A question about Limbo...

[Hutch]

I was just browsing this thread (http://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=52981) over in Medicine and noted the reference to Libo as the place unbaptised babies (those that die via abortion, miscarraige, or die before a prest can get there)souls go to.

I knew the Catholic Church had the concept of Limbo but do the 'mainline' Protestant churches also subscribe. Plus, IIRC, the Catholic Doctrine dropped Limbo awhile ago (I presume all the babies got promoted).

I guess I could go back to church and find out...but after 20 years away, I don't think I remember the rituals well enough...

Any thinkers on this one?

[Marquis de Carabas]

I was raised Southern Baptist. I can speak for no other denominations, but Limbo (and Purgatory, too, for that matter) were fictions created by the Hoor of Babylon. There was only Heaven and Hell. Anything else was just a fairy tale so the Catholics could avoid the grim reality that they were Satan's sockpuppets and bound for an eternity to Hellfire.


mmmmmmmmmmmtolerance

[Phil]

Originally posted by Hutch
. . . Plus, IIRC, the Catholic Doctrine dropped Limbo awhile ago (I presume all the babies got promoted). . . .

Several beach resorts also dropped it, because older guests kept throwing out their backs.

[username]

Originally posted by Hutch

I knew the Catholic Church had the concept of Limbo but do the 'mainline' Protestant churches also subscribe. Plus, IIRC, the Catholic Doctrine dropped Limbo awhile ago (I presume all the babies got promoted).


AFAIK there are no 'mainline' Protestant churches that believe in Limbo.

I don't think the RC church has dropped the doctrine (could be wrong), but they may be downplaying it these days more so than in the past. In the days preceeding the Protestant reformation (more of a revolution than a reformation actually) the RC church was using purgatory (Limbo) in order to make money and increase/hold onto power. Basically the scam was that if the living wanted to shorten the time loved ones spent there the living could do certain church approved things to reduce the time the loved ones spent in limbo. One of those things was giving money to or doing free work for the church.

This was one of the abuses Martin Luther mentioned in his 99 thesis that sparked the events which led to the Protestant reformation/revolution.

As such it would be very odd for any protestant denomination to embrace the doctrine although given enough time...

[Vortex]

Originally posted by Hutch
Plus, IIRC, the Catholic Doctrine dropped Limbo awhile ago (I presume all the babies got promoted).
The Catholic Church still has Limbo in its doctrine. Per the church, all those who are unbaptized have the stain of original sin and are placed there. Also, per the church, Jesus on his ascension only freed those in Limbo who were born before baptism was originated, all since have needed baptism to escape being sent there. I also used to be Catholic, an altar boy even. :)

[Odin]

What does chick (http://www.chick.com) think about Limbo? He's never mentioned it as far as i'm aware. I don't think he would like the idea somehow.

I thought most Christian denominations had got rid of it though.

[Robin]

Originally posted by username
In the days preceeding the Protestant reformation (more of a revolution than a reformation actually) the RC church was using purgatory (Limbo) in order to make money and increase/hold onto power. [/i]

You are mixing up Purgatory and Limbo which are different. Purgatory is where nearly all souls go before going to Heaven. The idea is that the 'saved' might not be good enough to go to Heaven yet.

All souls in Purgatory go to Heaven eventually but souls in Limbo never do.

While it is part of their tradition the Catholic Church does not definitely say that unbaptised infants don't go to Heaven.

It is not just unbaptised infants that go to Limbo in Catholic tradition - there are also good people of the wrong religion, for example Dante depicts the character of Saladin in Limbo.

However I think I can help with the official Catholic view of what happens to unbaptized babies. It goes like this:

"Well you see ... the thing about that is ... well ... (mumble) ... hey! look out behind you! (cue SFX running away)"

[username]

Originally posted by Robin
[B]You are mixing up Purgatory and Limbo which are different.

Well color me embarrassed. Too many mythical places to keep track of :D