#12129 Could a Gorilla Be Saved If Evangelized Through Sign Language? - Jimmy Akin

Catholic Answers Live

Catholic Answers

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 28 March 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

If a gorilla could understand the Gospel through sign language, could it be saved? We explore this unusual but fascinating question, plus why St. Philomena’s feast was removed, the Church’s view on devotionals, and how to approach celibacy in unexpected life situations.

Questions Covered:

03:38 – How can I invite my college Newman Center to a seder dinner as part of an interfaith event?
08:32 – Why was St. Philomena’s feast day removed from the Roman Calendar?
12:38 – If a person could evangelize via sign language to a gorilla, could the gorilla be saved?
24:33 – Does the Church have a stance on devotionals that seem to put words in God’s mouth?
32:05 – How do I respond to the claim that situations like David and the bread of the temple or Jesus’ disciples eating on the sabbath should be applied to same-sex relationships?
42:46 – Catechism 1658 talks about single persons — not by choice, but by life circumstance–; is God calling them to celibacy? If God is all-knowing, why would He call people to a vocation they can’t fulfill?
49:00 – What is the threshold for the Church to make a public excommunication of an individual(s) spreading hatred explicitly or implicitly and claiming the Catholic faith informs their hateful worldview?
52:21 – Where does St. Veronica come from? Why are there three times Christ falls in the Stations when the Bible says he fell once?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Buying or selling your home, real estate for life can connect you with a pro-life real estate agent.
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0:11.5	Learn more at realestateforlife.org. Hello and welcome to Catholic Answers live.
0:32.0	I'm Cy Kellett, your host.
0:33.1	Very happy to be with you.
0:34.2	Very, very happy to be with you.
0:35.4	I've been away a lot in March, and this will be the most I will be away all year. So I'm glad March is coming to a conclusion,
0:41.9	but I do want to thank Edgar and did Thomas cover for me while I was away? Thomas and Edgar
0:46.8	both covered for me while I was away in Georgia, just outside of Athens, Georgia. And I'm very,
0:53.6	very happy to be back. And we've got a great
0:55.3	show for you today, two hours with Jimmy Aiken, and it's asked me anything. And there'll probably
0:59.3	be groovy music. So all those things recommend hanging around for a while. Jimmy Aiken is
1:05.4	senior apologist here at Catholic Answers. The author of The Bible is a Catholic book, and the
1:10.7	drama of salvation, and a Catholic book and the drama of salvation
1:12.0	and a daily defense, 365 days plus one to becoming a better apologist. Hello, Jimmy Akin.
1:19.8	Hello, Sarkhalet. How are you doing? I am doing pretty, pretty well. Thank you very much.
1:25.8	I think we might be at the half. Are we nearing the halfway point of
1:28.9	Lent? I feel a little better usually when the first day. Are we Darren? Are we near the halfway point?
1:35.0	I start feeling like, oh, I might survive this. So I'm feeling pretty good right now.
1:39.9	Oh, good. And you? Oh, I'm doing good. Good. And what's on mysterious world today?
1:47.3	Well, this week I'm looking at a religious mystery, and it's one that is particularly
1:52.9	a subject of discussion here in America.
	...

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