5/2/12
Catholic Church Reinstates Taking Indulgences after a 52-year hiatus
(And I felt it was worth repeating)
"Reader K.T. mentioned a great leap, backwards: Catholic Church Reinstitutes Taking Indulgences. JWR's Comment: Since they are modernizing the indulgence payment system (which had been suspended since 1960), I suppose that they'll soon have a new HTML edition of the Manual of Indulgences. It could have pull down menus of prices for various sins, and convenient PayPal payment buttons. And with wireless devices, the pontifical payoffs could be made immediately after confession, with your iPhone. Oh, and the new indulgence payments will of course be considered tax deductible donations.
Removing my tongue from cheek, I must remind the former Herr Ratzinger (who was elected to be Pope and thereby "infallibly preserved from even the possibility of error") of Hebrews 10:8-10: "Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Emphasis added.) The truth is that there is no "easy payment plan" path to heaven. Christ alone paid for all of our sins, with his crucifixion. Salvation is a free gift that comes without a price tag or a credit card swipe. As Christians, our freely-given tithes and offerings are in no way guilt payments or purchases of salvation."
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You miss the point of a Catholic's beliefs then. Just as when going to confession a penance is paid, an indulgence is similar and in no way excuses someone for sin or permits them to commit sin. And regardless of the flavor of Christianity you are correct in there is no easy payment plan to heaven, but that was not the point of indulgences.
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