Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Where Do Babies Go?

Since my sister-in-law called to announce that my 2yr old (barely) nephew had accepted Jesus as his personal savior, and the Pope says (the) Limbo is a bad idea, I was wondering where do you gals and guys think babies go? At what point do you think they start going? Just for kicks you could also mention your thoughts on baptism vs. dedication (or whatever your church does).

I choose to think God's grace is big enough for babies. A good arguement might convience me they cease to exist. If there is a baby hell I am sure it is a lake of poopie diapers, and not fire.

3 comments:

chip said...

"Where do babies go?" Um, in their diapers, if you're lucky.

Frankly, I'm stunned by the Pope's announcement. Nothing in the writings of Cardinal Ratzinger would lead one to expect this from Pope Benedict XVI (ca.).

The bigger question is this: what does this pronouncement mean for the ecumenical movement and/or greater church unity?

Though I believe in "original sin," I think it is a sociological phenomenon (i.e., embedded in human societies) rather than transmitted through sex. I got this idea from Aquinas, I think, who "bends" the teaching of Augustine to better fit scripture (he thinks). Apparently Benedict thinks so, too. Additionally, he stated that this means there is "hope" that unbaptized babies will go to heaven. However, it is not certain. This admission of UNcertainty is in itself significant, it seems to me. Does this mean that the Pope recognizes that in some sense we are all stumbling around in the dark?

Anonymous said...

Not sure about the pope but Aquinas got his idea about original sin from Pelagius who said sin was to be found in the following of Adam not in his DNA...jeez what I must wonder then is this, with the Pope's newfound hope for non-baptized infants eternal destinies will Catholic's now hold off on baptizing their children to a later date ~ going past the once taboo 45 day mark. hmmm.I wonder

Pete said...

like the eastern church, i believe that the original sin was Adam's and that the fact I will sin is there inevitable. Babies are sinless. When I was five I "accepted" Jesus. Was I saved? sure. why not. was I born again? No. the born again experience cannot be forced. There is no one way it looks or seems. It does not have to be sudden.

This current pope sucks