To Christians. Is there anything akin to purgatory in your religion?

Question

Serious answers only, please. And I know Catholics have it, and Islam have something sorta like it in Barzahk

Answer 1

There is an "intermediary" location after death but before the End Times...

The following is taken from Luke 16: 22-31 (Entire parable is Luke 16:19-31)

"So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'

But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.

And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

The he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, they you would send him in my father's house,

for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'

Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'

And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'

But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.' "

The word Hades is a generic term for a 'place of the dead.' A different Greek word is used for both heaven and the lake of fire in Revelation. At the same time, the description of the place the rich man and Lazarus were in, as well as the wording "As being in the torments of Hades..." describes a place that is neither heaven nor hell, but cannot be equal to the Catholic purgatory for two reasons: both the rich man and Lazarus received what is due to them immediately (as opposed to the Catholic theory that purgatory has no reward nor punishment, a neutral zone), and that there is no way to cross over to either side (as opposed to how praying for the sould in purgatory could bring one over to the other side).

Another point of note is that once dead, there is no way for the spirit to return to the land of the living, which puts serious question into what people who see ghosts or spirits of loved ones are actually seeing... The only exception is Christ, who was resurrected from the dead, and prophetically mentioned in the last verse "neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."

Answer 2

Sarge,

If you were ever Catholic, you were either taught VERY poorly or you never listened!

Catholics DO NOT worship Mary or Statues.

As for purgatory, Catholics believe that to get into Heaven we have to be at the same level as the Saints, for most of us (me included) I am sure that no matter how hard I try, I won't become a Saint on earth.

Purgatory is a time of Soul Cleansing so that we can become Saintly and enter into Heaven to be with God.

Peace!

Answer 3

Yes, Catholics do believe in a place called "purgatory" but there is no Biblical reference to support it.

"Non-Catholic positions include the Left Behind Theory, which states that upon death one's imperfections are left behind on earth. The main Protestant belief of an instantaneous and painless event, glorification, however, generally is not referred to by the term purgatory. Certain Islamic, Jewish, and Zoroastrian beliefs are sometimes interpreted to be equivalent to purgatory."

Answer 4

I'm an ex-Catholic. Christians do not believe in purgatory because it is an invention of the corrupt and paganistic Catholic church. As for that guy "Re Fined's" answer that Catholics are Christians....that's not true. Christians believe that Jesus is the only way to the Father, while Catholics worship Mary and all sorts of saints. I've even seen misguided Catholics praying to statues...offering candles and kissing their feet.

Answer 5

In a word, yes. Herein lies the problem; many modern churches simply no longer teach the bible and its meanings, rather they simply dispense "feel good" sermons nowadays. However in the book of life "the tree of life in paradise" Revelations 2:7 is the same "garden of God" where Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:4) lived before being expelled. This paradise is mentioned in several other places also. During Pauls' discourse in II Corinthians where he speaks (possibly himself?) of a man he know 14 years ago whether in the body or out of the body he does not know but 'this man' was taken up to 'paradise' and there he learned unspeakable things not lawful for man to speak of. When Yahshua was on the cross between the two thieves in the book of Luke he told the one thief who defended why they were on the cross and why the Christ shouldnt be...Christ answered; "today i tell you, you will be with me in paradise" According to scripture not all who are accepted by Yahweh (God) are going to heaven. The faithful will be transformed (II Corinthians 15:51-53) at the last trumpet and taken up. The rest will await the return of Yahshua (in the greek = Jesus) on earth when He builds the new Jerusalem here on earth. So there are three destinations for Christians in the Bible; heaven, hell and the new paradise which really isnt "purgatory" as this term sort of indicates a sort of holding area where your fate is being decided. This is NOT supported by scripture. Our fate is decided everyday by our actions and will be judged accordingly. So in a word; "NO" there is no purgatory {supported by scripture} its a by-product of the false church (not religion or denomination) but false church as false teachings that are not scripturally supported like "easter" "good friday" and "christmas" none of these are scripturally accurate or historically supported as having ANYTHING to do with Christianity. Any christian who celebrates these pagan holidays is in danger of judgement and being counted among the false church of the end times which we are in right now.

Answer 6

I am Studying the OUTER DARKNESS----Hell is hell, but Outer Darkness is Something Else, or the BIBLE woulda' said Hell.
I am starting to Believe that Outer Darkness is a place where there is Torment, but only untill you get Purged of the Stinking Thinking you picked-up on the EARTH.
I think (right now) that Outer Darkness is a Purgatory Kinda' Like Place where GOD Purge's you of Wrong Thought's that get Deep into your Spirit Mind (First Mind) by thinking them a long time in your SOUL (Second Mind)----you Mentally Agree with your Soul and if you do that long enough, it will get down into YOU , a Spirit, with a Mind (First Mind---you!)
Hope this helps.

Answer 7

I am a bit odd. I am a Christian, however I do not believe in hell. I think we are in kind of a hell right now, or more of a proving ground as you will. I believe that if you are generally a nice person, don't hurt people, esp. kids and the elderly, don't take things that do not belong to you, be true to your spouse, work hard, take care of the land, apologize when you are wrong, and try to have fun, but not at anyone else's expense you will go to the great beyond. Whatever that is. I do not believe there are 72 virgins waiting for me, but I hope that it is a peaceful and happy place. I also hope that my 5 year old son who passed away 12 years ago is waiting for me. I also hope there is a God, because I have a whole lot of questions for him or her.
I think if you are not a good person, when you die, your soul just dies with you. The end, nothing else.

Answer 8

No offense to you or other "Christians" so often so narrowly defined, but the Catholic faith is as much Chritian based as others stating to be.

Religion is TRUTH, not FACT, and that truth helps us define our belief systems and attitudes.

Does it really matter though???

In any faith, what is usually the accepted mode of living in it's context, concept, and teachings? Peace,,, Love,,, Even the Golden Rule perhaps.

Purgatory is as much a belief as any other preachings, but one based on fear of what we do in the current life we have. Is it any better to live a sinful, innapropriate existance, then ask for forgiveness in our final breaths, or live a life that is as free of misdeeds as possible, believing that at some point we end in a transitory place, waiting to be exhonerated, or accepted into whatever defining place Heaven may be????

Rev. Steven

Answer 9

guhralfromhell,
Though some Roman Catholics are christian, it is an errant doctrine that they support that accepts purgatory. Many religions do accept it, including the pagan ones that embraced the concept.

Protestant Christians do not accept the concept of Purgatory. If there is one, I am unaware of it.

Answer 10

a Catholic's teacher of mine said there is no concepts of purgatory in Catholics. It it's a concept of ancient religion in india or maya. Thats I know