Ask a Catholic

[Teuthida]

Oh! The whole confession thing! It rubs me the wrong way that you could do horrible things, tell a priest, say a couple prayers a bunch of times, and be forgiven like nothing ever happened.

Feels like without that clause you'd be less likely to do bad things if you had to live with your bad choices.

Not really a question I guess. Just what are your thoughts on that?

[jeepnut]

Originally Posted by Teuthida

Oh! The whole confession thing! It rubs me the wrong way that you could do horrible things, tell a priest, say a couple prayers a bunch of times, and be forgiven like nothing ever happened.

Feels like without that clause you'd be less likely to do bad things if you had to live with your bad choices.

Not really a question I guess. Just what are your thoughts on that?

Well, that is the way it works, sorta. True, you can do horrible things and God will forgive. There is no sin too great for the redeeming power of Christ.

BUT...you have to mean it. You have to be truly sorry for what you did AND you have to desire never to do it again. If you do something with the belief that you will just apologize later, then you're not truly sorry. God knows our hearts and what we truly feel.

I'll answer your other question at a later time. This one was a little easier so I answered it first.

Also, are these answers worthwhile? Do they make sense/clear up anything? If not, let me know. What makes sense to me is probably different than what makes sense to you since I've grown up with this my whole life. Feel free to ask follow-up questions.

[Combine 017]

Originally Posted by jeepnut

Well, that is the way it works, sorta. True, you can do horrible things and God will forgive. There is no sin too great for the redeeming power of Christ.

BUT...you have to mean it. You have to be truly sorry for what you did AND you have to desire never to do it again. If you do something with the belief that you will just apologize later, then you're not truly sorry. God knows our hearts and what we truly feel.

So kinda like that guy who cut off another guys head while riding a bus then cut off the heads ears and ate them, but said it was the voice of god that told him to do it and repented or whatever. So that fucking insane guy gets to go to heaven?

[jeepnut]

Originally Posted by Combine 017

So kinda like that guy who cut off another guys head while riding a bus then cut off the heads ears and ate them, but said it was the voice of god that told him to do it and repented or whatever. So that fucking insane guy gets to go to heaven?

If that individual realizes his sin, is truly sorry (fully regrets the act and wishes he hadn't done it), and intends never to do it again, then God will forgive. Does this mean he will end up in heaven? We don't know. The only ones we claim to know the destination of are the saints. That's why we proclaim them saints because we know they are in heaven.

Notice I did not say that God forgets. Even if we are forgiven, God cannot coexist with sin. We must be cleansed in purgatory before entering heaven. If this man was forgiven for his sins, he would likely have to spend a significant amount of time in purgatory.

Also, it would seem to me based on your description of the act that this individual likely had mental issues. I'm unsure of how that would factor, but I assume it would have some effect on the outcome.

Also keep in mind that someone claiming to hear God is not sufficient evidence that God is speaking to them.

Basically, it is as I said before. When it comes to the afterlife, only God knows our hearts. It is His decision to make. No one is barred from heaven if they take the necessary steps to get there. Keep in mind, those steps are not easy. Jesus mentions over and over in the Bible that getting to heaven is hard and that few will accomplish it, but as is the case with all of us, you can sin and be forgiven and make it to heaven.

[Combine 017]

Originally Posted by jeepnut

Notice I did not say that God forgets. Even if we are forgiven, God cannot coexist with sin. We must be cleansed in purgatory before entering heaven. If this man was forgiven for his sins, he would likely have to spend a significant amount of time in purgatory.

Didnt know about that. And what exactly is purgatory. I hear it used around on tv but dont actually know what it is. Some sort of "my soul is in limbo" kind of place?

[jeepnut]

Originally Posted by Combine 017

Didnt know about that. And what exactly is purgatory. I hear it used around on tv but dont actually know what it is. Some sort of "my soul is in limbo" kind of place?

Purgatory is where the soul is cleansed of sin and the attachment to sin before entering heaven. I haven't been able to clearly determine whether it is still possible to enter hell from Purgatory, therefore, limbo may not be the correct term. The info I've read so far seems to indicate that those wh reach purgatory will eventually reach heaven.

Purgatory itself is a cleansing process. The bible teaches us that nothing unclean can enter heaven. Since we would be lying to ourselves if we said that at the time of death we are free of sin and then attachment to sin, then there must be a cleansing process so that our imperfect souls are able to enter the perfection of heaven. By all accounts, the suffering in purgatory is almost as great if not as great as the suffering in hell. The one difference however, is that the suffering in purgatory is redemptive. We know there is no redemption in hell.

[Teuthida]

Originally Posted by jeepnut

Also, are these answers worthwhile? Do they make sense/clear up anything? If not, let me know. What makes sense to me is probably different than what makes sense to you since I've grown up with this my whole life. Feel free to ask follow-up questions.

What about workarounds to rules? Like I assume you stand by no sex before marriage, and that goes with the no condom thing, but then there are folks who engage in anal before marriage because it "doesn't count."

Contraception as a safety method just makes far more sense than half doing part of some rule few will follow.

Reminded of another related video... NSFW

[jeepnut]

Originally Posted by Teuthida

What about workarounds to rules? Like I assume you stand by no sex before marriage, and that goes with the no condom thing, but then there are folks who engage in anal before marriage because it "doesn't count."

Contraception as a safety method just makes far more sense than half doing part of some rule few will follow.

Reminded of another related video... NSFW

Sorry, it's taken me so long to respond.

Anyway, that video is pretty funny! However, there really are no workarounds to the rules. Anal sex would be considered a perversion of sex and would not be allowed in any circumstance, married or not. This once again goes back to my earlier posts where I mention that sex is incomplete without its procreative aspects. Sexual activities that are not open to children are sinful. Why? Because to do otherwise essentially treats the other person as a sex toy for your own sexual gratification rather than as the unique and unrepeatable likeness of God.

God created sex for unitive and procreative reasons. Sexual activity that ignores the procreative aspects is sinful. Likewise, sexual activity that is purely procreative in intent and ignores the unitive aspects is also sinful.

Sex is intended between a married man and woman through penal-vaginal intercourse.

[jeepnut]

Originally Posted by Teuthida

Oh! The whole confession thing! It rubs me the wrong way that you could do horrible things, tell a priest, say a couple prayers a bunch of times, and be forgiven like nothing ever happened.

Feels like without that clause you'd be less likely to do bad things if you had to live with your bad choices.

Not really a question I guess. Just what are your thoughts on that?

Take a look at my responses to Combine's questions on forgiveness. I think those should answer your questions.

Forgiveness is a central theme of Christianity. All Christian denominations teach that God forgives. He must, otherwise no human (aside from Mary and Jesus) would make it to heaven because we all sin. Catholics are unique in that we teach the act of confession with a priest, but it is still the same teaching that God will forgive.

As I mentioned in my response to Combine though, God does not forget. Being forgiven is not the same as the act having never happened. The stain of sin still exists, but God forgives the act.

P.S. I'll get to the rest of your questions later this week.