Do stillborn babies go to hell?

gadzooks · #1 2007-12-05, 01:30

Or if that isn't sufficient, then what about babies who die from complications during pregnancy?

Because they're born with original sin and all...

Plus they also die before being baptized...

truckfixr · #2 2007-12-05, 02:39

Pretty much any modern day Christian will tell you that children who die that have not reached the age of accountability will go to heaven. The problem is that nowhere in the bible does it say such a thing.

If all are born with original sin, all who do not accept Jesus will be toast.

socratic · #3 2007-12-05, 03:34

There's nothing like bureaucracy and loopholes in a religion to make you lose your faith in it.

SAS25 · #4 2007-12-05, 04:20

I don't know let me call down to satan and see. Come on! What the fuck kind of question is this? Hell is a fake, excuse me hypothetical place that you can't supposedly go to without dieing, so how would I know who the hell could hypothetically be in this hypothetical place. I have an answer for you. It is just as valid as the basis of your question, when we die we ALL go to disney land so if they aren't here, they are there.

Bukujutsu · #5 2007-12-05, 05:16

Come on dude, you know they don't. Do you really want to hear people explain why the bible is stupid and not an authoritative source? Seriously, does the bible even say there's a hell?

freeRadical · #6 2007-12-05, 05:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bukujutsu

Come on dude, you know they don't. Do you really want to hear people explain why the bible is stupid and not an authoritative source? Seriously, does the bible even say there's a hell?

No, it doesn't. But, back on topic. That is where the biggest loophole in Christianity comes in. According to Christians, all are born with original sin and unless we repent and accept Jesus is the one true son of God, we are going to hell. Except of course unless you haven't reached the age of "accountability", whatever that means. It's not in the Bible anywhere. The just know that if they say newborn children that die during child birth go to hell, no one would accept their religion because their god sends babies to hell (which doesn't exist).

freeRadical

Merlinman2005 · #7 2007-12-05, 06:30

*Cough* there is no hell *Cough*

But the babies might go into the afterlife, still young, until they come to realize they that they need to choose their next move... much like how they learn motor functions and hand-eye cood.

naive_wisdom · #8 2007-12-05, 09:59

No, Limbo was abolished by the Church this year

Their argument was:

Our conclusion is that the many factors that we have considered above give serious theological and liturgical grounds for hope that un-baptised infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision. We emphasise that these are reasons for prayerful hope, rather than grounds for sure knowledge. There is much that simply has not been revealed to us. We live by faith and hope in the God of mercy and love who has been revealed to us in Christ, and the Spirit moves us to pray in constant thankfulness and joy.

What has been revealed to us is that the ordinary way of salvation is by the sacrament of baptism. None of the above considerations should be taken as qualifying the necessity of baptism or justifying delay in administering the sacrament. Rather, as we want to reaffirm in conclusion, they provide strong grounds for hope that God will save infants when we have not been able to do for them what we would have wished to do, namely, to baptise them into the faith and life of the Church. [1]

So, basically, Jesus loves little kids, and wouldn't want them to burn eternally.

On a side note, it's amazing that the Church can abolish a doctrine which has stood for hundreds of years. Kinda makes you question the rest hey...

[1] - http://www.catholicculture.org/libra...fm?recnum=7529

Cytosine · #9 2007-12-05, 16:40

I love the shit that theists make up to try and justify their belief in a book.

ArmsMerchant · #10 2007-12-05, 19:11

First, hell does not exist.

Second--to address the question--their souls either reincarnate or merge with Spirit, same as the rest of us.

For some creepy laughs, read "Sinners in the hands of an angry God," a famous Puritan sermon which exemplifies the Christian theology of fear and denial. Amazing to think some people once took it seriously.