Sixty-one percent of the American people say a resounding “Yes” — according to a recent poll by CNN.
There was very little variation among different groups: men, women, Republicans, Democrats, independents, Northerners, Southerners, Midwesterners, urbanites, suburbanites, others. All were within a few percentage points of each other.
The largest difference was between those who profess themselves to be “liberal” (47% say he’s in hell) and those who profess themselves “conservative” (69% say he’s damned).
Of those who didn’t say he was in hell, 10% said he’s not in hell, 5% said they didn’t believe in hell, and 24% said they weren’t sure.
A poll like this is easy to skew — by the wording, the order of the questions, and the time since the news of his killing. Nevertheless, it’s interesting to see the state of public opinion. Certainly, many contemplated the fate of his soul as soon as the news of his killing was released.
But public opinion does not determine these matters.
According to the Catechism, “The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death, the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs” (1035).
The Catechism notes: “God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end” (1037).
So did Osama bin Laden die in mortal sin?
Some might say that we shouldn’t judge the hearts of others, so we shouldn’t arrive at any conclusions here.
We can’t arrive at any final conclusions, and we don’t have certain knowledge of others’ hearts, but we can make tentative assessments about someone’s spiritual state based on the facts we know.
There are times we must do so. If a loved one is leading a life of sin, we have a responsibility to assess that, pray, and do what we can to wake them up to repentance.
The Church has penalties like excommunication (which dates back to the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 2 Corinthians 2:5-11) to wake people up and encourage them to repent when they appear to be in spiritual danger due to their known sins.
What may we — tentatively — assess concerning bin Laden?
It doesn’t look good. Unless reported accounts are wildly wrong, he was a master terrorist complicit in the death of numerous civilians — and not just on Sept. 11, 2001, but for years before and after that.
The killing of innocents is gravely sinful (Pope John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae, 57). Terrorism is also gravely sinful (Catechism, 2297). So the first condition for mortal sin — grave matter — seems fulfilled.
But to commit mortal sin one must also have adequate knowledge of one’s sins and commit them with deliberate consent (Catechism, 1857).
Did bin Laden? Presumably. The Catechism notes: “Unintentional ignorance can diminish or even remove the imputability of a grave offense.” But it states: “No one is deemed to be ignorant of the principles of the moral law, which are written in the conscience of every man” (1860).
It is possible bin Laden was unintentionally ignorant of the grave sinfulness of terrorism and the killing of innocents, but we cannot presume this. The presumption is that he was aware, for God writes such moral principles on the hearts of all.
What about his deliberate consent? This is also presumed. It’s possible that “the promptings of feelings and passions can also diminish the voluntary and free character of the offense, as can external pressures or pathological disorders” (ibid). But these are the exception.
It’s possible that this didn’t happen. Bin Laden may have been so blinded by hatred or a warped upbringing or whatever that he didn’t fully consent to his actions. Thus he might not have committed mortal sin through his acts of terrorism.
They would still be grave sins, crimes against God and man, but they would not meet the requirements necessary to damn his soul.
Supposing that to be the case, would he have been damned on other grounds? For example, he was Muslim rather than Christian.
Becoming a Christian is the normative way to achieve salvation (Catechism, 846), but one can otherwise cooperate with God’s grace to achieve it (847-848, 2569). The fact he was Muslim rather than Christian thus might not prevent his salvation.
There is also another possibility. He may well have committed mortal sin in his life, either through terrorism, failure to embrace the Gospel or another sin. Yet he may have repented in his last moments, even if it was in a way that nobody could perceive.
God is omnipotent. He can reach the hearts of even the most hardened sinner. It’s possible that God reached bin Laden’s heart in the last seconds — or fraction of a second — of life.
We cannot offer a final assessment of the state of this man’s soul, and the objective facts do not look good, but it is possible that God’s grace reached him just before the end.
We may legitimately rejoice that justice has been served and that he can no longer carry out plots against the innocent. But we may also hope — and must pray — that his soul avoided final damnation.
In keeping with Jesus’ command, “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44).
Jimmy Akin blogs at NCRegister.com and is senior apologist at Catholic Answers.
Comments
Post a Comment
Bin Laden was a dutiful and faithful Mahometan and he actualised the Doctrines of Allah as taught in the Koran and through the example of Islam’s perfect man, Mahomet, as recorded in the Siras. In fact, Bin Laden was what one could call a “Saint” when it comes to Islam and its Doctrines and Orthopraxis.
Far from “hijacking” that false religion he was its great exponent.
I do not know if he is in Hell but I suspect his face upon meeting Jesus was not unlike the face in stone that Gianlorenzo Bernini brought to life in “A Young Man Damned.”
I erred in trying to remember the name of that statue. But here it is
http://maitaly.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/2335380840_a49cc0d2ea.jpg
No Christian, God forbid a Catholic, should desire a soul, any soul, to be in hell, or claim to know a soul to be in hell. Those who do so are the utter fools whom our Lord spoke of in John 9:41: boasting that they see, their own sin remains. Get it: their own sin remains, not the sin of the object of their gossipy, vainglorious judgment. How easy it is to discuss another’s damnable sins while ignoring our own damnable sins.
Likewise, no one should rejoice that someone has had his life ended. In so doing, one is rejoicing that a fellow wayfarer has had his opportunity for conversion and reconversion prematurely taken from him by a fellow creature. That is a supreme act of uncharity.
Is there any truth to the belief that “Americanism” constitutes a new heresy? “Americanism,” as in thinking that going to hell (or not)depends on a decision resulting from a democratic system? Why do some people confuse us by pretending to subject dogmas to prevalent political and economic systems ? I’d like to read Mr. Akin’s opinions (not the results of a poll)about these matters. Gonzalo T. Palacios, Professor of Philosophy, Prince George’s Community College, Largo, MD
So, this is where the abandonment of the thrice defined dogma “No Salvation Outside the Church” has brought us? Of course Bin Laden is in hell, along with Mohammed and all the unbaptized who commit to false religion. Bin Laden judged himself to damnation by refusing to believe in Jesus Christ and refusing to follow the natural law that would have led him to Christ. Catholics no longer speak the language of Christ and His saints; we speak like sentimental wimps afraid of the undiluted teaching of the gospel and the solemn magisterium. The more we profess the false gospel of sentimental theology, the more souls will be lost. What did Our Lady show the Fatima children when she opened up the earth? Hell! And what did Lucia say they saw? Souls, falling into the fire, like snowflakes falling from a winter storm. What keeps most people from finding the truth, or having known it, from living it? Sins of impurity Our Lady said. Bin Laden had his harem and his huge stash of pornography. These addictions fed the hatred that was in his heart.
Kelso, you speak volumes. ‘Unless you be born again of water and the Holy Spirit you shall not enter into the Kingdom of God.’ Pretty straight forward if you ask me.
It is not up to us to JUDGE any one when it comes to sins that would send a person to Hell; Only God knows the hearts of men and the circumstances that what brought him to what what he did. It is our duty as Christians to love,yes even our enemies. Was justice served when the special forces came in with the intentions to kill him? Yes i would like to see if he was captured and tried and convicted and whatever follows; That’s JUSTICE! God give all of us the opportunity to repent; some don’t and some wait and it becomes too late. It reminds me of a traveler who waits for the train and hears the train whistle and starts to pack their suitcase as the train leaves.Was Justice served; ask god and let it up to him.Not one of us are worthy of the pearly gaits. Let God do his work.We . can do our part as justice is concerned.There is no hate in justice; it can’t be served rightly. hate dose not fulfill justice. I’d rather have justice from God;not revenge and hate. his has love with it.
He lived a life of debauchery and cowardliness, and never accepted Christ or was even baptized. He remained outside the Faith of God his whole life. It’s ridiculous to prattle on about the “salvation” of the pagans who obstinately remain outside the Church. Outside the Church, there is no salvation. We have no knowledge of Osama bin Laden’s hereafter. Revelation tells us that those who kill the innocent are wretched in the eyes of God, and merit everlasting fire. God have mercy on his soul. May the Sacrifice of the Mass bring many souls to God, particularly that of all the unbaptised; Jews, Mohammedans, and all other pagans.
As far as going into another sovereign country to get Bin Laden, I agree with you totally Harry. All but two of the murderers of 9/11 were Saudi Arabians, two Egyptians, as I remember. No one from Iraq or Afghanistan. If our government was so concerned about “democracy” well the Communist tyrants of the Castro regime have been persecuting the Church and human liberty in Cuba for over fifty years. Need I mention the worst regime of all, the Maoist Reds in China. Wait! No oil to exploit in either of those countries. And “democracy” isn’t worth WWIII. But, we needed a war and we needed a provocation. It’s good for the economy. Look at the jobs created in more massive production of the war machines.
And, we all know that Christ is the final judge, no one else. True, no one knows the heart perfectly as He does. But I don’t think Jesus was too upset when Saint Peter Mavimenus told a group of hostile Moslems that their “prophet” was in hell and so would they be if they continued following the Koran. They were upset—they killed him—making him a saint and a martyr.
It’s just that when I hear people wasting their time discussing the possibility of salvation for a dead Bin Laden I get a bit shuffled. He is not my “neighbor.” And I know of certain “persecutors” of the Church that ought to be prayed for. But, meanwhile what are doing for our closest non-Catholic neighbors or fallen away Catholic neighbors? These we can reach by our words and example. Someone asked me last week if I pray for the soul of Bin Laden. I said “No.” Why should his name be on my prayer list? If I was going to add another name of someone famous in particular whose conversion I should pray for, it would be the Dalai Lama or the folks down at Bob Jones University. I think there’s real potential there. Look at Father Longenecker. I believe he studied at Bob Jones U. In all actuality, I think we ought to give priority to our Holy Father, bishops, and priests, and our family member and friends who surely need our prayers, and are certainly “our neighbor.”
The belief that we ought not be gladden by God’s judgments is a false belief. If Osama is in hell, we ought to praise God for his judgement and wisdom. And if he was saved, we ought to rejoice in God’s judgement and wisdom. The caveat here is that we are all going to be judged by God, and we all are burdened with the knowledge of how much we deserve a negative judgement when it’s our turn. It’s impossible to believe that God is happy when we revel at a man’s damnation because of hatred for the man himself. Personal hatred is not the same thing as God’s condemnation. We are all worth of condemnation.
Osama’s death ought to inform us of the dangers of false religions. The Koran is a hellish document. Some in the Church have a problem calling a spade a spade, but the Church Fathers did not have that scruple. Instead of wondering whether Osama was lost or saved, it would be better to ponder our own failings.
” AND PEACE TO MEN OF GOOD WILL”. Certainly many non-catholics will go to heaven, those with good will. Those using their free will to do good when given choices. And we catholics will be judged by higher standards due to having the fullness of faith. More is expected of us.
But to believe Osama, after 20 years or so of being the corner stone of the latest war against world peace and God’s holy church, spreading hatred, violence, and divisions in the world somehow didn’t die as he lived? He was certainly an example of how not to live if you want to make it to heaven. But the good thief repented, you might argue.
Well, if he avoided hell, it must be an easier thing to do than the nuns taught us.
Is Judas Iscariot in Hell?
Answer by Benedict XVI on 18 October 2006:
“it is not up to us to judge ..., substituting ourselves for the infinitely merciful and just God.”
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20061018_en.html
Commenting on this on 8 November 2006, David Came stated that the same applies to “Adolph Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Slobadan Milosevic, Pol Pot, Timothy McVeigh, Saddam Hussein, and Osama Bin Laden.”
http://thedivinemercy.org/news/story.php?NID=2455
We should only rejoice when we know that our names are written in Heaven not when we see people go to Hell. It’s an act of charity to pray even for our enemies. Our life is fulfilled when we can say like Christ on the cross: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”.
Osama bin Laden was killed in (what was) the middle of the Divine Mercy Hour in the Eastern US time zone where he murdered thousands, on Divine Mercy Sunday on the day Pope John Paul II was beatified. Based on newspaper accounts, I was able to deduce that just around that time, I was praying at a Divine Mercy service with the Eucharist Christ on the Alter and my prayer was to offer up the Plenary Indulgence and Divine Mercy promises of Christ for the “worst sinner in the world”. Around that moment, Osama was killed. When the Church teaches that you are only saved through the Church, it does not mean that you cannot be saved if you are not Catholic. It simply means that if you are saved, you are saved by the merits of Jesus Christ through His Church (Jesus Christ is the head of His Church, we are His Body, and therefore if you are saved by his merits, through our prayers and sacrifices, you are saved by his Church). Osama could quite possibly have been saved by the Catholic Plenary Indulgence I most certainly offered for him when I received it by attending the Divine Mercy service and fullfilling all requirements the Church sets forth for receiving that Indulgence. We should never underestimate the Mercy of God, which is offered for all sinners. In fact He told Sister Faustina that the more one is in need of His mercy, the more right they have to it. We do not know Osama’s circumstances, beliefs, understandings, disposition, motives. That is because we are not God.
“Some might say that we shouldn’t judge the hearts of others, so we shouldn’t arrive at any conclusions here.”
Then some might say I can judge a tree by the kind of fruit it produces.
An apple tree produces apples, etc.
The member of a religion that produces good, loving and forgiveness leads me to believe its good.
The member of a religion that produces hate, and murder of innocents leads me to believe it is bad.
In reference to my earlier post, below is confirmation of what I said. I did not look these up, I stumbled across them in other readings tonight. It seems to affirm my statements about the Church and about the Mercy of God.Perhaps in these final moments of his life, Osama was given the option to enter eternal life through God’s Mercy. Only God knows which route he chose.
“…all salvation comes from Christ the Head through the Church which is his Body. —Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC), n. 846”
“[Let] the greatest sinners place their trust in My mercy… before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice… —Divine Mercy in My Soul, Diary, Jesus to St. Faustina, n. 1146”
this is one reason why i find judaism more morally ... (how can i put this without being offensive) ... logical.
why would anyone conceive of something as terrible as hell, then negate its applyability to someone like bin-laden, hitler, et al?
in classical judaism (that is, one that has not yet been influenced by christian tyhought) there is no heaven or hell - merely the spirit of god that resides in each of us (out soul - neshama, sounds like neshima - breath) and returns to god upon death.
and thus the justification for being an agent for returning one’s erring soul to god ( so that he can make better use of it) - ie summary execution.
Right on Brad and Harry, but Kelso, you are out of touch with God and His Church with your cruel judging. Fr. Feeny was dead wrong and as Pope Benedict has said once again, anybody that teaches no salvation outside of the Church are not Catholic, in fact, they are not even Christian! We should be praying that the gates of hell will be closed and none of Us will enter there! Thank God that His mercy is greater than ours! +JMJ+
And I heard EVERY created thing in heaven and on earth and under the earth [in Hades, the place of departed spirits] and on the sea and all that is in it, crying out together, To Him Who is seated on the throne and to the Lamb be ascribed the blessing and the honor and the majesty (glory, splendor) and the power (might and dominion) forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities)! Rev 5:13 (Amplified version)
“Being good, God entertains pity for fallen man; being wise, he is not ignorant of the means for his recovery.” St Gregory of Nyssa
what makes a person a sinner is the birth defect that comes about from being Adam’s offspring. That is according to the bible. All a person has to do to go to hell is to do nothing about this grave human problem. sinning more often than not informs us that we are sinners even though some persons sin more and some less all are sinners alike and condemned to eternal hell By God who is perfectly Just. That Christ is able to save the vilest sinner persons like myself, Saul of Tarsus and the repentant thief hanging on the cross beside him when he was crucified are proof.
The Pharisees, Sadducee, and many other people that belonged to organized religious bodies exempted themselves because they taught that their affiliation to the church could save them. It could not, only the blood of the lamb without spot or blemish could though this is the straw on which many hang today. Being good could not save the rich young ruler, neither Nicodemus that came to Jesus by night. Only coming to Christ as a sinner can save a sinner from the wages of sin which is eternal hell.
Post a Comment
By submitting this form, you give The National Catholic Register permission to publish this comment. Comments will be published at our discretion, and may be edited for clarity and length. For best formatting, please limit your response to one paragraph and don't hit "enter" to force line breaks.