Limbo Eliminated?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by exlurker

The concept of limbo is apparently being dropped by the Roman Catholic Church. This decision has been expected for a long time:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18233222/

The Pope said something about it a while back, it's just now coming out in documents. Scandia is close but not quite. It's not like someone just "made it up." It was more of an actual developed theory that appeared to fit the evidence and the people's understanding of the world and their theology.

That said, JPII and others have said for a while that not being baptized doesn't mean you don't go to heaven. Catholics in general believe that a moral person will be welcomed by God and that basically we have no right to say who will or won't get into heaven because it isn't our call.

[Scandia]

By saying "someone made it up", I simply meant that it was not officially revealed in the Bible or by a Vatican document. I meant that it may have been developed and discussed, but it was never declared to be official dogma that was clinched to be right and true.

[Drolefille]

Yes but saying that someone made it up throws all theological philosophy out the window. It's way more complex than that and we still have beliefs today that are based in the work of theologians and are not official dogma.

[Educatingblue]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

That said, JPII and others have said for a while that not being baptized doesn't mean you don't go to heaven. Catholics in general believe that a moral person will be welcomed by God and that basically we have no right to say who will or won't get into heaven because it isn't our call.

I remember hearing the same thing, so I was a little surprised that everyone was making a big deal about it. When I was in college, the campus priest was telling us how some mothers of stillborn babies had a tough time dealing with that and it was best if they "formally" did away with it and that was back in '99!

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Educatingblue

I remember hearing the same thing, so I was a little surprised that everyone was making a big deal about it. When I was in college, the campus priest was telling us how some mothers of stillborn babies had a tough time dealing with that and it was best if they "formally" did away with it and that was back in '99!

Yeah, though there are judgemental people in every religion, Catholicism's basic view on it is: We think and believe that we have the right way. However, we can never come close to truly fathoming God, at least not in this lifetime. We do not know who he wishes to join him in heaven and should not presume to judge or condemn but to pray for those we are concerned about (including ourselves).

Anyway, limbo was always a theological construct. Our views of God have changed a lot in the past 1000 years, so it isn't surprising that our views on the afterlife have changed as well.

[AKA_Monet]

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