Does the Catholic hierarchy claim that only those indoctrinated into catholicism...

[Whackem'n'Stackem']

Very true. And I believe Whackem quoted the wrong post there. Getslow's explanation was right on; although I will disagree with him on our seminaries being "in shambles." But that's a topic for another day.

Yes I thought Get SLows post was very good. Explained alot.

[5wide]

I wasn't aware that I did that; it wasn't my intention.

 

I think he was referring to another post and poster. I didn't get any anti-catholic vibe from the initial post.

[5wide]

Yes I thought Get SLows post was very good. Explained alot.

 

IMO, Getslow is a very good source of help if you have any questions about the Catholic Church.

[BlueFan]

The simple answer has been stated a couple times above: the Catholic Church does not teach that those not of the Catholic faith are automatically condemned to hell. It does, however, teach that those not following the teachings of the Church do so at their own peril. Official church teaching is that all believers are bound to participation in the sacraments and to belief in the teachings of the Church. At the same time, while God has bound His church to such, God Himself is in no way bound, leaving open any such possibilities for salvation as God's mercy allows.

 

*Note: I don't typically say a bad word about the Church in a public forum but this is one time you'll see me do so... The modern Catholic Church doesn't know what it teaches half the time. Our seminaries are in shambles and the teaching of the Catechism is almost non-existent at most Catholic schools. I've spent a long time studying in an attempt to overcome the poor religious instruction I received throughout my life. Anyone who wants a real answer ought to consult the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the various papal encyclicals on the subject, some of which are not easy to reconcile (eg: the propositions addressed in Quanta Cura and Gaudium et Spes).

 

Great Answer:p I think the church will readily admit it is not perfect........always looking to improve, however change does seem to take time....sometimes a loooooonnnnng time.

[Bert]

although I will disagree with him on our seminaries being "in shambles." But that's a topic for another day.

 

They are certainly better than they were 35 or so years ago when many seminaries were teaching blatant heresy to Seminarians. Fortunately the wonderful Pope John Paul II cleaned up or shut down the worst ones. While I am too young to remember it, my research on that era shows it was ugly back then. So many seminarian professors took such drastic liberties with Vatican II that they twisted it into something that it really was never meant to be. Liberation Theology which was widely tought by Jesuits in Latin America was one example. Fortunately John Paul II and our current pope have spoke out on numerous occasions to stamp out Liberation Theology.

 

I will agree with Getslow that many seminaries could still use some more work to get better.

[Hatz]

They are certainly better than they were 35 or so years ago when many seminaries were teaching blatant heresy to Seminarians. Fortunately the wonderful Pope John Paul II cleaned up or shut down the worst ones. While I am too young to remember it, my research on that era shows it was ugly back then. So many seminarian professors took such drastic liberties with Vatican II that they twisted it into something that it really was never meant to be. Liberation Theology which was widely tought by Jesuits in Latin America was one example. Fortunately John Paul II and our current pope have spoke out on numerous occasions to stamp out Liberation Theology.

 

I will agree with Getslow that many seminaries could still use some more work to get better.

 

Not all Liberation Theology is extreme or Marxist. Check out Jurgen Moltmann sometime. I would also say that had he not been assassinated, there's little doubt that Oscar Romero's journey would have taken him even more toward's the Liberation movement of which you speak.