Christians only..Are all Catholics going to Hell?

Those that do not follow the word of God, but rather the word of man WILL go to hell.

Catholics follow the word of Man and go with mans teachings and traditions, rather than Gods word.

1) Christians only..Are all Catholics going to Hell?

All Catholics? No.

Some Catholics? Yes.

2) The bible is very clear that only God can forgive sins

Not from what I've read. Please read more carefully!

3) we should go to Him to confess our sins

I also don't recall reading that in the Bible. Have you actually read the Bible - or are you just making things up for the sake of condemning Catholics?

4) Catholics believe that their priests were given the power to forgive sins

Authority, actually - not power.

5) If they are wrong in their beliefs then when they die they will die with their sins and all perish in hell forever.

The same - of course - is true of you if you are wrong in your beliefs.

- Jim, Fundamentalist Christian, http://www.bible-reviews.com/

Well, since I'm a Catholic Christian, I can answer this question just like Protestant Christians can.

You really need to study your Bible more, otherwise you would know that Jesus never indulged in idle words and the Apostles weren't mind-readers.

Matthew 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Jesus meant exactly what He said when He gave the Apostles and their successors, the priests, the power to transmit God's forgiveness. And since human beings can't read minds, people have to confess their sins aloud.

Oh, and one more thing:

I realize you're so full of arrogance that you don't see how you could possibly be wrong. But if you are, then YOU will die with YOUR sins and possibly go to Hell. (God Alone has the sovereign right to judge His creation. Not you.)

That's a gamble Protestants should never take. . .but it hasn't stopped you yet.

I am a former Roman Catholic. Catholics believe their sins are first forgiven at infant baptism (when they also think they were 'born again') and later in life through the sacrament of Penance. That is when a Catholic confesses to the priest his sins and prays a number of prayers after to get forgiven! The priest decides how many prayers and to whom. Hail Marys and Our Fathers are typical and really big sin means the Catholic might have to pray the rosary or do something else!

Jesus actually taught he had the power to forgive sins by healing a paralyzed man. Since a priest can't do the same, he fails that test as proof that he can forgive sins! See Mark 2:5-12. Hence, a priest can NOT forgive sins, according to the Bible, which is final authority for all teachings and correction (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

My real start with God began when I acted upon the truth found in Luke 18:9-14. I sincerely and humble went directly to God (without the priest) and asked for mercy because of my sins. I repented at the same time and told God I would serve him through this life and all eternity (1 Thess. 1:9). That is when I got born again and became a new creation in Christ. I was instantly set free of my sin addictions. All of this is Biblical and can be your too!

"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19.

"If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." John 20:23

Straight from Jesus' mouth.

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16

Not entirely certain how you can claim to be correct on this topic, when Jesus himself appears to be contradicting you in *very* clear terms. If anything, the bible is 'very clear' that you are wrong.

Also, a tip. You want the word 'Protestants' instead of 'Christians.' As something like 75-80% of Christians practice Confession, including some Protestants (but at least you'll be closer)

Actually the bible says, we must accept Jesus Christ as our only Savior or we are all going to Hell. The 12 apostles were given the power to forgive and to bless. They were also given the power to Heal. This is what Catholic priest do. They follow the Apostles Creed. Thus following Jesus Christ.

Christ instituted the sacraments purposefully. The sacrament called reconciliation or penance is what we call our actions when we go to confession. Going to confession and confessing to a priest is the normative way of reconciling oneself back into God's family when we have committed a mortal sin. It is the biblical way corresponding to Jesus' teaching as recorded by the apostle John in John 20: 22-23. What we learn from John is the authority given to the priests is not only to forgive sins but also to retain sins. Jesus commanded the authority to be used. It is the duty given by Jesus for the priest to measure the contrition of the penitent and act accordingly.

However, one must repent and pray sincerely to God as an act of contrition before one enters the confessional. The priest represents Jesus by acting in persona Christi and for the entire family of God represented by the Church militant who is harmed by the sin of another. No sin is private but all sin affects others. Jesus described this relationship as a vine with Him as the vine and we as the branches (John 15:5). If one member of the branch is sick then all

the branches are affected and suffer as a result. Because of our familial relationship with each other Jesus created a means of confession so that all those affected in His family are represented by the priest as is God. The acts of sin and forgiveness are not private matters. God bless!

In Christ

Fr. Joseph

Jesus has the power to forgive sins. Salvation comes through faith in Jesus through the gift of God's grace.

I know a lot of Catholics who I am sure are going to heaven. I sadly think most of them will not. Those who believe their baptism will save them and then live like the devil have a pretty poor chance of getting there.

Refer to Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18-20,

"18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be[e] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[f] loosed in heaven.

19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Many liturgical Christian services (of various denominations) have some part in the service where the priest/pastor will declare, "by the power vested in me, your sins are forgiven" - meaning, because God HAS ALREADY FORGIVEN all repentant sinners, he is merely declaring the facts, as he is given authority to do by the above verses.

No Church or human construct is perfect and without sin, and God knows this. We can only follow the Gospel as he has given it to us, but public and private religious exercises and services can be helpful in strengthening our faith and community as the Body of Christ.

Hope that helps.

<<Christians only..Are all Catholics going to Hell?>>

For merely being Catholic? NO! Catholics ARE Christians.

<<The bible is <snip> them for forgiveness.>>

The Bible is VERY CLEAR that:

Jesus Christ Granted the Apostles His Authority to Forgive Sins

The Necessity and Practice of Orally Confessing Sins

http://www.scripturecatholic.com/confession.html

<<If they are <snip> one should take.>>

No.

Luke 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

Luke 6:41 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

You showed ignorance about the Catholic priests of Jesus. Confessions is required by the bible:

St. Paul 11: “every tongue confess: Jesus is Lord” (Phil 2:11), Tend My Sheep (Jn 21,16), “Priests of the Lord, Ministers of God” (Is 61:6), “I am a fellow servant” (Rev 22:9)