For Catholics?

Question

The Bible is the only legitimate authority, so that's where I would like YOU to give me the teaching please. Where in the scripture do you find any teaching whatsoever on Pergatory?

Sheadoga,
Yes indeedy, I'm 100% sola scriptor.

fr chuck,
Nope, didn't cut it.

shakeragroad,
Thank you for your time, but that's just Catholic doctrine that is unscriptural.

Answer 1

I am a former Catholic, and now simply consider myself a spiritual student, ever searching.

I agree with you. I am no longer Catholic because I cannot reconcile myself to many of the man-made theologies of the Church.

The myth of purgatory is but one of those. Other nonsensical indoctrinations include: no sex without marriage, no birth control. which has led to countless teenage pregnancies as well as to abortions!, the unnatural vow of chastity, which has led to the abuse of countless vulnerable parishioners, mostly children, and the list goes on. Oh, how about the one about limbo, similar to purgatory, but where unbaptized babies go? Ridiculous.

God loves us all, does not punish or judge us because these are human traits which cannot be ascribed to God.

Answer 2

++ Authority ++

The Catholic Church does not only use Holy Scripture for the basis of doctrine. It could not. The early Catholic church existed before and during the time that the New Testament was written (by Catholics).

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit was guiding the early church (and is guiding the church today) to make the correct choices about things like:
- The Holy Trinity (which is also only hinted at in the Bible)
- Going to church on Sunday instead of Saturday (which is actually directly against one of the Ten Commandments)
- The Communion of Saints
- Which writings include in the New Testament?

Things that are even more modern like
- Slavery is bad. Slavery is never declared evil in the Bible. This is one of the justifications for slavery in the Confederate States.
- Democracy is good. The Bible states that either God should be the leader of the nation like Israel before the kings or kings should be the leader, "Give to Caesar that which is Caesar's." This was talked about a lot during the American Revolution.

This second source of doctrine is called Holy Tradition.


++ Purgatory ++

"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

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 their way to heaven. I don't think Mother Teresa of Calcutta had a very hard time of it.

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

It is your first statement that is the problem. Catholics don't believe the only legitmate authority is the Bible. There's that dude called the Pope over in Rome that also has authority in the Catholic Church. . .

Purgatory (Lat., "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.

The faith of the Church concerning purgatory is clearly expressed in the Decree of Union drawn up by the Council of Florence (Mansi, t. XXXI, col. 1031), and in the decree of the Council of Trent which (Sess. XXV) defined:


"Whereas the Catholic Church, instructed by the Holy Ghost, has from the Sacred Scriptures and the ancient tradition of the Fathers taught in Councils and very recently in this Ecumenical synod (Sess. VI, cap. XXX; Sess. XXII cap.ii, iii) that there is a purgatory, and that the souls therein are helped by the suffrages of the faithful, but principally by the acceptable Sacrifice of the Altar; the Holy Synod enjoins on the Bishops that they diligently endeavor to have the sound doctrine of the Fathers in Councils regarding purgatory everywhere taught and preached, held and believed by the faithful" (Denzinger, "Enchiridon", 983).
Further than this the definitions of the Church do not go, but the tradition of the Fathers and the Schoolmen must be consulted to explain the teachings of the councils, and to make clear the belief and the practices of the faithful.

Answer 4

Well, I don't know what you believe, but I think that you are forgetting the Tradition. It is also very important. Besides, whether there is a Purgatory or not is not so important. Personally I think that it is logical. But there is no way to prove that there is or not a Purgatory, therefore, arguing about it is pointless. Some people, I don't know whether you are included, use the Bible as a convenience store and God as their butler.
They say: "I don't like this part of the Bible, therefore I will not do it. I like this part, I will do it.
I never thought that some people would customize God according to their wishes, but I have seen that some people do

Answer 5

In the bible, the books the Protestants took out when they broke away from the Church.

And even the bible tells you to respect tradition also ( do a search you will find it also)

Also even in the remaining part of the bible non catholics use, we know that a tree will be judged by the friuts it bears,

And I guess if you are not brought to heaven untill judgement day,

But we know that the saints are alive ( moses for example in the new testement) ( the thief who was to see Jesus in Paridise the next day ( but christ has not risen to heaven yet)

So where is Paridise, it can't be heaven since christ has not rised yet, it can't be hell, perhaps purgatory.

Answer 6

sure, i'm a practising Catholic. I do sense undesirable whilst, at Christmas and Easter, all those "two times a year" Catholics come out - yet then I comprehend that it would desire to be worse. it would desire to o.k. be conceivable they do no longer come out in any respect. it particularly is trouble-free for somebody, who attends Church each week, to circulate to Mass on Christmas, Easter, and Holy Days of legal accountability. I frequently ask your self purely how plenty harder it is for human beings, who do no longer attend Mass many times, to get out and circulate to Mass some time according to year. we can't think of it, because of the fact all of us be attentive to what we would be lacking. i do no longer think of those "two times a year" kinds can completely delight in what it is they are lacking. in the event that they did, they had be at Mass better than two times a year. i'm proud to be Catholic, so it particularly is all the greater disappointing as quickly as I see human beings taking an "oh hum: innovations-set in the direction of their vocation as lay Catholics. All we are in a position to truly do approximately it is pray, and want that they occasion we set will, sometime, inspire them to start residing the Catholic way of existence all year around.

Answer 7

Oh the Catholics have indeed added a few details to the bible, as has nearly every Christian religion.

Answer 8

Don't know cause I'm non-catholic and I don't read the bible. But I'll tell you that half the bible doesn't make since to me to know if it's true or false.

Answer 9

if you want to find some good thinking by Catholics on this area the Catholic Encyclopedia spells out their entire belief on it.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm

Just remember anyone who comes to the bible to prove an agenda can get whatever meaning that they want from it.

Answer 10

john 3. read this an then consider. ask Jesus into your life and be born again by the power of the Gospel (an actual real life event in your real life) if you do this in a prayer sincerely God will answer you!