How to pray the Divine Mercy and a warning about hell
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When I was growing up, one of my favorite TV shows to watch was The Jetsons. George, Jane, Elroy, Astro (one of my favorites), and Judy were a consistent fixture of my childhood. It was far-fetched to imagine something like Rosie being a robot that had actual relationships with people. But, today there are various companies emerging that give humans that very chance. They offer humans the opportunity to have a “relationship” with an artificially created “person”.
AI (Artificial Intelligence) Companions are offering people the opportunity to have relationships with a companion that is artificially created. These “companions” offer things from personalized avatars, voice communication abilities to have a conversation with you, the ability to simulate empathy, and adjusts based on human interaction.
But, what exactly does artificial “people” and “relationships” have to do with heaven or hell? The true essence of what makes us special is that God created us with a soul and He desires to have a relationship with us. He wants to spend eternity with us.
There are many that will deny hell even exists. But, to deny hell is to deny human free will. If we have no free will then we are nothing but a Rosie to the Lord. We are nothing but a programmed artificial “intelligence” that only responds the way we are told to respond and looks, acts, and thinks the way our programmer has created us to do. That is not how God has made mankind. He made us with free will. It also opens God up to being rejected.
There is often the question as to why God would send people to hell if He was so loving. I like to ask the opposite question. If God is so loving, why would anyone want to reject Him? The reality is God does not send anyone to hell that has not already chosen hell over God.
Jesus’ teaching about hell is that it is an eternal separation from God. If one rejects God in this life then God is not going to force them to live with Him in eternity.
It’s not God’s desire for anyone to go to hell. He wants everyone to have eternity with Him. That is just not possible because of free will. God wants us to also choose to love Him and not just be a programmed person that is made to love Him. Love is not love if it is not freely given and God freely gives His love to us with the hopes that we love Him as well.
“I call heaven and earth today to witness again you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will mean life for you, a long life for you to live on the land which the Lord swore he would give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
One of the most well-known verses in all of Sacred Scripture is perhaps John 3:16. However, if one goes a couple verses beyond just verse 16 then we see that hell is a choice.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
It is not God’s choice for any individual to go to hell. It a person goes to hell then it is because they chose hell over God. They choice sin over the Savior. They chose hate over love. They chose violence over peace. The chose the Prince of this World over the Prince of Peace.
Amelia Monroe Carlson graduated from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor’s Degree in journalism. Being raised as a Methodist during her early years, it was not until she entered college where she began to take her faith seriously. She was baptized as a Southern Baptist in Muscle Shoals, AL and began immediately serving in international missions and in the church.
During college, she became the Co-founder of an International Ministry, where she spent time traveling and speaking to church groups and in large conferences. She authored a Bible study and traveled abroad on mission work. She sat on the Mid-South Interfaith Conferences in Mississippi, where she defended the faith and discussed beliefs with leaders of various religions.
After a business trip to Washington D.C., where she was introduced to a former Baptist who converted to the Catholic Church, she was placed on a journey to enter into the Catholic Church.
Amelia is a military wife and currently residents with her husband and daughter in Tennessee. She is a nine time award winning journalist, receiving press awards for various categories including investigative journalism, best news coverage, and best single feature. It is her desire to help Catholics, particularly Cradle Catholics, see the beauty in their faith which converts see and appreciate the fullness of truth which the Church has held and guarded throughout history. It is her desire all Catholics fall as much in love with Jesus as she is, and love the Church to a greater capacity than they could imagine.
Amelia taught PRE for 4-6 grade at St. Mary Catholic Church in Bolivar, Tennessee from 2014-2016. She served as Youth Director at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville, Tennessee in 2017-2018. She now teaches 7th grade (1st year Confirmation) PRE class at St. Philip. She's also a writer and frequent podcast guest on Our Warpath.
She has a strong devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe, St. Francis de Sales, St. Padre Pio and St. Maximilian Kolbe.
To contact Amelia for speaking inquiries at conferences, retreats, or parishes contact her via social media on Facebook (Amelia Monroe Carlson), Twitter (@2_catholic ) or send a text to: (731)518-6923.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliamcarlson
Twitter: @2_catholic (Catholic ministry account)
Twitter personal account: @ameliamcarlson
