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 2 of 33)
16. All religions are man made and pure fiction. Religions were created to control the massess and to alievate the fear of death. If there were truly only one god, then there would be only one true way to worship him. Yet, not one religious group can agree on that "true" way. Religions promote, racism, sexism, violence and hatred. It separates us from our humanity. It stops us from seeing ourselves as one human race. God doesn't need religion man does. Religious beliefs are nothing but pure fantasy based on myths. Science has explained more than religion ever could.
rugbymom at 10:31AM on Apr 21st 2007
17. After reading all the other comments,I had to point out the fact that the Bible NEVER mentions infant baptism EVER! Infant baptism itself is a man made belief, just like Limbo was. Do you people ever put two and two together? The Catholics proclaim to "follow Christ", yet they fail to remember that Jesus was an ADULT when baptised by his own cousin John? It amazes me how this important fact is never discussed nor is it accepted by the Catholic church?
By golly, if I observe a baptism for the remission of my sins, I want to remember the experience! Well, at least one comment reminded us that the word Limbo is never seen in the Bible; maybe next the Catholic church will realize that neither is Infant Baptism.....hum...probably not.
Brenda Zavison at 9:09AM on Apr 21st 2007
18. 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
19. 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
20. ONE Christian church existed when the Bible was written. The CATHOLIC Church.
Julie at 9:44AM on Apr 21st 2007
21. I wish the Catholic Church/Vatican would finally encourage its members to read the Bible on their own. No where does it say for babies to be baptized in the Bible. This is something the Church came up with. For those who are willing, check it out for yourself. Baptism is a choice that YOU make when you choose to accept the Christ as your Savior. It is a public display of your faith and symbolizes the washing of your sins. TRY READING YOUR BIBLE ONCE! Lots of references but try Mark 16:16.
Terry at 9:47AM on Apr 21st 2007
22. Brenda,
Catholics renew their Baptismal vows every Easter.
And also baptize adults as well as infants and children. Establishing a personal relationship with Christ is a life-long committment for Catholics, not a one-time declaration.
Julie at 9:19AM on Apr 21st 2007
23. How ,still the Catholic churh do not accept the Great Job of Christ God. Children are't born with the sin of nature those who are born after our God Christ Jesus. Ofcourse at this time the Church of Rome is looking what was happening during the early stage of the Churchbetween uor Fathers. I hope she will see so many thing in the future.I Thankyou Christ the Incarnated God!
Tewahido at 7:29PM on Apr 23rd 2007
24.
Alright David, believe whatever you want to believe. The subject was the invention of purgatory so I thought the invention of hell post-Christ (unless the absence of god itself is considered hell) would be a prudent subject to bring up.
Peter at 9:26AM on Apr 21st 2007
25. As a Spiritualist, I believe everyone goes to heaven in their journey toward the Godhead. Christians believe Christ died for our sins, so how can anyone be born with original sin on his soul? Christ died to have that wiped out. It's impossible to preach BOTH concepts. Either a forgiving God sacrificed his Son to save us from sin or He has plastered us with the sins of Adam and Eve. I greatly prefer knowing God loves and forgives us ALL our sins and didn't saddle us with leftovers from the Garden of Eden.
jayn at 9:25AM on Apr 21st 2007
26. It is ridiculous to assume that any of us know anything about the afterlife. Everyone says their religion is the correct one, their Bible is the right translation, their God is the only God. We fight and dissent with each other because one seems to feel he's got a better association with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe - what nonsense! Take a look in the sky one dark night and honestly tell yourself someone has figured it all out and their path to this Ultimate Being is the only correct one. Jesus said the greatest height we can rise to is to have love in our hearts. St. Thomas Aquinas said the conscience is never wrong. Most of humanity immediately knows right from wrong in almost every situation, before we grey up the issue by rationalizing, and we have the capacity to share the love that we each possess. Is their any other way towards spirituality? Jesus said doubting Thomas was forgiven, so questioning things was acceptable to him. To think that the Master of All needs puny man to fight battles for him to spread "true religion" is perhaps man's greatest conceit, and as the Bible says, "all is Vanity".
Dave Marcinkus at 9:26AM on Apr 21st 2007
27. It is truly difficult for parents to pass on centuries of knowledge about the only documented history of mankind when there are so many contradictions and fanatical expositions about the topic. Innocence IS the light shown in a new born baby's eyes. How a child acknowledges good or evil depends solely on what they are exposed to. As parents we are responsible to pass on our parents story, what we ALL will soon enough know to be some version of the truth. Baptism represents an individual's public declaration to Christianity no less than this blog. What gives man or the Catholic Church the right to re-write laws that have already been written. Who goes where when they are deceased is not our decision. This is not about pagan rituals or scholars interpretations. It's about a man who gave his life to show us not only how ugly human beings are but how we can save ourselves from self destruction. If for no other reason we should respect him more than ANY great achievers in history for that. Instead after two thousand plus years we STILL don't get it.
Britt Garrison at 5:49AM on Aug 4th 2007
28. It is all a crock of shit. Made up over the years.
Bill at 9:34AM on Apr 21st 2007
29. Actually, Dave, what Jesus said was 1.) To love GOD with all your heart, all your might, all your mind and all your soul. 2.) To love your neighbor as yourself. In all cases, GOD comes first. As for some of the other comments about the Bible, read the true history of it. 66 DIFFERENT books put into one seamless story. Wow! All being translated from the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek - not the poetic version that King James ordered written in the prose he preferred listening to. For all who think that the King James is the ONLY real Bible, try looking at a direct translation such as the Interlinear Bible sometime. Blessings to all!
Terry at 9:34AM on Apr 21st 2007
30. What a load of crap.
TerBear at 9:39AM on Apr 21st 2007