Discernment
Will the Ignorant be Damned?
Photo By: Flickr / JD Hancock
I saw the movie Batman vs. Superman the other evening and this was just one of the more intriguing ideas that surfaced during the few hours I was engrossed in the action of this event.
“Ignorance is not the same as Innocence”.
The next morning I sat in a beautiful Catholic Church for a funeral. I watched as a grown individual walked into the sanctuary, and sat down in a pew with a McDonald’s bag and French fries in hand. Another woman sipped from a cup of coffee.
The above statement resurfaced in my mind, and returned to my thoughts. “Ignorance is not the same as Innocence”.
It seems reasonable to me that a grown adult would or should make the necessary effort to learn and acquire knowledge regarding the proper etiquette that would surround and be expected and appropriate before attending a Catholic, or for that matter, any type of Faith focused and centered religious ceremony. So it made me contemplate if this type of ignorance is excusable. I am not sure that such behavior could be considered innocent, from a grown person anyway.
Ignorance of the law in our society does not excuse punishment when breaking it. It is not a defense in our legal and justice system. I would guess it doesn’t deem us totally innocent of sin committed in ignorance either.
At what point do we become culpable? At what point in our lives should we be seeking Truth, instead of claiming ignorance to what Truth is?
Acts 17:30; “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.”
Hosea 4:6 “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Is it possible some of us might find ourselves at the entrance to Hell one day due to our ignorance? Just because we are ignorant about our Faith and our responsibility to God, that doesn’t make us innocent. It really is all about free will. There are lots of ways to become less ignorant or free from it entirely. We would be required to choose to make the effort though. If we fail to make that effort then we are not innocent. If we are not innocent; then are we deserving of the punishments and repercussions for our actions committed in ignorance?
These are a few some thoughts and a lesson that I learned from this new thriller in the theatres, one based on fictional super heroes. I think a worthy lesson, a lesson that mirrors the many teachings of my true, one and only Almighty Super Hero, the one the reigns over every other!
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About the Author
I am a wife and mother of two grown sons. Although I am Cradle Catholic, I experienced a profound reversion to the True faith several years ago that motivated and inspired me to dive more deeply into an understanding of the Church and Her teachings, and why She has these teachings and where they come from. Surprisingly, for me, the more I read and discovered, the deeper my love of the Catholic Church and her teachings became. This certainly is a journey that doesn't end, and so as I uncover more amazing facts about our Faith and Church, I just can't help but want to share what I'm learning. So, I began writing for Catholic 365.
I have recently served for a year and a half as the Executive Director of a very active and busy Crisis Pregnancy Center on the West side of Cincinnati. God is so good and does answers prayers, even though He knows at times, we have no idea what we are asking for. The pro life cause is paramount to our times, I am so honored and humbled to have had the experience and opportunity to serve women and the unborn in this capacity! I am also very grateful to God, for allowing me to see for myself, that perhaps such a calling was not His long term plan for me. We go where God seeminly calls us, and for me, that was a return to corporate America. I currently work as a recruiter and sales onboarding specialist where I am helping a Franchising company open and support small businesses that serve seniors and the elderly, giving them opportunities to age in place and live thier final chapters with dignity. It is the other end of the pro life spectrum and such an amazing endeavor!
I love being able to share this great faith of ours and use this platform as a way to express my deep love and devotion to our Lord. We need each other, and this effort has truly become a wonderful way to connect with all of you- my brothers and sisters in Christ!
