(March 12, 2016 at 2:58 am)bennyboy Wrote:(March 12, 2016 at 2:39 am)Catholic_Lady Wrote: I have no idea. The only people whom we claim to know the fate of are Saints - who we believe are in Heaven. Other than that, we don't know who is in the state of Hell or Heaven, since we cannot know what was in a person's heart.
That's a cop out. Let's say a witch-hunter considered himself a good and loving Christian, and that he took his witch-interviewing duties seriously. Let's say that in his love, he followed the proscribed methods of turning a witch to confession and to salvation (talking about torture, here). He was in a state of total peace, confident because of papal decrees or agreements made at church, that he was doing the work of God.
Perfectly calm mind and openly peaceful heart, committing torture.
Heaven or not? Because by your statements, it would seem that HE is going to Heaven, and the "witch," who would be a terrified, lonely old woman, cast out of society, blamed and tortured, and then told she must share the religious beliefs of her attackers, and "confess" sins she never committed, would be in the wrong mental condition to be allowed into Heaven.
I mean, we can trot out examples post after post until the cows come home, and you can keep saying "I don't know, I don't know." But if you don't know anything, then from whence comes your belief?
See, here's my problem with you (as I've already mentioned): you seem to be a generally good person, and I think you are projecting your OWN goodness onto the universe, and onto your God idea. But you cannot produce logical reasons for your beliefs, nor evidence that they correct, nor good reasons for believing a good God exists, nor evidence for beliefing a good God exists.
So why the heck to you hold the beliefs that you do? There's no reason for it that I can see except that you are a member of a Catholic culture.
It's not a cop out at all. I can't judge the heart and soul of another person because I can't see those things.
I'm not trying to produce evidence. Just answering your questions about what my views are.
"Of course, everyone will claim they respect someone who tries to speak the truth, but in reality, this is a rare quality. Most respect those who speak truths they agree with, and their respect for the speaking only extends as far as their realm of personal agreement. It is less common, almost to the point of becoming a saintly virtue, that someone truly respects and loves the truth seeker, even when their conclusions differ wildly."
-walsh
-walsh
