I ask this question because I know alot of "born-agains"that do not like Roman Catholics and feel that they worship Mary and will not make it to heaven. My friend that is a devout Catholic has told me many horror stories of Christians sending pamphlets to Catholic churches telling them that they will burn in hell. I was igronant of the Anti-Catholic hatred that is taught in many Born-Again Christian churches. When you ask a born-again christian if Catholics are going to heaven they will generally answer your question with another question such as What do you mean are they going to heaven? or I have heard some born-agains say Do you mean if Jesus is their Savior? or some will say That is up to God to decide. If you notice not one of these is a yes or no answer so that is defitenitely a red light to the born-again bigotry towards Catholics. Another way you can tell if born-agains do not like Catholics is to invite them to a Mass service they will look at you as if you have horns. When born-agains bring up that Catholics worship the Pope I tell them that Born-Agains worship Jerry Farwell, Billy Graham, Benny Hinn, Oral Roberts, Fred Price is worshipped by millions of African Americans as is TD Jakes. I think one of the major problems that born-agains have today is that they are so quick to throw stones at other religions that don't agree with their interpretation such as Catholics, JWs, Mormons, 7th day Adventists, and Muslims. I think many will be shocked if they get to heaven and Pope John Paul II has to let them in the pearly gates. (ha-ha)
Do "born-again christians"believe that the Pope went to heaven or hell?
by booker-t 25 Replies latest jw friends
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ARoarer
I think the Pope was more christlike than born agains because he taught religious tolerance and respect of all those with spirituality. I saw a news footage today of him appologizing for any uchristian behavior towards others that Catholics have done in th past. Can you picture the G B doing anything like that?? They wouldn't even make an apology for unchristian acts to thier own flocks, let alone making a public appolgy to the nations. All the years I was a JW I was never aware of his role in the fall of communism.
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Country Girl
You know, Booker, you're going to get the answer that you already knew was coming: we don't know.
I am a born again Christian, but that does not make me a clairvoyant. I personally think the Pope was a very honest and human loving being, and I hope that he will be honestly rewarded by God for his good will, and caring for humans. I'd like to think that....
What's really strenous on XJW's is that they think you *have* to belong to a church, or a denomination, and that is totally not the truth! All you have to do is agree that Christ is your savior, and you are saved, and that's it. Everything that comes after that is up to you. I hope that the Pope is in a good place. I think he was a good man, with love in his heart, and I think he will be rewarded for that. But as far as where he will go: that is totally up to him and his Creator.
CG
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Country Girl
People fail to realize that it's not the religion, it's the heart. If a person is good in their heart, and love their fellow man, and do their best to live their lives honest and pure, well, that counts, too. You can always be "born again" but if you don't act like a Christian, then people don't believe you. You don't believe you. People have to believe in their lives and themselves or it creates a real big problem...
CG
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The Leological One
Along with Country Girl's replies, I'd say that it's not any other person's place to "judge" the status of the pope's eternal existence. I believe it's based on a personal relationship with God, the Father, through acceptance of the sacrifice of His Son. There are many denominations, and many differences are based, IMO, on doctrines that vary mainly in areas that don't affect salvation, though that doesn't equate to me saying those doctrinal differences aren't important.
As an example, I don't personally feel that a person believing purgatory is a real place would affect whether they are/can be born again or not. Worshipping Mary or various saints would be a problem, I feel sure, but I don't know that they actually are worshipped or just heavily honored (though more than they should be, IMO). Also, if I undestand correctly that Catholics teach praying "through" or in the name of certain saints or Mary, that seems to be highly against only praying in Jesus' name; even so, I'm not sure this would necessarily affect salvation as long as the person accepted Jesus as his/her Lord and understand that salvation can only come through acceptance of His sacrifice and not of various saints or Mary.
Just as with the Catholics, I feel it's not my place to judge whether a JW, protestant, etc. is saved but feel it's all between the people themselves and God. That isn't to say I might not have an opinion in certain cases, such as with Hitler, for example...
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Robert K Stock
When I lived in Southern Oregon there was a billboard along I-5 from the local Seventh Day Adventist Church saying that the Pope is the Anti-Christ. Many people wanted that billboard taken down but since it was on private property it would stay up.
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heathen
LMAO@Robert K Stock --- I've said that on a number of threads myself . I still think the catholic church is the whore of babylon . Say what you want but I think the whole story of the catholic church is filled with corruption and at times like these people like to color things a good ole shade of grey . People are right that the WTBTS owes an apology as well to their members but the catholic church definately owes more than that to it's members and also non members .
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ezekiel3
WARNING: Posts critical of the Pope are likely to be locked by forum administrators or Simon himself
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/88184/1.ashx
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/88141/1.ashx -
William Penwell
A born again friend once told me that some RC are OK as there are "Charismatic" Christians that are also RC. I once mentioned about the Pope stepping down due to his health and she said he wouldn't do that as there are a number of men within the church that want to reform the church. Maybe it is about time they get into the 21 century but that is a whole different topic. As far as the man is concerned, he is only that. Like others have said on here there are thousands of people that die every day that have contributed to the betterment human kind just as much as Pope John Paul has. What makes him so special? Just because he happens to be the leader of a group of people that believe in fairytales?
Will
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NeonMadman
Sorry, the born again Christian organization hasn't released a statement on that yet, so I wouldn't want to "run ahead"...