Question I have for Christians.

[Catholic_Lady]

I don't mean to be a dick when I ask this.

1. How do you rectify what should be an immense amount of stress that a Christian should feel knowing that whatever they do, they will never be "good enough?" As I understand it, to be a christian means to be in continual renewal of mind, body, and spirit (which I do not think is possible btw). While the problem of not being "perfect" might not be a problem felt explicitly by christians, I believe one of the core philosophies for why christians think atheist are atheists is because they want to be free from "responsibility" of the sin in their life. How does a christian rectify this in their own life?

2.And if I really want to get "out there" weird with it, I can ask how God can justify that because atheists simply want to rid themselves from a tieless and fruitless endeavor of renewal and as a result, be sent to hell?

1. Hard for me to answer this one because I don't feel this "immense amount of stress" at all. I believe in a God that is infinitely merciful and infinitely loving, more than I could ever even imagine. I try to live a good life to the best of my abilities, and when I fall short, the remorse I feel for it will be enough for God to forgive me completely. Think of the parable of the prodigal son, as told by Jesus to depict God's love for us. As soon as the wayward son showed back up, his father ran to him and took him in with open arms, before he even needed to say anything.

2. I can't comment on who is and is not in Hell, but I can say that I believe no one goes to Hell who does not want to be there. God is always willing to take us in if we go to Him.

[Quick]

I don't mean to be a dick when I ask this.

1. How do you rectify what should be an immense amount of stress that a Christian should feel knowing that whatever they do, they will never be "good enough?" As I understand it, to be a christian means to be in continual renewal of mind, body, and spirit (which I do not think is possible btw). While the problem of not being "perfect" might not be a problem felt explicitly by christians, I believe one of the core philosophies for why christians think atheist are atheists is because they want to be free from "responsibility" of the sin in their life. How does a christian rectify this in their own life?

2.And if I really want to get "out there" weird with it, I can ask how God can justify that because atheists simply want to rid themselves from a tieless and fruitless endeavor of renewal and as a result, be sent to hell?

1. Hard for me to answer this one because I don't feel this "immense amount of stress" at all. I believe in a God that is infinitely merciful and infinitely loving, more than I could ever even imagine. I try to live a good life to the best of my abilities, and when I fall short, the remorse I feel for it will be enough for God to forgive me completely. Think of the parable of the prodigal son, as told by Jesus to depict God's love for us. As soon as the wayward son showed back up, his father ran to him and took him in with open arms, before he even needed to say anything.

2. I can't comment on who is and is not in Hell, but I can say that I believe no one goes to Hell who does not want to be there. God is always willing to take us in if we go to Him.

Thanks for your answer.

I guess for the first one, it just seems natural that one would have difficulty knowing they haven't done "all they can" especially when people are going to hell. IME this is because of the psychological effect not being fully understood in what is at stake.

Second one: IDK what you mean by this. My follow up question would be what is required for salvation.

[Catholic_Lady]

Being in a state of grace is required for salvation. However, since we can't judge the state of the soul of another person, it's impossible to say who is and is not in a state of grace. Not our judgement to make.

[Quick]

Being in a state of grace is required for salvation. However, since we can't judge the state of the soul of another person, it's impossible to say who is and is not in a state of grace. Not our judgement to make.

So would you say believing christ was risen from the dead because he died for our sins is required for salvation? I am very unfamiliar with what catholics believe if all that is required for salvation is "grace"

[Catholic_Lady]

Being in a state of grace is required for salvation. However, since we can't judge the state of the soul of another person, it's impossible to say who is and is not in a state of grace. Not our judgement to make.

So would you say believing christ was risen from the dead because he died for our sins is required for salvation?

Not necessarily. We believe that there may be possibility for salvation for non Christians as well.   

I am very unfamiliar with what catholics believe if all that is required for salvation is "grace"

The opposite of being in a state of grace means being in a state of mortal sin. Being in a state of mortal sin means that you have committed a serious sin with full consent of the will and full knowledge that in doing so, you are deliberately turning away from God. Since we can't know a person's thoughts and motives, we cannot say who is and is not in a state of mortal sin, and thus, we can't say who is and is not going to Hell.

[Quick]

So would you say believing christ was risen from the dead because he died for our sins is required for salvation?

Not necessarily. We believe that there may be possibility for salvation for non Christians as well. 

That is very strange to me... Tho it does remind me of when I asked a theologian with a doctorate if people who have never heard christs name would they go to heaven and he said they are judged based on what they do know.

I am very unfamiliar with what catholics believe if all that is required for salvation is "grace"

The opposite of being in a state of grace means being in a state of mortal sin. Being in a state of mortal sin means that you have committed a serious sin with full consent of the will and full knowledge that in doing so, you are deliberately turning away from God. Since we can't know a person's thoughts and motives, we cannot say who is and is not in a state of mortal sin, and thus, we can't say who is and is not going to Hell.

What does it mean to be in a state of moral sin? I get that people sin and there's not much you can actually do about that. So if I have this right, it's if someone is knowingly sinning and doing so constantly? If that is the case, how can a catholic approve of the gay lifestyle?

[Catholic_Lady]

Not necessarily. We believe that there may be possibility for salvation for non Christians as well. 

That is very strange to me... Tho it does remind me of when I asked a theologian with a doctorate if people who have never heard christs name would they go to heaven and he said they are judged based on what they do know.

The theologian is correct, IMHO. 

The opposite of being in a state of grace means being in a state of mortal sin. Being in a state of mortal sin means that you have committed a serious sin with full consent of the will and full knowledge that in doing so, you are deliberately turning away from God. Since we can't know a person's thoughts and motives, we cannot say who is and is not in a state of mortal sin, and thus, we can't say who is and is not going to Hell.

1. What does it mean to be in a state of moral sin? I get that people sin and there's not much you can actually do about that. 2. So if I have this right, it's if someone is knowingly sinning and doing so constantly? 3. If that is the case, how can a catholic approve of the gay lifestyle?

1. It means you have deliberately separated yourself from the grace of God by knowingly and in full consent committed a serious sin, and you haven't felt remorse for it.

2. It doesn't have to be done constantly, it only has to be done once. If a person commits a serious sin with full knowledge and consent of what they are doing, the serious sin then becomes a mortal sin. When the person is guilty of a mortal sin, they are cut off from God until there is remorse from them. If the person feels no remorse for what they have done, that person stays in the state of mortal sin. Since mortal sin cuts you off from God, you go to Hell, which is the only place where God is not present.

Example of a venial (small) sin: Losing your patience with someone and snapping at them in a hurtful way. (Does not cut you off from God)

Example of a serious sin: Committing mass murder. (Does not cut you off from God, in and of itself)

Example of a mortal sin: Committing mass murder with full consent of the will and full knowledge that what you are doing is very wrong. (Cuts you off from God)

3. We don't approve of the gay lifestyle.

[Quick]

3. We don't approve of the gay lifestyle.

This goes against what someone else who is a devout catholic has said. I am not sure who is right here.

[Edwardo Piet]

Being in a state of mortal sin means that you have committed a serious sin with full consent of the will and full knowledge that in doing so, you are deliberately turning away from God.

Does this mean that atheists are incapable of sinning because they can't possibility deliberately turn away from that which they don't even believe exists?

[Catholic_Lady]

3. We don't approve of the gay lifestyle.

This goes against what someone else who is a devout catholic has said. I am not sure who is right here.

What did this person say exactly? He may have been referring to personal culpability.