Most people reading the headline, "Pope Gets Rid of Limbo" are probably thinking, "What a killjoy! We really liked that game." They have in mind, of course, the game invented in Trinidad in which people shimmy their way to an ever-lowering pole and then try and propel their bodies, facing up and legs first, under the bar. It's a lot of fun to watch, especially when there are girls doing it, and alcohol is involved.
This type of limbo has not been outlawed by Pope Benedict, although I am sure he is ambivalent about it. Rather, the Pope has approved a theological commission's recommendation that the Catholic Church get rid of it's longstanding concept of limbo--a place, mentioned nowhere in the Bible, where babies go if they die before being baptized. Limbo has never been a formal doctrine of the Catholic Church, but it was considered sufficiently standard to be included in pre-communion lessons in Catholic schools around the world.
I was scornful of the idea when I first learned it in Catholic cathechism. But over the years I saw that it makes a kind of sense. The Christian idea is that we humans are born with original sin, what Immanuel Kant called the "crooked timber of humanity." This warped disposition is part of our nature, and therefore Catholics held that even newborns have it, and how can anyone who has an unrepented sinful nature go to heaven? Hell seemed like too harsh an alternative for little ones who had done nothing wrong, and so the Catholic Church invented limbo.
Think of limbo as a place which has no suffering, or if there is suffering, it is very mild. One of my Dartmouth professors explained it as a place where one-year-olds were gently pelted with marshmallows which they were nevertheless permitted to eat.
But today we live in a strange era in which infants are killed even before they are officially born. Thanks to Roe v. Wade and other abortion laws, being born is itself getting to be quite an achievement! And certainly it seems cruel and unreasonable to consign an unborn child, whose life has been snuffed out even before it began, to anything less than heaven. Even marshmallow pelting seems unfair under these circumstances.
And so from now on Catholicism will teach that unbaptized infants--born and unborn--go straight to heaven. I like this idea better, although I'm going to have to throw out my old cathechism book.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 33)
1.
I hate to say it, but by all historical accounts the Catholic church invented hell very late into Christianities lifespan, just like they invented limbo shortly after to cater to those who were not content with the fact that their stillborn babies might go to hell.
Peter at 11:45PM on Apr 20th 2007
2. Distorts D'Newsa is Catholic? Well, I guess hateful, dishonest people can be found in every church.
alwsdad at 12:35AM on Apr 21st 2007
3. Wait, I thought God said non-Christian up-baptized babies go to Limbo? How can you subvert his will? Easy, because there is no God and Christianity is a religion that stole all its traditions from the pagan religions that preceded it.
Sadaqat at 12:47AM on Apr 21st 2007
4. wow, religion is ridiculous. also, you misspelled "it's." typical Hoover.
le_sacre at 4:34AM on Apr 21st 2007
5. What has happened to the unbaptized infants of Christian parents who have died so far? Are they in hell, which the Pope says is a place where sinners really do burn in an everlasting fire, and not just a religious symbol?
A similar question arises in case of Galileo. He was excommunicated prior to his death. So, he must have gone straight to hell. However, in the early 80s, some 400 years after his death, his excommunication was lifted. Presumably he then had a chance to apply to go to heaven. Whether he is in heaven now or not is uncertain, what what is certain is that for nearly 400 years he did burn in an everlasting fire.
Namaste.
Ashok Chowgule, Goa, India
Ashok Chowgule at 6:11AM on Apr 21st 2007
6. THE CATHOLIC CHURCH CREATED MANY OF THE MYTHS WE READ ABOUT TODAY. MANY OF THEM ARE DERIVED FROM ANCIENT RELIGIONS. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, READ ABOUT THOSE WHO WERE MARTYRED LEADING UP TO THE FORMATION OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THEIR SACRAFICE AND THE SACRAFICE OF MANY WHO CAME AFTER ARE THE TRUE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. THEY ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH
FRANK PETRICK at 7:31AM on Apr 21st 2007
7. When the Catholic Church finally looks to God's Word rather than man's word, many of these so called "teachings" will change. Start by reading the Book of Acts and relying on God's promises, which never change, instead of man's word, which can change frequently as proven by this pope.
Tim at 7:31AM on Apr 21st 2007
8. for those criticizing the catholic church yet profess to follow the word of god, remember where the bible came from..THE CATHOLIC CHURCH!! the church may be controversial but yet has had apostolic, unwavering teaching for 2,000 yrs, not like thousands of splintered Christian denominations today, remember the Pope today is the 265th successor to St Peter, a line of succession where they all knew each other! also, "man made" rules came from the apostles who follwed jesus' teaching, read some books before you criticize.
joe at 8:03AM on Apr 21st 2007
9. I am astonished that the discussion of these ancient myths still merits news coverage. In the 21st century, we are still debating matters which were reasonable in the fourth century and should have been laughable since the Renaissance. I just have to wonder how the historians of twenty centuries from now--if we are still around--will view our obsession with our "Imaginary Friend".
Greg at 8:11AM on Apr 21st 2007
10. Gregg,I'm glad that you had enough sense to capitalize your "Imaginary Friend". When you find out that he is not imaginary but true it may be too late and you will find that that there is a Hell and it is not imaginary either. It is not to late to find the light and the life. Have you read the Bible? If you have not, please do before you start calling names or making judgements. Start with the Book of John. May God have mercy on your soul.
And to some of you others, God's word does not change, only man's interpation of it changes.
Bob at 8:39AM on Apr 21st 2007
11. There is no confusion on this teaching. There has been a long standing teaching called 'baptism of desire' which states that if given the opportunity to be baptized the person would choose so. An example would King David who the Catholic Church regards as a recognised saint. Through the baptism of desire these children are redeemed. The catholic teachings are revealed not made up. The authority of the church is as protectors of the truth, as it is revealed through the apostolic authority given by Jesus himself ( receive the Holy Spirit the sin you retain are retained the sins you forgive are forgiven.) and also to Peter ( Simon you are rock and upon this rock I will build MY church. What you let loose on earth is let loose in heaven and what you bind on earth is bound in heaven-notice Jesus did not say Peter go build me a church -He said I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH) As far as your teacher with pelting with marshmallows -he is an idiot- get a refund.
David at 8:41AM on Apr 21st 2007
12. The premise of "original sin" ignores the billions of years of "original blessing." Isn't it time to stop making up stuff so that we can pretend to be God?
Bob at 8:43AM on Apr 21st 2007
13. Limbo? The only people in limbo are the ones that believe there is a limbo. Heaven or Hell, that's it! The fact is that if people would just open a King James Bible, the only true word of god, not some rewritten word of man, there wouldn't be a need for this discusion. The word of god is steady, never changing. The only way to get into heaven is by salvation! Baptisim does not save you nor get you into heaven.
misty at 8:57AM on Apr 21st 2007
14. This just proves to me that all gods are fictious. Sin is so relative as to be useless, and the church is simply an outdated form of social control. When debate actually centers around unbaptized infants going to heaven, well, it just sounds rediculous.
Jim at 8:59AM on Apr 21st 2007
15. Sorry to burst your bubbles, Frank, Misty, but the Catholic Church was established right after Christ's resurrection.
The Bible came from the Catholic Church.
By the time Ignatius of Antioch called it "Catholic" in 110 AD, it had bishops, priests, etc. Frank's "True Christians" are fiction, unproveable in any way, because there is no evidence whatsoever in any documents of what he says.
Misty, where do you think the King James version CAME from? Did the original Bible fall out of the sky?
And your doctrine is faulty.
- Nowhere in the bible does it say that the bible is the sole source of authority
- In fact, Paul tells us
"So then, brethren,stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us." 2 thes 2:15
- Indeed, there was no Bible until about 400 A.D. The bible was put together by two councils of the Church at that time. Interestingly a study of the church at the time of the councils shows devotion to Mary and a focus on the real presence of the Eucharist. So the folks who assembled the inerrant Bible appear to be very Catholic!
- If there was no bible before 400 A.D, how could the people know the Word of God? the answer is that they had to make sure that the word they received had been passed down from the apostles.
- On a related note, there were very few bibles available till the invention of the printing press ~ 1400 a.d. What about those folks with no access to the Bible.
- What would a protestant say if you asked him "what is the pillar of truth?" Most would say the Bible. Paul says thas the pilllar of truth is "the church of the living God." (1 timothy 3:15) but which church?
Julie at 9:04AM on Apr 21st 2007