A friend has stated several times that she must be a "bad Catholic" because of her perception of god (the Biblical deity), a fuzzy-lovey-cuddly deity who lets all "good" people into heaven, even if they don't accept Jesus Christ as their savior and even if they don't adhere to the Christian concept of morality and even if they don't obey god or ask god for forgiveness.
Does this kind of thinking make a Christian a "bad Christian"?
2007-11-20 10:09:05 · 34 answers · asked by ZER0 C00L ••AM••VT•• 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Oh, and if you have time, could you answer this question of mine?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071120145413AACoHkJ
I didn't receive nearly as many responses as I'd like (probably because the details are a bit..... detailed).
2007-11-20 10:10:28 · update #1
Am I a good atheist because I'm telling you that there is no such place as heaven?
2007-11-28 07:45:09 · answer #1 · answered by timbers 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Not really.
The Catholic Church teaches:
About Judaism: "The Jewish faith, unlike other non-Christian religions, is already a response to God's revelation in the Old Covenant. To the Jews "belong the sonship, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and of their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ"; "for the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.
About Islam: The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.
About other non-Christian religions: All nations form but one community. This is so because all stem from the one stock which God created to people the entire earth, and also because all share a common destiny, namely God. His providence, evident goodness, and saving designs extend to all against the day when the elect are gathered together in the holy city.
For more information, see:
+ Nostra Aetate, the Declaration on the Relation of the church to Non-Christian Religions: http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651028_nostra-aetate_en.html
+ The Catechism of the Catholic Church, sections 839 and following: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art9p3.htm#839
With love in Christ.
2007-11-28 07:16:24 · answer #2 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I mean the bible is crystal about it. Why does she subscribe to Catholicism? I know alot of people do this; I just don't understand why. Why attach yourself to a book that very clearly proclaims salvation in only through Christ; but only take the warm fuzzy hippie Christ and not the hardcore Christ who spoke at great lengths more than any other thing stating we must be born again through belief in Him. I wouldnt call your friend a bad Christian at all. However, I would question what she believes Christian really means. Thats my take on it at least.
2007-11-20 10:21:55 · answer #3 · answered by Loosid 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sounds like your friend is caring and WANTS everyone to enter Heaven, and that she's very non-judgmental. That doesn't mean she's a bad Christian. I'm also Christian, and while I believe that the further we distance ourselves from God and from love, the more ensnared in Hell we are. Hell is defined by being distance from God, or the absence of God's love. I do believe that someone who lives a good and moral life still has the chance of getting into Heaven.
2007-11-20 10:30:05 · answer #4 · answered by ♛Qu€€n♛J€§§¡¢a♛™ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What defines a good Christian and a bad Christian?
To me it is how you conduct yourself. If you can say to yourself, I have been true to myself, and I have not caused either directly or indirectly anyone any harm, I have accomplished some good in this world, I help those less fortunate than myself, then yes you are a good Christian. I grew up in South Africa where I saw plenty of people who called themselves Christians, go to church every Sunday, yet openly practice Apartheid. Now they go to church regularly, they accept Jesus Christ and they ask for forgiveness, so are they assured their place in heaven? So I suppose in answer to your questioning whether your way of thinking makes you a bad Christian or not, would be no it does not.
2007-11-20 10:22:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe the bible is very clear ; "The wages of sin is death but the [free] gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23
So; you may say what you like about this scripture. Many believers ,espescially of the Catholic faith, believe that the world , regardless of a repentant heart ,is saved by the blood of Christ . But a GIFT has to be RECIEVED before it belongs to the recipient.
Look at Your bible, search out the truth for yourself.
Jesus said to the religious leaders in His day " You vipers," What was He trying to get across? I believe He was saying that a guy can get so religious that he leaves God out of the gospel .
Be blessed.
2007-11-20 10:39:34 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, I don't know what a "bad Christian" is. We're ALL sinners saved by grace if we trust in Christ for salvation.
However, your friend is misguided. Jesus Christ said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) How can she claim to truly trust in Christ if she does not believe what He said?
2007-11-25 19:39:04 · answer #7 · answered by Eric 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You must read you bible- being Catholic doesn't make you a Christian nor will it mean you are going to heaven first of all.
People don't go to Heaven because they are good they go because they accepted Jesus as you know.So your answer is Yes. The only way is Thur Jesus Christ.Not accepting him will land your never dying soul in Hell for all eternity plain and simple as that. Tell your friend to get into a bible believing church and get born again .And leave that false doctrine teaching church for before she ends up in Hell one day.
2007-11-20 10:39:23 · answer #8 · answered by Ladybyrd 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no. why should i be treated lower than them? i have put up with so much (and others have also)personally, i dont believe in heaven or hell. however, but to find out not only am i wrong, i get to spend eternity suffering because i thought my beliefs made sense and were right for ME. your a bad christian by saying someone is going to hell because according to the bible, only jesus, "the savior", can decide or something like that. actually, i've never read the bible all the way through, but i can recall many times that i've been told that. if that isnt true, then they are lying. lying breaks one of the 10 commandments.
wow, for a pagan who doesnt believe in god, i sure know a lot about christianity compared to some people, (not all, and thats in no offense to the christians who actually spend their time at church and confess sins and try to be good christians. im talking about the people who say they are good, but never go to church and spend all theyre time on here telling atheist and pagans to go to hell or read a bible.)
)o(
2007-11-20 10:22:36 · answer #9 · answered by Pluto VT 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
For the sake of argument, lets say that I did believe in God.
A reasonable outlook on any kind of all-powerful omniscient deity would be that this being would let all "good" people into his "kingdom," and all "bad" people into hell.
The problem is that "good" is very subjective, unless you base it on intentions, in which case almost anybody could get into heaven, because they are only following what they believe to be true.
If God let people into heaven on the basis of good and bad, and good qualifies as "good intent," then anybody who held a religious belief because they thought that it was true should be allowed into heaven, including atheists, since they weren't trying to deceive anyone.
2007-11-20 10:17:17 · answer #10 · answered by Alex H 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
As I have said before, I'm probably considered a bad Christian because I do think that. Of course as an Episcopalian I'm encouraged to think things through and not blindly accept everything.
2007-11-20 12:26:16 · answer #11 · answered by Purdey EP 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋