Expert: Joseph Amormino - 2/23/2010

Question
QUESTION: Catholic belief is that faith and good works are requirements for Paradise. Can you please explain to me why faith alone is required by Protestants? I fully understand that Scripture cites that faith is a requirement for Paradise. But many people today have total faith but still commit mortal sins and deserve damnation. For instance, many gangsters, (especially in the South) believe in God and Christ but commit sins. I'm trying to say that one may have total belief in God and what his message is, but still go against his message 100% and reject him. Also people that believe in God but still hate him because they think he ruins his/her life. Faith doesn't necesarrily make you a good person. God does provides a way as his Son Jesus died for us to relieve us of the burden of sin, but does that give us a "Get out of jail free" card and mean that we can sin freely while knowing God will forgive us? Please explain this and explain why Jesus and his precedents have us commandments for us to know how to act and not, since Protestants stress this so much, how to believe. Also, how much do you need to sin to get into hell? is there a certain amount?

ANSWER: Hi Greg,
Wow, what a loaded question. My answer may shock you, but my purpose is to be straight and honest with my questioners. My answer is given to help free you from fear, guilt and eternal punishment, if you so chose.
I don't believe in sin. I do believe that we make erroneous decisions. When we make these errors, all God expects from us is to learn from them and not do them in the future.
I do not believe in hell. A merciful and compassionate God would never allow any of His creations to suffer eternal punishment. Jesus did not teach this. Eternal hell was put into the Catholic teachings by Emperor Constantine some hundreds of years after Jesus. He was the man responsible for taking the teachings of Jesus, twisting them around to his convenience so he could control his empire with fear.
Regarding faith and good works, here's my take on that. Forget about trying to figure that one out.
Greg, God is Love.  We are created from His essence.  Therefore we are also love. Yes, we make mistakes, judge people, get angry, frustrated, cry and sometimes struggle through life.
The greatest gift given to us by God is free will.  That means that when we love God, we do it freely, not automatically like a puppet. God loves to be loved by us.
I would forget about sin, faith and how many sins make us go to hell. Jesus never taught us that.
You are free, Greg to do whatever you wish with my answers.
If you accept some of them, I hope they will set you free.
I can talk about all this because I also many years ago had these some questions and confusion.
I still have my difficult days, but sin, fear, and belief in eternal hell are not part of my belief any more. I am free of them and it feels wonderful. I can smile and laugh and love my fellow sisters and brothers and forgive them knowing that they are doing their best and that God loves them eternally. Only love is eternal, not hell.
The simple answer to your inquiries is: God is Love, you are love. Forgive yourself for your errors.  God has already done that.
May your life be filled with freedom, joy and Love,
Blessings, Joseph


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you, I am a little more enlightened about sin and God's love now. But I need to ask this. Say I am an atheist who just asked that question. I'm looking to turn to Christianity for guidance and assistance. But I've just been told that sin is a mere concept and is automatically forgiven by an action I had no control and contribution to: Jesus's death. I'm not Atheist, but the idea of automatic forgiveness of sin, or no sin at all, makes me think that I can do whatever I want. Like if I wanted to do some cocaine right now and not fight my addiction, or beat my wife just thinking that "God will forgive me because this one time I'll do it and never will again". This is hypothetical, but wether Constantine changed the teachings of Jesus or not, I believe it was divine intervention for the better of Christianity on a whole. I mean there truly are impulsive people who are narcissistic and sin repeatedly since Jesus did relieve our sin from us. God never saved Satan, his demons, or fallen angels from hell so are they not real either? Once I have faith I can merely discard my good works is that correct? No it's not the Christian message but as you say, Jesus never taught about sin, only faith. I think people with addictions like drugs, alcohol, or pornography can live free when they have Catholic teachings. What do you tell a person who has faith, but still impulsively steals from people knowing that his Protestant teachings tell him his sins are automatically forgiven?

Answer
Greg
Sorry for the delay in answering your question.  I have been a bit under the weather.
God never condemns us.  We condemn ourselves.  How could God condemn if He is all love.
The reason I try not to commit "sins" (as you believe) is not out of fear.
Do you think an all-loving God wants us to live in fear?
I try to live a good life out of "Love", not fear.  It is a much more satisfying feeling to live this way.
I have done a great deal of counseling in the past. I have discovered that many of my clients try and live without "sin" because of guilt and fear.
Guilt presupposes a sinful nature and to me a sinful nature is a contradiction. Guilt may help us temporary from committing "sin', but I think we must, in our spiritual growth, get beyond guilt and begin to live a life fully basking in the love of God.
Remember, "the Kingdom of God is within us".  There is no room in God's Kingdom for guilt and fear and sin.
This is the best I can do for you Greg. I can say no more.
Live in Love and Joy.
Blessing,
Joseph