Roamin' Catholic Loc: luxurious exile

America's founding fathers were Christians, deists, agnostics, maybe some jews I don't know. But I do know that the U.S.Constitution forbids the establishment of a national religion.

America was not founded as a Christian nation. However, the basic tenets of the Constitution and Declaration of Independence align well with the Teachings of Christ.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness!

Love your neighbor as you love yourself!

Do Unto Others as you would have them Do Unto You!

💒🇺🇸👭👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨🧑‍🤝‍🧑

sabath

Mankind does not have a soul,he or she is a soul! God said,there is no benefit praying for the dead,they know not anything.

sabath

Hell is just another name for "the grave" and there you will be until Jesus comes back, then we will all be resurrected.

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

I never said that. Remember the account of Lazarus and the rich man where when Lazarus died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom and the rich man also died and was tormented in Hades? There was a great gulf fixed, so that those who wanted to pass from Hades to Abraham's bosom could not, nor could those in Abraham's bosom pass to Hades.

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men." (Now this, "He ascended"--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4:4-10

I believe that the phrase led captivity captive refers to those who had died before and who awaited Jesus’ sacrifice in Abraham's bosom for the forgiveness of their sin to have access to heaven. If that’s the meaning, then, after Jesus descended to the grave (Abraham's bosom), Jesus would have led those righteous who had been in captivity to death in Abraham's bosom into the promised freedom of life with God.

And I also believe that that area of Abraham's bosom is now empty and will always be because since Christ's death all believers who die in Christ Jesus who are absent from the body are present with the Lord.

Roamin' Catholic Loc: luxurious exile

Thank you Parky for the explanation. The Catholic understanding is pretty much as you describe, there being a difference between the eternal damnation of Hades versus the grave, the 'bosom of Abraham '.

The one thing that's different is that you believe that the 'bosom of Abraham' is empty now because we live and die in the latter days, the days of Redemption brought about by Christ's Death and Resurrection. Every one should choose to follow Christ or else suffer the consequences. But one thing I and the Holy Orders of which I wrote are concerned with are the latter day folks that do not know Christ, through no fault of their own, not to mention the billion or so pre-born souls that are victims of abortion or miscarriage.

Maybe we pray in vain, but if there is any chance that we may successully intercede for these unfortunate souls then we are more at peace. And I want to be clear that it is not by our own merit but rather by the Divine Mercy of Christ that we may gain entry into our Heavenly home.

Roamin' Catholic Loc: luxurious exile

And Happy Easter to all!

Christ the Lord is Risen!

Canuckus Deploracus Loc: North of the wall

Prayer is never in vain🙏

Parky60 Loc: People's Republic of Illinois

Prayer for dead people is...

And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment. Hebrews 9:27

Blade_Runner Loc: DARK SIDE OF THE MOON

There are only three monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - the rest are polytheistic.
Hinduism has over 300 million deities, Buddhism has no god at all.
Religion is man seeking God, Christianity is God seeking man,
IOW, God delivered His message to us in person.

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and God was the Word . . . . . .
and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.
John Chapter 1