Pope Francis defends atheists

[rexbeccarox]

Project much?

[BettyG]

Again, why couldn't both have happened?

Modern homo sapiens has been around for a hundred thousand years at the very least. There are human settlements dating back long before 6,000 years ago. So, no, both could not have happened.

In Catholic theology, it is acceptable to believe that God put a human soul into the body of a creature that had evolved from lower forms of life. How long ago is beside the point. The Bible is not a science book. The author did not intend to teach us about science. There is no need to believe in a young earth. It is a spiritual book. The author intended to teach about God's relation to us. All we are required to believe is that evolution was caused and guided by God and that we are descended from one man and one woman.
Nevertheless, scientists have proposed the theory that we are all descended from "Mitochondrial Eve." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve
Pope Francis means that Jesus died for all mankind. Whether one chooses to respond or not is your free choice. It is our choice that determines our eternal destiny. God is both merciful and just. He offers us all we need to to enjoy eternal happiness with Him if one opens his/her heart to receive His love.
Everyone is capable of doing good. The world needs goodness! God has commanded us to do good because self-centeredness makes us unhappy, while serving others brings joy and peace.
When believers and non-believers work side-by-side, we begin to understand each other. That is a good thing.

[Minimalist]

Hey fuckhead.

I WAS catholic. I outgrew it. When I was fucking 11.

Try it sometime or keep defending the Pervert Priesthood. This comes under the heading of your fucking problem.

[BettyG]

Hey fuckhead.

I WAS catholic. I outgrew it. When I was fucking 11.

Try it sometime or keep defending the Pervert Priesthood. This comes under the heading of your fucking problem.

Hi Minimalist,
Calling people names and sneering at total strangers does not sound very mature to me. I would welcome a rational discussion.
Tell me about the Catholicism you outgrew. Perhaps I don't believe in it either.

[Drich]

Hey fuckhead.

I WAS catholic. I outgrew it. When I was fucking 11.

Try it sometime or keep defending the Pervert Priesthood. This comes under the heading of your fucking problem.

Hi Minimalist,
Calling people names and sneering at total strangers does not sound very mature to me. I would welcome a rational discussion.
Tell me about the Catholicism you outgrew. Perhaps I don't believe in it either.

Don't get your hopes up, Minnie out grew rational when he was 11 too. (Hence the language.)

[Ryantology]

In Catholic theology, it is acceptable to believe that God put a human soul into the body of a creature that had evolved from lower forms of life. How long ago is beside the point. The Bible is not a science book. The author did not intend to teach us about science. There is no need to believe in a young earth. It is a spiritual book. The author intended to teach about God's relation to us. All we are required to believe is that evolution was caused and guided by God and that we are descended from one man and one woman.

There once was a point when it was not at all acceptable for Catholics to believe that the Bible was not literal truth. That Catholics are allowed to do so now is the result of the Church pragmatically understanding that conflicting with reality would make the church irrelevant at a faster pace. One might ask why God didn't clarify this centuries sooner, it could have done humanity (to say nothing of the religion itself) a lot of good.

Nevertheless, scientists have proposed the theory that we are all descended from "Mitochondrial Eve." See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve

To be more precise, everyone living is descendant from "Mitochondrial Eve". There were countless bloodlines independent of hers that existed before ours and continued to exist alongside us for varying lengths of time. They died out and we did not. "Mitochondrial Eve" is nothing but an indication of an ancestral bottleneck, and that title is not fixed: many females have likely held that role throughout time and more may in the future if some disaster culls the human population to a significant enough level. There is also "Mitochondrial Adam", who has the same characteristics as "Eve" but did not live at the same time. It's not a theory which can support the Genesis story.

Pope Francis means that Jesus died for all mankind. Whether one chooses to respond or not is your free choice. It is our choice that determines our eternal destiny. God is both merciful and just. He offers us all we need to to enjoy eternal happiness with Him if one opens his/her heart to receive His love.

Yes, and that's fine. The problem lies in there being a horrifying punishment in store for those not accepting this offer. That is neither merciful nor just. That is outright criminal.

Everyone is capable of doing good. The world needs goodness! God has commanded us to do good because self-centeredness makes us unhappy, while serving others brings joy and peace.
When believers and non-believers work side-by-side, we begin to understand each other. That is a good thing.

I love that sentiment, but I am familiar enough with God's commandments to not agree with much of what God thinks of as 'good'.

[Jackalope]

There is also "Mitochondrial Adam", who has the same characteristics as "Eve" but did not live at the same time.

That would be "Y chromosome" Adam - mitochondrial DNA is passed solely from the female in humans.

[BettyG]

='BettyG' pid='453942' dateline='1370112867']
There once was a point when it was not at all acceptable for Catholics to believe that the Bible was not literal truth. That Catholics are allowed to do so now is the result of the Church pragmatically understanding that conflicting with reality would make the church irrelevant at a faster pace. One might ask why God didn't clarify this centuries sooner, it could have done humanity (to say nothing of the religion itself) a lot of good.

Humani generis is a papal encyclical that Pope Pius XII promulgated on 12 August 1950 in response to neo-modernism ideas of atheistic evolution, says, "Some imprudently and indiscreetly hold that evolution, which has not been fully proved even in the domain of natural sciences... " The truth is that no one can prove atheistic evolution beyond a shadow of a doubt. For example, punctuated equilibrium and Cambrian explosion, lack of a complete fossil record, etc. It is wise to stick to the facts about what we know and not assume anything beyond the facts.

Yes, and that's fine. The problem lies in there being a horrifying punishment in store for those not accepting this offer. That is neither merciful nor just. That is outright criminal.

[/quote]

Say a boss says, "Do your job or you'll get fired!" Is that unjust if the person gets fired when they refuse to obey? They were warned of the consequences. Except with heaven, the end result is so great that it is worth any price. In the short run, sinning looks better, but in the long run, life is much better and happier without serious sin. It is not a sacrifice at all to obey. It is a joy. Heaven will be mind-blowing ecstasy! If people really knew that, there would be a different kind of world.

I love that sentiment, but I am familiar enough with God's commandments to not agree with much of what God thinks of as 'good'.

The purpose of the Ten Commandments is to guide us toward a holy, virtuous life by warning us of the things that will not make us happy in the long run. If one does not think that is possible or desirable, then they make no sense. I find a lot of inner peace and integrity from following them. It is counter-intuitive. It is something one has to experience.

[Minimalist]

It is wise to stick to the facts about what we know and not assume anything beyond the facts.

Then why in the world do you fall for the pile of shit which is xtianity which has NO FACTS WHATSOEVER to sustain it?

[The Grand Nudger]

It is wise to stick to the facts about what we know and not assume anything beyond the facts.

Yes......yes it is...........

Say a boss says, "Do your job or you'll get fired!" Is that unjust if the person gets fired when they refuse to obey?

I don't recall having ever agreed to work for your boss.

They were warned of the consequences.

Is the bossman gonna take me out to the woodshed and give me a whoopin? "Oh massa please don't hit me, I be good, I promise"