One hell of a deal: Pope Francis offers reduced time in Purgatory for Catholics that follow him on Twitter
Court in charge of forgiveness of sins says those that follow upcoming event via social media will be granted indulgences
Salvation – or at least a shorter stay in Purgatory – might now be only a tweet away with news that Pope Francis is to offer “indulgences” – remissions for temporary punishment – to the faithful who follow him on the social media site.
Catholics claim purgatory is for working off the temporal effects of sin but a temporal effect is a consequence that flows naturally from the sin itself, like liver disease from drinking too much or catching a STD from sexual sin. In this case, purgatory is not a natural consequence at all but rather a supernatural one imposed on the believer by God post mortem. It is not temporal but the Catholics need to argue that way because scripture clearly teaches that Christ took our punishment for us (Isa 53:6; 2 Cor 5:21). So Rome wants to prop up the doctrine of purgatory as part of the sanctification process. This is controverted by scripture that says Jesus sanctified us positionally with the Father: “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Heb 10:14)
What’s next “like” the pope on facebook and get a pass on three weeks of mass attendance?
About Cris Putnam
Well, there you have! Religion and science melding together in a nice big pot of poop soup!
Funny, your article brought back a strange memory. When I was in 7th grade (RCC school) one of the nuns asked us how we might feel if we were to receive communion from a robot. Can’t remember why she asked that.
Back then hardly anyone had a big gelopy pc.
And then there is the last episode of Caprica.
Genesis 3, 6, 11. This is the code, this is the answer to where we are. Until then, believers will stand.
How insane does it Get….Don’t worry about Following Jesus, But rather follow the Pope on tweeter and you may even possibly avoid purgatory!… Wow! What a deal…….
Techno-Idolatry!
Hooda thunkit that 21st century idolatry would be just like 16th century idolatry, only lit up?
Now, what’s the techno equivalent of the Wittenburg door? How does one “nail” a copy of Luther’s 95 Theses to it? Maybe we should just nail them to the Vatican’s website?
Not a bad Idea!
Just to be clear, some have pointed out that the media over simplified the head line. You can’t buy your way out of purgatory merely by following the pope on twitter, you need to watch the youthday rally in Rio online with a pious attitude (frown a lot) and attend mass and confession. Then Pope Frank will give you time off for good behavior.
Of course the qualification hardly affects the absurdity of it all, but it does display the media’s tendency to misrepresent.
The absurdity of it all, indeed. It wouldn’t matter if the media painted a perfect picture and the qualification for the indulgence was that you had to be a saint.
There will be no mediator between us and Christ!!
Cris, perhaps you could right a modern day version of Luther’s thesis and post it here and we’ll “sign it” in the comments section. The world protestants all were giddy when the new pope first appeared to be full of humility and charity.
BTW, as an aside. The queen of England approved the new law supporting gay marriage. I know the royalty’s stamp on law is more of a formality, but does this mean the Anglican church now fully supports gay marriage, since she is the head of the church?
yankis putos la tienen bien adentro, tradúzcanlo.
Yo comprendolo. hee hee hee
First, even atheists will go to heaven if they do good works. Now, you can work your way out of purgatory by following the pope on Twitter. They truly have fallen down the rabbit hole over in Rome. Curiouser and curiouser.
This is a prophecy from a Catholic cleric Loius De Montford
“It was through the blessed Virgin Mary that Jesus Christ came into the world, and it is also through her that he must reign in the world”
The angel Gabriel told Mary, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.”
Who shall we believe then? An angel of the Lord or cleric Louis? No contest.
Hi hopeful; Re: Montfort, It was an add on to my previous post which still in moderation (I reckon that this pope’s Bombshell is going to be a ‘Mary thing’
There are devout Marianists that are now on the end-time band wagon. Their eschatology is along dispensational lines) I gave a link probably the cause for moderation.
It is a prophecy for world peace centred in Israel………
Look up: catholics for israel.
As someone who worshipped as a Catholic for most of his life and who, now, no longer considers himself Catholic, I am sooooooooooooo tired of the cliched polemics on both sides concerning indulgences. FWIW, I see three reasons why indulgences are such a problem.
1. They don’t encourage any thoughtful reflection about the consequences of one’s actions on other people, on oneself or on the future.
2. The “temporal effects” of such sins as emotional, physical and sexual abuse can never be “worked off” because those effects can devastate their victims, to the point sometimes of suicide.
3. The whole doctrine turns God into a mechanistic extension of the ecclesiastical bureaucracy. It makes that bureaucracy “sovereign” while diminishing God’s legitimate sovereignty.
Any thoughts?
I agree with all three items you have here. If we thought hard enough there are probably more.
I think your number three above is about the motivation of the church for doing so. It’s about power, authority and security of the church as an institution. It’s the vale that covers the holy of holies and only they are allowed back there. When the church is the arbiter of righteousness or what must be done to return to a state of grace, then the institution can influence how people behave.
Number one and two are symptoms of the church giving indulgent penance without genuine repentance of the heart.
Nice summation, Joseph.
Mystery Babylon also deals with the ‘souls of men’ besides all other merchandise of this world.
Today, it is not perceived that the sales of indulgences is still practiced, but this abomination is attached to the Mass ritual where countless donate money to have names of their beloved dead along side Christ on the catholic alter.
Joseph…
the problems you cite are bad enough to condemn indulgences, but those problems are peripheral.
The real issue with indulgences–and the whole concept of Purgatory–is much more fundamental. These concepts undermine the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the “It is finished” quality of Christ’s substitutionary death for each of us. They constitute a serious offense to God Himself.
There is no more effective way to offend God than to call into question the all-sufficiency of His sacrifice, and here is the Pope–in effect–“rubbing God’s face in it”.
yankis putos la tienen bien adentro, tradúzcanlo.
Hello Skep; If you can read the comments of others, then why don’t you make you comment likewise.
unless of course you are speaking in Tongues, in which case you need to interpret Ha.Ha!
I forgot you “americans” can’t speak more than one language, sorry “Ha Ha”
1)You hate this pope because he`s latin..you americans and europeans are a bunch of racist pigs.
2) Many years before he became pope ,Mario Bergoglio helped young people to get out of drugs and he`s always been working in poor and dangerous areas known as “villas”. His devotion for people is not marketing stuff, he was always like that..Of course you didn`t know this because you don`t know how is to live here in South America. You just live on a cloud of farts back there in the so called “first world”.
3)I don`t believe in god, the saints and all that crap, but I saw this man`s work in those places and that deserves my respect. To see a human being helping another one in a place of the world where everything is poverty and violence and injustice, goes beyond any brain-washing religion. You attack the pope but you don`t know the man.
4)I would have liked to write this in spanish but I´m aware that your brains are limited to understand english only, so I made it easy for you!
Kind Regards!
Hey skeppy,
Rage much? Since you don’t believe in “all that crap” then all you see is the world through a secular lens. You can respect the man all you want, and I don’t think any of us would argue with it, but you are not even able to comprehend that its the office of pope being used by a man who is speaking against the gospel. Paul would say let such a person be accursed. Go start your pope fan page and blog about his good works. The adults are talking.
Hey Hoppy,
too much ofended? At least I can “see” the world through something, you’re completely blind.
“Paul would say…” you only repeat what that book says. you don`t think for yourself.
Go eat a burger, watch tv and worship something.
Ah y voy a hacer la fan page de tu hermana y tu vieja en bolas yanki maricón.
“Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
I don’t think for myself? You think too much, but your arrogance and pretentious pride will blind you to the truth.
I have mercy upon you. I pray for you. Jesus loves you. I won’t engage you any longer. There is nothing you can say that will incite me to anger like you desire and nothing I can say that will plant any meaningful seed that won’t be snatched up by Lucifer. Good day and blessings.
Hey Hopeful: I would like to eat a burger with you. Skep can go for some corn husk!
Fear of the lord is the beginning of slavery….If you live in fear, how can you see the truth? Human race must break every chain in order to be free.
I know the vatican is a corrupt and evil institution that should be erased from earth right now, but this man is different and I hope he can clean all that sh*t up.
If I’m wrong, ok time will tell. But don`t judge without knowing. I live in Argentina and I see what this pope represents to people here and to the rest of South America, it`s a feeling of joy and happiness that is really essential to this unfair part of the world.
about Jesus…if he really existed and he is not just an analogy to the cult to the sun and the 12 constelations, of course he would love me..he was against the system at that time and encouraged people to see the truth and to love each other and to pray…yes, pray: the human being can create reality with the power of pray..that was his message.
I invite you (this time with respect : ) ) to open up your mind and see the world from a different perspective…to listen what Jesus said, and not what they told you he said.
and lou: you`re not so saint!
PEACE
But his parents are Italian. How convenient.
Fear of the lord is the beginning of slavery….If you live in fear, how can you see the truth? Human race must break every chain in order to be free.
I know the vatican is a corrupt and evil institution that should be erased from earth right now, but this man is different and I hope he can clean all that sh*t up.
If I’m wrong, ok time will tell. But don`t judge without knowing. I live in Argentina and I see what this pope represents to people here and to the rest of South America, it`s a feeling of joy and happiness that is really essential to this unfair part of the world.
about Jesus…if he really existed and he is not just an analogy to the cult to the sun and the 12 constelations, of course he would love me..he was against the system at that time and encouraged people to see the truth and to love each other and to pray…yes, pray: the human being can create reality with the power of pray..that was his message.
I invite you (this time with respect : ) ) to open up your mind and see the world from a different perspective…to listen what Jesus said, and not what they told you he said.
and lou: you`re not so saint!
PEACE
Skep; Good to see you admit that the vatican is a corrupt and evil institution. However the current pope is a still part of that corrupt system. He is not about to lay down the pompous Titles of his predecessors.
Nor is he about to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ which call sinners to repentance and warns of the fiery judgment of Hell. The message of Jesus got him rejected and crucified, Not fame.
Man is not to be worshipped. The pope claim to be above all as the ‘Pontifex Maximus’ having the Final authority as the vicar of Christ even so above the inspired Word of God. His word is above the bible.
what we are seeing developed by the vatican is a social gospel of Humanitarian Love. This is a counterfeit love, One which is not shed aboard in the heart By the Holy Spirit. It is a false spirit that proclaims the universal fatherhood of God and the the brotherhood of man (a masonic doctrine) that promotes ecumenical unity which will eventually lead to the worship of Lucifer (the Masonic god)
Until such time that this pope is willing to expose all of this and deny His pompous titles and begin to preach what the Apostles of Christ preached. I am afraid he is just another satanic puppet.
Louthesaint is my pen-name for the internet
Purgatory doesn’t exist though. It’s all a scam by the Catholic Church. Where does it say anything about Purgatory in the Bible?
11For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Corinthians 3
that section of Scripture is not describing purgatory. it is describing what happens at the bema seat. as soon as the trumpet blows, we will be raised incorruptible in the twinkling of an eye. The LORD himself will call us home to the heavens and will judge us accordingly. we are already saved from hell by simply being raptured. but when we get to the judgment seat of Christ, he will reward us and/or take away rewards, depending on what we do with our life. remember what John the Baptist said… “the one who comes after me will baptize you with The Holy Spirit and with FIRE.” … THAT is what those verses are talking about, not “purgatory.” It is in fact a scam by the vatican, a brainwashing trick used by catholics as a means to scare people into being good. but theres no need to scare people. all one needs to do is preach the Gospel with love and kindness, and the listeners will be inspired by The Holy Spirit to make the right choices. there is NO SUCH THING as purgatory.
I agree!
Thanks for posting this, Chris. I track news from over “alternative” 45 different news sources every day. My jaw is still dropped over this one. I don’t even have false expectations of the Pope (especially after reading your last 2 books). Again, thanks for posting this and may God continue to empower and equip you in your eternally significant work.
Why do Catholics follow the folly of man? No meat on Friday, Priests can’t marry. That is a laugh and the Pope extending benefits to men. Stick to God’s word which has been flawless for over 2,ooo years. Every prophesy has come true to the most minute detail. Try that seers, palm readers, tarot followers and all the rest of the scam artists including Jean Dixon and Nostradomus.
Sonny, Catholics stopped refraining from eating meat on Fridays back in the late 60s or early 70s. The only time they do so is during Lent as an act of self-sacrifice. Whether such self-sacrifice matters to God is a separate question. Personally, I think that too many Catholics (and I used to be one) are so focused on doing what’s expected during Lent and not looking at the broader spiritual picture.
What’s wrong with a spiritual discipline of abstaining from meat on Fridays in an act of remembrance of our Lord’s crucifixion?
Also, what’s wrong with priests not marrying? Is the RC church your church? If it isn’t what does it matter? We submit to the authority we are placed under. If your calling is to another church fine but if another’s is to the RC church then they ought to submit. Unless one believes in some-kind of spiritual consumerism but personally I don’t. May I remind you that St. Paul encouraged celibacy and he had a fairly good role model in Jesus.
Does it not say in scripture: “18“Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will bee bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
19“Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ”” Matthew 18.
At the least this refers to the administration of discipline within the church. So why shouldn’t the Pope administer discipline in the church he leads, as he and the tradition he subscribes to permits?
I believe everything said made a great deal of sense. But, think on this, what if you were to write a killer headline?
I am not suggesting your information is not solid, but suppose you added something that grabbed a person’s attention? I mean One hell of deal all right
TOO MUCH ALTAR WINE !