What exactly is "Purgatory"?

Question

My mom told me when you die and you weren't exactly good, but you weren't exactly bad, you go to purgatory. But some other people told me EARTH is purgatory! So what is it? WHERE is it? What is its purpose??
I don't believe in Christianity but I do want a basic understanding of what its ideas are.

Answer 1

Sweetie, sorry but that is just a load of bull that came from the Catholic church. When you die, you are dead, asleep in your grave until Jesus resurrects you. Read Eccl. 9:5

Answer 2

Biblical Proof of Purgatory:

Luke 16:19-31 Lazarus and the rich man
1 Peter 3:18-20, and 4:6 Jesus preached to the souls of the dead who were in prison.

Catholics believe that Rev 21:27 speaks literally. Namely that nothing unclean shall enter into heaven. Purgatory is a place of purification.

2 Macc 12:44-46 atoned for dead to free them from sin
1 Cor 3:10-15 suffer loss, but saved as through fire (note future tense of words)
Heb 9:27 appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment.
Mk 9:49 For everyone will be salted with fire.
2 Tim 1:16-18 Paul prays for dead friend Onesiphorus
Mt 12:36 account for every idle word
Mt 5:26 you will not be released until you paid the last penny.

Answer 3

purgatory is a Roman Catholic idea, (Anglicans who are also catholic,but small c ) not one that is really taught at school any moreat least not when I was there.
Historically,it actually doesn't matter how "good or bad" you are you go to purgatory. the time you spend there does depend however on how many indulgences you paid before you die. or how many your family paid after you died. Indulgences where donations you made to the church. if you went on a pilgramage it also took time off purgatory. also the crusades became poplur because it was often a straight ticket to heaven you didn't have to go to purgetory. only the pope could give this dispensation. think of the early church as the first investment banker. you where investing in a shorter time in purgatory.
today we "pay' indulgenmces by donations or when you light a candle in church for someone or paying for a mass in someone's honour.
as for understanding basic ideas you need to find out about your own family traditions which ever path of christianity you follow. get a good book that gives and introduction to different christian beliefs and ask lots of question. good luck

Answer 4

Catholics believe in Purgatory.

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 5

For everything we do there is a consequence. When we do good, God rewards us. When we sin, we must make up for the consequences of our sins before we enter heaven.
Purgatory is where our souls go if we are not ready to enter heaven. We stay there until our punishment is over. Think of it as a waiting room to heaven. The time there depends upon our life here.
Some people, by accepting suffering they have no control over, can give this suffering to God for others or to make up for past sins. In this way Purgatory can be experienced in this life and made shorter in the next. We can also do good deeds or pray to make up for our sins.

Answer 6

Purgatory is a place where souls become perfected. Since God is perfect, souls should be in a clean state before being physically with God. Luckily, unlike Hell, purgatory is not eternal. The length of time spent in purgatory is individualized, but we will be with God when we're finished.

Purgatory may be as long as centuries in the case of the more guilty souls, or of those who, being excluded from the Catholic communion, are deprived of the suffrages of the Church, although by the divine mercy they have escaped Hell.

If you read about Mary in Fatima, she was asked if an 18 year old girl was in Heaven - Mary said she would be in purgatory until the end of time.
When we're alive, we can change our fate. By prayers, especially the Rosary, being good, receiving the Eucharist, and helping others we can probably reduce our time in purgatory. It all comes down to how pure our soul is.

At the end of the world, purgatory also ends. God will reconcile His justice in the purification of the last members of humankind. Then God will make His final judgement of Heaven or Hell. This judgement will be permanent.

God Bless You

Answer 7

purgatory - Online Etymology Dictionary
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=purgatory
"c.1225, from M.L. purgatorium (St. Bernard, c.1130), from L.L., "means of cleansing," prop. neut. of purgatorius (adj.) "purging, cleansing," from L. purgare (see purge)."

The Bible was completed (98c.) over a thousand years Prior
to the coining of the word "purgatory".

There are basically 2 Christianities. Both were prophesied about by Christ. However, only one actually follows Christ, which is exactly how he said it would be. Christ taught truth, as found in the Bible. Those who don't follow him --though they claim to-- teach things contradictory to the Bible ...

Should You Be Afraid of Death? :
- What Is Your View of Death?
- - Baffled, or Alienated by Death, A Subject to Ponder
- A Closer Look at Some Myths About Death
- - Myth 1: Death is the natural end of life.
- - Myth 2: God takes people in death to be with him.
- - Myth 3: God takes little children to become angels.
- - Myth 4: Some people are tormented after death.
- - Myth 5: Death means the permanent end of our existence.
- - Compare Some Common Myths with What Scriptures Say
http://watchtower.org/e/20020601/article_01.htm

Christendom Has Betrayed God and the Bible ...
- Unbiblical Doctrines
- Ungodly Actions
- Not Christian
http://watchtower.org/library/pr/article_04.htm

Death--Can We Understand It? :
- Death's Devastating Effects
- "Death Is Swallowed Up Forever"
http://watchtower.org/e/20050815/article_01.htm

Is There Life After Death?
- Do You Have an Immortal Spirit?
- - What Is the Spirit?
- - "To Dust You Will Return"
- - The Spirit "Returns to the True God"
- - A Sure Hope!
http://watchtower.org/e/20010715/article_01.htm

Answer 8

CATHOLIC DOCTRINE-Purgatory ( 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. All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. The Church gives the name Purgatory to this final purification of the elect, which is entirely different from the punishment of the damned. The Church formulated her doctrine of faith on Purgatory especially at the Councils of Florence and Trent. The tradition of the Church, by reference to certain texts of Scripture, speaks of a cleansing fire: As for certain lesser faults, we must believe that, before the Final Judgment, there is a purifying fire. He who is truth says that whoever utters blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will be pardoned neither in this age nor in the age to come. From this sentence we understand that certain offenses can be forgiven in this age, but certain others in the age to come.
This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin." From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God. The Church also commends almsgiving, indulgences, and works of penance undertaken on behalf of the dead:

Answer 9

Purgatory is NOT, I repeat, NOT a real place.
It is a fictional place that the Catholic faith has created for souls that have not yet been determined where they are destined, whether it is Heaven or Hell.
The Bible CLEARLY states that if a person chooses not to accept Jesus Christ as his/her personal Savior, by the time he or she dies, then that person has CHOSEN to go to Hell. End of story.
All people, except for Jesus Christ, who have walked the earth have sinned, and we need Jesus Christ so that our sins can be forgiven.
Please do not hesitate to ask him into your heart because none of us knows how long we will live.
And after you have died, you cannot make a choice for Jesus; you have already made your decision to deny Him while you were living if you don't accept him before you die.

Answer 10

Not exactly earth as you see it, but on a certain level where the restless spirits are still roaming among us and could be seen as ghosts, orbs, and among others.... dead people and their soul is roaming around the earth, aimlessly is where Purgatory is.

Answer 11

Purgatory is Catholic nonsense. Jesus abolished the idea when the theif on the cross was told "THIS DAY you will be with me in paradise" He didnt say two years, twenty years or two days. He said THIS DAY. And this guy was a theif his whole life that just accpeted Jesus 2 seconds ago. If there was a purgatory, he would have been there.

Cathoilcs teach you must be good to go to heaven. Thats false. Its nice to be good, but the only way into heaven is accepting Jesus as your substitute for sin. G-d demands blood for sin. So if you claim Jesus blood as your own, you will enter the kingdom of heaven! Here is a cool slideshow that shows why Catholic system is evil. Be a real Christian, not a Catholic!!
http://www.remnantofgod.org/flash/acssmenu.html

Email me anytime
David T