As an atheist, I kinda like this new Pope...

[spankythehippo]

Pope Francis says that atheists that do good deeds will be accepted. At least he doesn't see heaven as a premium member service club.

I don't believe in heaven, but I appreciate the words of the Pope.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3329548.html


total relism could learn a thing or two.

[rvg]

This is not gonna sit well with the Evangelicals.

[Beskar]

A very good move for the Pope. It is when such figures make enlightened comments, it takes them beyond their traditional spheres and makes even 'opponents' respect them. The previous pope was a right devil when it came to 'non-believers' especially in the comments he made about the British isles before his visit.

Catholics and Non-Catholics are able to live in peace and it is good to know that the Pope recognises that.

[Hooahguy]

I gotta say, Benedict stepping down and Pope Francist being appointed was probably the best thing to happen to Catholicism in a long time.

[lars573]

This is not gonna sit well with the Evangelicals.

Considering Evangelicals are all protestants, their opinion of the Papacy couldn't get much lower.

[HopAlongBunny]

"We must meet one another doing good" (from article)

I am HopAlongBunny an I approve of this message :p

[Husar]

http://www.openbible.info/topics/goo...o_go_to_heaven

John 14:6 ESV

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

So the Pope's word trumps the word of the son of god now as far as the church is concerned? Interesting...

[Empire*Of*Media]

Pope Francis says that atheists that do good deeds will be accepted. At least he doesn't see heaven as a premium member service club.

I don't believe in heaven, but I appreciate the words of the Pope.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3329548.html


total relism could learn a thing or two.

YES! i and in where Jesus said ONLY CHRISTIANS are good men and can enter to heaven?!!(while in Islam Says The Only Acceptable people for Allah or god, are the muslims!!) in fact Jesus was a jewish protestant, he wanted to wipe off fanaticism and ignorance, but another interesting fact, Jesus Never told he has brought a new Religions, it is after Jesus Christ,that some selfish Roman popes that before were in a society full of lewdness & immorality and corruption of ROMAN Empire, wanted to have a Powerful Political Religion to control most of things in around 500-550 AD Created Catholicism and started to EDIT JESUS's thoughts and advises as their own like!!; Catholicism is POPEism, i compare them with the Caliphate Shia's Version of Wali Faqih, that call himself the Representative of God and its prophet and can do whatever and give laws how he will just because he thinks or people thinks he is Indicated by god!!!

and thats how the False Christianity grows and will be representative as main Christian in worlds eyes. Jesus never said only help a christian or a jew,(Unlike Islam) Jesus is for the world, i dont call myself christian, but it must be interesting, me in a middle east country, without being in any Christian publicity or propaganda,as it is forbidden in Islamic societies and governments, Adore the Jesus's Personality!!!!

i bet it is the False thoughts they tell you and show you about jesus and god, thats why Imperialist Governments and Their Puppet "MEDIA" will make you to see other ways except believing God (Not Religions!), or hate UnAtheist Beliefs !!

[Ronin]

Regarding the atheist thing, the very next day the vatican released a statement, to "clarify" the Pope's statement, that said that:

"The Rev. Thomas Rosica, a Vatican spokesman, said that people who are aware of the Catholic church “cannot be saved” if they “refuse to enter her or remain in her.”

So no free ride you silly godless people.....step in line, business as usual.

this week the pope has also spoken against slavery, the Pope has proven this week that he apparently hasn´t read the Bible much lately.
And I´m not bagging on him for that, because I see that as a good thing.

[Rhyfelwyr]

The Pope certainly said atheists could do good works, but where does he say anything about them being "accepted" into heaven?

[Beskar]

The Pope certainly said atheists could do good works, but where does he say anything about them being "accepted" into heaven?

More referring to this:

[rvg]

Considering Evangelicals are all protestants, their opinion of the Papacy couldn't get much lower.

It can. I'm not sure if the appeal to non-believers is worth risking a further rift within Christianity. He knows better of course, but still.

[LittleGrizzly]

Tiaexz isn't that just a way of saying we are all God's children?

Something I assume Catholics would believe anyway, whilst not necessarily meaning all God's children get into heaven?

At a guess that is.

[HoreTore]

I am a non-christian precisely because I do not wish to spend eternity together with the christians.

What the pope did is to actually condemn me to an even worse place than hell. I do not applaud him.

[Rhyfelwyr]

More referring to this:

Was that in the article?

[Brenus]

As a atheist, I do not care as there is no Paradise to go. I don't need a reward or a threat to do things. My own humanity is enough.

[a completely inoffensive name]

No one should care about what the atheists here think about the Pope's statement. It's about changing the attitudes of the highly religious who currently feel that atheists are the most evil people in the world.

This statement is great because it is a message of tolerance and if anyone has ever lived in certain parts of the US, you would know it is badly needed. Don't let this become an opportunity to unleash that classic atheist smugness.

[Rhyfelwyr]

This statement is great because it is a message of tolerance and if anyone has ever lived in certain parts of the US, you would know it is badly needed.

I'm not sure how much sway the Pope carries in those parts of the US.

[Strike For The South]

I'm not sure how much sway the Pope carries in those parts of the US.

This probably just confirms a lot of their suspicions!

[Brenus]

"classic atheist smugness." So much for the "message of tolerance"

[Husar]

"classic atheist smugness." So much for the "message of tolerance"

HoreTore is basically saying that he as an atheist is incredibly intolerant of Christians and ACIN is not a catholic as far as I know.

And I agree with him that atheists shouldn't really matter when it comes to religion. Everything atheists demand from religious leaders is aimed at disbanding the religion anyway, so why would religious leaders listen to them? Atheists are part of the world and people who are part of the world are owned by the devil.

[spankythehippo]

HoreTore is basically saying that he as an atheist is incredibly intolerant of Christians and ACIN is not a catholic as far as I know.

And I agree with him that atheists shouldn't really matter when it comes to religion. Everything atheists demand from religious leaders is aimed at disbanding the religion anyway, so why would religious leaders listen to them? Atheists are part of the world and people who are part of the world are owned by the devil.

It's kinda like being in hospital for some serious injury. Friends come over to see how your doing, and one religious friend might say "I'll pray for your swift recovery". Of course, this doesn't actually help in the recovery process, but it's the thought that counts. You don't say to that friend "Yeah, well God doesn't exist, so **** off". You say something like "Thanks" or "I appreciate it".

HoreTore seems to be exemplifying the hostility of atheists. If atheists are the rational and logical thinkers, then isn't it wise just to accept the "nice" things religious people say? To be fair, I can empathise where he's coming from. In fact, I might share the same view. But only because most uber-religious people aren't fun to hang around with. They always bring religion into every conversation. That's what is insufferable. I don't start bringing up Darwinism in every conversation, like Dawkins. So that's the only reason I wouldn't want to live in the afterlife (if it exists) with a bunch of religious nutcases, because they're not fun. And because I don't believe the afterlife exists, so it doesn't even matter.

[a completely inoffensive name]

[QUOTE=Husar;2053529402]HoreTore is basically saying that he as an atheist is incredibly intolerant of Christians and ACIN is not a catholic as far as I know.
[QUOTE]

I am as atheist as you can get. But I have seen some of the positives of what religion can do. Every angst ridden atheist who holds a grudge against everything and everyone that religion touches lacks perspective in my opinion.

[Brenus]

“And I agree with him that atheists shouldn't really matter when it comes to religion.” I agree with your agreement.
To be fair, I am with TR (that is when he will give his opinion I suppose he will have)on this one.
What is the aim to have no sex before marriage, no parties, no adultery, not be able to eat what you want when you want and watch all the movies you want, not to enjoy life and to stone to death your neighbours who work on Sabbath, and explosion few people and then meet in Heaven the godless girl you always try not to think about just because she did some good and was in fact a nice person and she did some good (not that much anyway)? And not with me...

That is not FAIR… I am telling you that if I was a believer in the Catholic God, I change God. We had a CONTRACT Sir, err, God. That is where the word Religion comes from: Religio, the link, bond, in Latin, the link between the Creator and the Creature. You protect me, I worship you. It is not a one way contract, Sir. God. So, if even harlots and corrupted have access to Heaven, I say no. The believers (of the right faith, I don't speak of the Infidels, the Schismatics and Heretics) have right, Sir. God. The Masses will not accept this, Sir. God. They will have effect, the masses (Mass effect 1, 2 & 3)...... Sorry.

[Husar]

To be fair, I am with TR (that is when he will give his opinion I suppose he will have)on this one.
What is the aim to have no sex before marriage, no parties, no adultery, not be able to eat what you want when you want and watch all the movies you want, not to enjoy life and to stone to death your neighbours who work on Sabbath, and explosion few people and then meet in Heaven the godless girl you always try not to think about just because she did some good and was in fact a nice person and she did some good (not that much anyway)? And not with me...

That is not FAIR… I am telling you that if I was a believer in the Catholic God, I change God. We had a CONTRACT Sir, err, God. That is where the word Religion comes from: Religio, the link, bond, in Latin, the link between the Creator and the Creature. You protect me, I worship you. It is not a one way contract, Sir. God. So, if even harlots and corrupted have access to Heaven, I say no. The believers (of the right faith, I don't speak of the Infidels, the Schismatics and Heretics) have right, Sir. God. The Masses will not accept this, Sir. God. They will have effect, the masses (Mass effect 1, 2 & 3)...... Sorry.

That's not how it works though.

The way it works is that god makes the rules. And if the pope is god's ambassador on earth, he should not claim the rules changed because some atheists demand it. Why would god change the rules according to the demands of atheists? People behave like there is an almighty god but he has to bend his rules exactly the way we want it, otherwise we refuse to accept him as our lord. In case of atheists it's even funnier because they demand to change the rules of a god they don't believe exists in the first place. Which is why religious people should not listen to them.

God never had the people of the Israelites vote on who should be their king, he decided on a guy and made him king, no mention of democracy.

[Sigurd]

That is where the word Religion comes from: Religio, the link, bond, in Latin, the link between the Creator and the Creature. You protect me, I worship you. It is not a one way contract, Sir. God. So, if even harlots and corrupted have access to Heaven, I say no. The believers (of the right faith, I don't speak of the Infidels, the Schismatics and Heretics) have right, Sir. God. The Masses will not accept this, Sir. God. They will have effect, the masses (Mass effect 1, 2 & 3)...... Sorry.

Nice reflection on the meaning of religion. I would however like to offer a different etymology of the word religion.
Religio - to bind, a binding of mankind to their deity, is less contractual and more the process whereby someone can reforge the broken bond (separation) to deity. For Christianity it is the Gospel of Jesus. Or - the means whereby one can attain salvation.
As the pope rightfully points out, The Christian core teaching is that Christ suffered for all. This is basically the reforging of the broken bond between mankind and God. Then the gospel is about the conditions of Christ accepting who this applies to. Christ holds the ransom of all sins committed but gives conditions for this debt. These conditions are not widly agreed upon, which gives us the variety of denomination. Basically no one knows but Christ and should thus suspend any judgements in this regard lest they be judged themselves. It is a general consensus that not all who says Lord, Lord will receive salvation as their hearts are not where their mouth is.

Confused? Not alone... I don't comprehend the relation between having already suffered for all and still not, as conditions apply. if something is payed for, how can payment still be wanted? Justice demands consequences or payment, yet justice are satisfied through Christ. How can justice still have claim on the perpetrator? Justice here meaning God's justice. Missing pieces in my puzzle...

[HoreTore]

HoreTore is basically saying that he as an atheist is incredibly intolerant of Christians and ACIN is not a catholic as far as I know.

And I agree with him that atheists shouldn't really matter when it comes to religion. Everything atheists demand from religious leaders is aimed at disbanding the religion anyway, so why would religious leaders listen to them? Atheists are part of the world and people who are part of the world are owned by the devil.

"Incredibly intolerant", Husar.....?

[Brenus]

"Why would god change the rules according to the demands of atheists?" Err, atheists demand nothing to the Flying Spaghetti. Or the Big Friend in the Sky. Or the big Crocodile.

[Beskar]

Was that in the article?

Yes. It was mentioned in the article and it a picture taken from the video review of the event. (Which is at the bottom)

[LittleGrizzly]

I think all the Atheists want is the men in the silly hats to preach to preach a inclusive, peaceful and helpful message from their fictional deities so their followers cause as little trouble as possible...

Given our disbelief in God (as Atheists) we do not ask anything of him.