Requiscas in Pace, Papa
Iohannes-Paulus II has departed.
I am amazed at the wide range of reaction - apart from the majority "middle-road" report that we're hearing from most media personae ("A man of faith," "great leader," "most influential pope," "an evangelist," etc.), there are also some extreme opinions on both sides:
"St. John Paul II the Great --may he be received into glory with angelic choirs!" (a "Message from Steve Ray" here [4/4/05])
"I wonder...how many evangelical leaders will honor God rather than men and say what needs to be said? 'Unless the Pope believed the gospel, he, like any other person on the planet, died under the wrath of God, outside of the only way of salvation God has provided in Jesus Christ!'" (James White, blog post for 4/1/05, here)
"Enter into the Joy, Pope St. John Paul the Great!" (Mark Shea, blog post for Saturday, April 02, 2005, here)
"Antipope John Paul II was struck so that he was completely unable to speak even a word just a few days ago. Today, very shortly after being completely unable to speak a word, Antipope John Paul II died in great torment, suffering from multiple organ failure. (He then descended into the eternal flames of Hell.)" (The lovable Dimond Brothers, "Our Thoughts on the Death of Antipope John Paul II and more," here)
"We need to pray for our Holy Father John Paul II (soon to be St. John Paul the Great IMHO)." (Art Sippo, post at Planet Envoy discussion forum, 4/2/05, here)
I'm reading all these news reports wherein Catholics (laity, priests, bishops, etc.) have been expressing their firm belief that John Paul II went straight to heaven - and I've heard rumors that the Vatican is planning on opening the case for JP2's canonization pretty much right after he's buried.
One of the first questions my brother-in-law asked me when he saw me on Friday: "Do you think the pope is going to heaven?"
He's St. John Paul the Great. No, he's the precursor to the Antichrist, and is currently burning in Hell. No, he went straight to heaven and skipped Purgatory. No, he wasn't trusting in Jesus for his salvation.
Here's a thought: suspend judgment. And pray for his soul.
I am amazed at the wide range of reaction - apart from the majority "middle-road" report that we're hearing from most media personae ("A man of faith," "great leader," "most influential pope," "an evangelist," etc.), there are also some extreme opinions on both sides:
"St. John Paul II the Great --may he be received into glory with angelic choirs!" (a "Message from Steve Ray" here [4/4/05])
"I wonder...how many evangelical leaders will honor God rather than men and say what needs to be said? 'Unless the Pope believed the gospel, he, like any other person on the planet, died under the wrath of God, outside of the only way of salvation God has provided in Jesus Christ!'" (James White, blog post for 4/1/05, here)
"Enter into the Joy, Pope St. John Paul the Great!" (Mark Shea, blog post for Saturday, April 02, 2005, here)
"Antipope John Paul II was struck so that he was completely unable to speak even a word just a few days ago. Today, very shortly after being completely unable to speak a word, Antipope John Paul II died in great torment, suffering from multiple organ failure. (He then descended into the eternal flames of Hell.)" (The lovable Dimond Brothers, "Our Thoughts on the Death of Antipope John Paul II and more," here)
"We need to pray for our Holy Father John Paul II (soon to be St. John Paul the Great IMHO)." (Art Sippo, post at Planet Envoy discussion forum, 4/2/05, here)
I'm reading all these news reports wherein Catholics (laity, priests, bishops, etc.) have been expressing their firm belief that John Paul II went straight to heaven - and I've heard rumors that the Vatican is planning on opening the case for JP2's canonization pretty much right after he's buried.
One of the first questions my brother-in-law asked me when he saw me on Friday: "Do you think the pope is going to heaven?"
He's St. John Paul the Great. No, he's the precursor to the Antichrist, and is currently burning in Hell. No, he went straight to heaven and skipped Purgatory. No, he wasn't trusting in Jesus for his salvation.
Here's a thought: suspend judgment. And pray for his soul.
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