What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Catholic_Lady]

I apologize. Let me be clear.

I believe the stories told in the OT were written allegorically. I do not believe the story of Jesus in the NT was written allegorically. That doesn't mean that Jesus Himself didn't sometimes use figure of speech or metaphor when describing something. This is nothing unusual or alarming. We all do it, probably every day.

Verily.  Good point.  The teachings attributed to Jesus probably were largely allegorical.  Some people even think that when Jesus said "I am the way", he was referring to his example - not himself.  If they're right, eating his flesh and blood, even symbolically, misses the point.  He calls on us to join him, not worship him.  Actualization, not abnegation, may have been the way of which he spoke.

The join Him and worship Him do not have to be mutually exclusive. As Christians, we believe both.

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I think what matters most is what is in a person's heart.

You mean, the crucifixion of christ, and accepting the crucifixion of christ -isn't- actually required...for me to get into heaven?  I don't know...should we check the catechism?  You're a catholic, right?  I think you're being disingenuous.

No, no..scratch that, I -know- that you are.  Disingenuousness was a problem for you, just a few posts back.....maybe it's only a problem, for you,  when non-catholics leverage it?

Do you have a position on the moral status of vicarious redemption?  How has god helped you to see -why- this is "good", or - on the off chance, -why- this is "bad"?

Rhythm, keep in mind that "I think what matters most is what is in a person's heart" is by no means all I wrote.

I explain what it is exactly that the Church teaches, and what the Church leaves open for discernment.

I did tell you that the Catechism talks about how we should not automatically discount Heaven for people who have not been baptized as Christians. Here it is:

1260 "Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery."63 Every man who is ignorant of the Gospel of Christ and of his Church, but seeks the truth and does the will of God in accordance with his understanding of it, can be saved. It may be supposed that such persons would have desired Baptism explicitly if they had known its necessity.