Purgatory is where you are purged of any sins which you hadn't repented of before death. You wait in Purgatory until all your sins are purged; only after can you go before God to be judged for your final destination.

i am not christian but believe in something & i think your worst nightmares could never comprehend the torture that could be ahead...if God exists & does dispense divine justice then it will be unimaginable to the most twisted of imaginations...

I do not believe in purgatory after the death and resurrection of Christ. However there was a place that Christ went to minister when he died, and before he rose, but it does not seem like purgatory as defined by the Catholic Church. I believe that since we are living after Christ came we have a clear choice that was laid out for us. You can either believe, and have a relationship with Christ, so He does not say "I don't know you" or you can choose not to believe He was God in the Flesh who cares enough about you to die for you. In that case you have destined yourself to Hell, and as far as I have studied there is no point of return.

I don’t believe in purgatory /per se/. Here’s what my Church teaches: When we die, our physical body goes into the ground (or whatever) while our spirit body continues on to what we call “the Spirit World.” This “Spirit World” consists of two halves: one that we call “Paradise,” which is the initial destination of those that have accepted Christ, been baptized into His Church, etc.; and one that we call “Prison” or “Hell,” which is the initial destination of those that have not. When Jesus Christ died, He entered into the Spirit World and broke down what the Bible calls the “gulf” between the two halves, He organized His missionary forces in Paradise, and sent them forth into Hell to teach all those that never had an opportunity to accept the Gospel, while in mortality. (Whether or not an individual truly had or didn’t have said opportunity is up to God Himself, and I would never think to attempt to make such a judgment.) Living individuals are then baptized as proxies, for and on behalf of those that have passed on, thus giving every last member of the human race an opportunity to enter in at the “strait and narrow gate” spoken of by the Savior. Eventually, we will each have to stand before the Judgment Bar and account for our lives and the decisions made therein. Christ will be there as our Advocate before the Father, and through Him, we can each be forgiven for our sins—*if* we accept His gift of grace on our behalf. Alternately, we are each welcome to choose to suffer for our own sins (instead of accepting Christ’s own proxy Atonement on our behalf), but I certainly wouldn’t recommend that course of action. After all this, we can each be found among the “many mansions” in “the Father’s house” (see John 14:2), with glory added unto us by Father, in response to our own specific choices (especially the choice to accept Christ’s atoning grace). Only those very, *very* few individuals that have a perfect knowledge of our Father’s Plan and then consciously reject not only Him and the Son, but even the Holy Ghost will be consigned to what we call “Outer Darkness” (Matthew 12:31; see also Matthew 8:12). HTH!

Ultimately, everyone ends up in Heaven or Hell. People who reject God's forgiveness go to Hell, and good people go to Heaven. Purgatory is for people who don't reject God's forgiveness, but still can not enter Heaven yet because they had sins that had not been forgiven before they died. In purgatory, their souls are purified, and everyone in purgatory will eventually enter Heaven. Apart from that, I have no idea what it's like.

Purgatory is another one of those made up Catholic things that has no basis of fact backed up by the Bible. The Bible isn't clear on exactly what happens to the soul after death, but in no way does it remotely describe anything close to Purgatory or what ever the Otter has a technicolor dream COAT was talking about. I don't fret what will happen because I know that I will be with the Lord after death because I have accepted Jesus as my savior, that is what is important.

Me I think it will be the last thoughts you think before your mind dies where you replay all the important good and bad moments of your life. Sort of a dream state. I have had a few close calls and have experienced the incredible rate of speed the mind can process under duress and can imagine the mind may do a similar fast-forward/rewind of your own life story in that moment before death. Good question +5

to me , hell is gonna be when u realize , like Lazarus, u could of lived forever but know when HE comes....u will die forever!!! be no more....u will know , until Judgement, ur fate.....that will be pure ,agonizing, gnashing of teeth ..BUT IT IS TOO LATE TO TURN BACK NOW..as Lazarus was shown..:)

Purgatory is just a place where cool people go when they die. There is music, dancing, free drinks, lots of sex and everyone is very happy that they don't have to suffer for all eternity or spend any time with God.

purgatory was invented by the catholic church during the crusades (i think) and it was all about maken the solders not fear death on the battle field before confession. They were told that they could just make up for it, go sit it out in purgatory, then they would be good.

Incidentally, a couple years ago the pope declared that there was no purgatory.

the bible does not teach about purgatory. therefore it is a nonscriptural belief that many of the catholic faith accept without questioning as to its validity. this is very typical of what most members of this church as well as what others of different so called christian churches accept thinking that they are being taught from the bible.

A bit of purgation before going to heaven is like taking a shower before going to a party. "But if someone's work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Cor 3:15) "So that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet 1:7) But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. (Wisdom 3:1-6) Are you perfect now? Most people would say no. Will you be perfect in heaven? Most people believe yes. Purgatory (or purgation) is the process of God's love changing our imperfect selves into perfect beings. Depending on the amount of change needed by different people, this can be an easy or slightly harder process. Everyone in purgatory is on his or her way to heaven. I do not think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it. For more information see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1030: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art12.shtml With love in Christ.

I like to think that this is hell... Purgatory is a myth.