Ramesh – Yes, in the few minutes I was away from my computer my email box filled with similar corrections.
A few of the several dozen still pouring in:
Jonah,
With all due respect to your reader, I don’t believe that is the official
Catholic Church teaching. I’m a pretty conservative, Mass-on-Sunday,
fairly regular Confessions, Rosary-praying Catholic. I never have
understood that all Muslims go to hell. At its most conservative, the
Catholic teaching might be that all good Muslims go to Limbo, but Limbo is
falling into disrepute these days. I was always taught that a lot of Jews,
Muslims, Protestants and atheists would make it into Heaven in front of
some Catholics. Not that conversion isn’t important for one’s immoral
soul, but that’s not the sole criterion for dividing up the flock.
Now I personally also believe in doggy and pussycat heaven, but that is,
I’ll admit, outside official Catholic Church teaching.
And:
Jonah:
I am not a Catholic, but I know that your reader’s harsh evaluation of Catholic doctrine as damning all those outside of the church in this life to hell is not true. The modern Catholic position is much more subtle and inclusive. See, e.g., http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0403sbs.asp
BTW: Thanks for reproducing my e-mail about David Corn. I got a big kick out of seeing it on National Review Online.
And:
Official Catholic teaching is not Muslims go to hell.
From the Catechism:
841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims.
“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.”
The basic teaching is that the it is not the Church’s job to condemn
anyone to Hell.
And:
Jonah:
(In my best Hurley from Lost) Uh, dude? That’s, like, not true about Muslims and stuff being hellbound.
According to the Church, through Vatican II (it’s paragraph 5):
5. The non-Christian may not be blamed for his ignorance of Christ and his Church; salvation is open to him also, if he seeks God sincerely and if he follows the commands of his conscience, for through this means the Holy Ghost acts upon all men; this divine action is not confined within the limited boundaries of the visible Church.” 6
One might also want to check up on baptism by desire.