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by Jadey - Vive la difference on May 10th, 2009

Jadey - Vive la difference

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Christians: What do you personally believe purgatory is like? Who goes there? Do you believe in purgatory and hell, or is it one or the other? I am interested, not critical!

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Answers. 15 helpful answers below.

  • by Randoley on May 10th, 2009

    Randoley

    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.

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  • by the Otter on May 10th, 2009

    the Otter

    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!

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  • by D__Yankee on May 10th, 2009

    D__Yankee

    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.

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  • by laie_techie on May 10th, 2009

    laie_techie

    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.

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  • by Go know thyself is THE RED QUEEN on May 13th, 2009

    Go know thyself is THE RED QUEEN

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

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  • by ImaCatholic2 on May 13th, 2009

    ImaCatholic2

    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.

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  • by autumn leaves on May 13th, 2009

    autumn leaves

    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.

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  • by Caffenated llama of flourescent doom on May 11th, 2009

    Caffenated llama of flourescent doom

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

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  • by ninjax7 on May 11th, 2009

    ninjax7

    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.

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  • by thatsJustme on May 11th, 2009

    thatsJustme

    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..:)

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  • by Cruiser on May 11th, 2009

    Cruiser

    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

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  • by Uluru on May 10th, 2009

    Uluru

    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.

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  • by anonaymoose on May 10th, 2009

    anonaymoose

    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...

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  • by Don Gorgeous George on May 11th, 2009

    Don Gorgeous George

    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.

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  • by Christine on March 18th, 2011

    Christine

    Well, my beliefs are my own, and don't exactly fit anyone else's teachings, but I certainly believe in something like purgatory and Hell and know I will be going to one of them, hopefully the former.

    I think purgatory can be anything from a place of brief reflection to a place of seemingly (but not actually) endless torment more painful than anything in the universe depending on a person's actions and attitudes in life. I know I have led a sheltered, insulated, privileged life compared to most people, and I continue to spend more on luxuries for me than on those who could use it more. On top of that, well, I've technically saved myself for marriage, but I stayed in relationships I shouldn't have stayed in and led people on that I shouldn't have and I know that is going to cost me, perhaps as much relative to eternity as the pain I caused is relative to this life. At the same time I think I am secretly fascinated by purgatory, almost as though it were some sort of super scary roller coaster, as though the fear and adrenaline of finding myself there would be worth the ages of private, lonely, torment. At least in purgatory, I'd know I still have Heaven and being reunited with my soul mate to which to look forward. (I think he'll have to go to purgatory too, but they probably won't let us be together until we get out.) As for what happens, only God and me and my soul mate will ever know or be able to talk about it. Whatever it is will probably get worse and worse before it gets better, and burning alive will be the easy part.

    I know God loves everyone, and I definitely sense it, but I also think that part of what makes this life exciting is the fact that Heaven is not certain for any of us. Even when I am modest I am secretly self-righteous and judgmental. I don't think any of my close friends are going to Hell, but most of them are living in perpetual adultery because they had sex before marriage and did not marry their first boyfriends. I figure if they aren't going to Hell for that (and I don't think they are,) then I must be extra safe.

    As for Hell, it is the complete absence of God. A single moment would be more painful than spending all of time in the very worst of purgatory. Nothing would limit the pain, not even logic, and it would last forever. Nothing will make sense. Demons and all manner of evil will appear out of nothing just to torture the damned. Even after a centillion->centillion->centillion years it would still be as nothing next to the time ahead. God would rescue everyone immediately, but since Hell is the absence of God, God won't even know about it or anything that goes on there.

    I think almost everyone goes to purgatory, some for a time of reflection, others for brief punishment, and others for seemingly endless punishment. Most Americans probably fall into the latter category as we have it so well compared to most of the rest of the world, and so many Americans live such immoral lives. Still, better to be stuck in purgatory for almost forever than to spend a moment in Hell.

    I think only the most unrepentant murderers, confirmed atheists, some willful agnostics, and maybe people who talk during the movies will go to Hell. There is no excuse for denying God or taking innocent life, and people who reject morality in this life cannot expect it in the next.

    That's what I believe. I suspect that God is much more merciful than I think, but I'd rather fear the worst and be happily surprised than expect instant forgiveness and find myself out of God's sight and knowledge forever with all eternity for the demons to learn how to hurt me.

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