancestors.

The Pope is going to need G-d next to him, because the conflict between him and the Vatican is really starting to boil over. We could see a revolution within the Church. He once told the College of Cardinals that they might come to regret their choice of him as Pope. They might, because he loves the whole world, not just the Catholic Church.

G-d is not an exclusive country club. We cannot exclude members because they are different from ourselves. Who are WE to decide? Like Pope Francis, I prefer to leave that up to G-d. And G-d Bless Pope Francis!