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It doesn’t. No matter what your relationship to a person is, whether they are your child or parent, the thought of them being tormented for any length of time, much less for eternity, is a horror.
It's a horror for well-balanced, empathetic, rational people.
It's a horror for well-balanced, empathetic, rational people.
But not for fundies.
It could explain some of the bizarre behavior like degrading and disowning family that have left whatever belief system. They could be acting irrationally out of fear and grief. At least a few of them (like I prefer to believe my mom is) are actually trying to "save" the person they are abusing.
In the OP, I believe the Pope was correct. If the father chose to baptize his children, there was at least some hope in God.
I don't think that was even the point the Pope made. He said it was easy for a believer to have their children baptized but harder for a non believer. Also, it talked about the dad having been "a good man" which I would assume believers would think usual for a believer but next to impossible for an atheist.
I don't think that was even the point the Pope made. He said it was easy for a believer to have their children baptized but harder for a non believer. Also, it talked about the dad having been "a good man" which I would assume believers would think usual for a believer but next to impossible for an atheist.
I meant the Pope was right to tell the boy his father was in heaven (even though we can’t be sure). Since the father had baptized his children, there was at least some hope he sought after God. Children don’t have the maturity to understand something this serious.
I meant the Pope was right to tell the boy his father was in heaven (even though we can’t be sure). Since the father had baptized his children, there was at least some hope he sought after God. Children don’t have the maturity to understand something this serious.
Evidently, the boy was taught to fear hell, it's not something that comes naturally.
To baptize their child? To make it easier on the kid to fit in. I'm sure his dad taught him critical thinking skills alongside having him baptized so when he was old enough he could make up his own mind. The Pope even stated it was by what kind of child he had raised that he knew the atheist was a good man. He didn't have any indication of what type of person the guy was except for the by knowing the son. Kind of like God an Jesus don't you think? Maybe even God and you. We know your God by you.
I don't think that was even the point the Pope made. He said it was easy for a believer to have their children baptized but harder for a non believer. Also, it talked about the dad having been "a good man" which I would assume believers would think usual for a believer but next to impossible for an atheist.
I believe there are a few questions not being asked!
Who said the child's father was an atheist?
Lategrape, there is little if nothing to sort out when the source of the article is laced with disception..
I believe there are a few questions not being asked!
Who said the child's father was an atheist?
Lategrape, there is little if nothing to sort out when the source of the article is laced with disception..
The boy did. Are you saying you think the boy got that wrong? Regardless, the statement from the Pope was made, not toward whether or not the man was an atheist or not, but toward whether an atheist was one of God's children or not and therefore had the same fate.
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