On September 11, the Christian Pope wrote to the La Repubblica, an Italian newspaper, answering editorials written in July and August by Eugenio Scalfari. Scalfari is an agnostic and the newspaper’s founder, who had written, “Does the Christian God forgive those who do not believe and do not seek faith?”
The Pope responded saying that God “forgives those who follow their conscience,” and “the question for those who do not believe in God is to follow their conscience. Sin, even for a non-believer, is when one goes against one’s conscience.” He continued: "To listen and to follow your conscience means that you understand the difference between good and evil." Pope Francis said that the "mercy of God has no limits" and encompassed even non-believers and that even atheists could be welcomed into heaven.
Scalfari didn’t expect the Pope to respond "so extensively and so affectionately, with such fraternal spirit". The Italian Union of Atheists and Agnostics was not moved and responded: "Why should a non-believer seek legitimization from the Pope? What interests non-believers is certainly not 'forgiveness' from an entity whose existence we do not trust."
Archbishop Pietro Parolin, who will become secretary of state, said that the concept of celibacy among clergy was "ecclesiastical tradition" and therefore open to discussion. The Pope has notably reached out to homosexuals. "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?" the Pope said
Full story here ---> http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/the-pope/10302850/Pope-Francis-reaches-out-to-atheists-and-agnostics.html
Link to the letter written by the Pope (translated to English): http://www.repubblica.it/cultura/2013/09/11/news/the_pope_s_letter-66336961/
Replies
Rebecca, be sure to pose a question to the audience and also include your personal thoughts in you summary.
I think it's absolutely fantastic that the pope, the head of the catholic church, is reaching out in such a way. Preaching hate isn't good at all. Discriminating against someone because their beliefs differ from yours is no way to to be accepting or good in nature.
i think that people are free to believe in what they want and that the pope went out of his way. it probably went in one ear and out the other i believe in the catholic religon but others? let them be
I think it is awesome that the Pope is reaching out to non-believers. He is really changing the typical "Christian" by telling people who don't believe in heaven and people who are homosexual that they can still find what they are looking for in the end. Even though I am not a Catholic, I think what the Pope is doing is really great.
I think its great that Pope Francis is reaching out to atheists. He is basically telling them God's word and letting them know that they could go to heaven too. I realize that some won't listen, but at least Pope Francis is being kind and reaching out to them. I think that was a good thing for the pope to do. It makes the Catholics look good, and even though I'm Lutheran, I agree with this.
He is doing really great things in the world, and though it causes some friction in the Vatican officials, he is making his own legend.
I'm Catholic and am glad that the pope is reaching out to non-believers and telling them that they can still go to heaven. Pope Francis has done a lot of good things after becoming pope.
He's also reached out to gays and is working on changing the celibacy tradition for church officials.
I agree with the pope. God forgives everyone. Even if they do wrong. I'm glad that for once the religion is supporting people that go against what they believe in.
Yes, I'm a pragmatic agnostic (as I said a couple times above, sorry), which means I don't know one way or the other, or care, if there is a deity or God. I like that other religions are willing to respect mine and even open up there's to me and my religion.
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