Why don't Protestants believe in some kind of Purgatory?

Question

I've been doing a little research, and it seems that Jews, Muslims, Catholics and Orthodox believe in some kind of Purgatory, please correct me if I'm wrong about this.

So why don't Protestants believe in it also?

If it's not biblical, then how can God's chosen people believe in it?

All religions have been around longer than Protestantism has.

Answer 1

It's not biblical. That's why. Plain and simple!

Edit: to comment on your latter question. Who cares what religion has been around longer. It's not a popularity contest.
God was here before religion. The Bible is God breathed. His word says "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” .... nothing about a waiting room.

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Answer 2

I'm pretty sure Jews don't believe in any sort of "purgatory." Generally Jews believe if you're dead, you're dead. No afterlife at all, including a purgatory.

I know Muslims believe in an afterlife (the religion being invented 600 years after Christ, it makes sense that Christianity's idea of heaven would be adopted.) But I don't know the Muslim view on "purgatory." Rather than us "correct you if you're wrong," how about you prove to use your assumptions are correct?

For example, what are the scriptures in the Bible or Koran, that explain purgatory?

Purgatory is pretty much a man-made idea - like selling absolutions, and really isn't explained in the Bible. Protestants tend to believe and follow what's in the Bible, rather than edicts handed down by the Pope (when not to eat meat, the fact that a child's soul could go to Limbo, until the idea of Limbo was erased, for examples).

So, Protestants don't believe in a lot of the man-made rules of the Catholic church -- that's pretty much what makes Protestants Protestants.

Godspeed.

Answer 3

First
Non Catholic Christians have been around long before Catholics.

Now second. Jesus either paid in full for your sins or he did not. The Bible clearly says the wages of sins of sin is death. Either sin = death or it = purgatory.
Purgatory was invented by Catholics to raise money from indulgemnents.
I like that you are doing research. Stay objective in your selection of that research. Keep an open heart and a open mind and God will instruct you

Answer 4

The reason I have never thought Purgatory existed is because I can find absolutely no mention of it in the Bible.
I think it is alluded to in one of the Catholic Bible's additional books, but I haven't read those.
But the concept doesn't make sense to me.
Purgatory is but it isn't, a sort of half way between heaven and hell. Its like being pregnant, either you are or you are not. Same with heaven or hell. Either you're in or you're out.

Answer 5

Protestants do not believe in purgatory because thats what easter is for. You are forgiven for all of your sins, you do not have to go through a period of time punishing you for your sins or being perified for your sins.
Jews, Musliums, Catholics all began around the same time in History, and lived together in relative tolerance during the Arab/Islamic Empire from around 632 CE to about 945 CE. During this time of tolerance, they married and interacted with each other, basically intergrating their religions together. Assimilating things from each religion that they liked, and discarding what they did not like. When the Protestants broke away from the Catholic church, they wanted to get rid of all the pomp and circumstance of the Catholic Church.
Purgatory was one of the beliefs that was discarded, becuase to Protestants, if you pray to God and go to church you will be fine. You do not have to go through a period of time after you die before you are allowed to go through the gates.

Answer 6

Because Martin Luther removed that book from the Protestant Bible during the Protestant revolution. The NKJ Bible is missing several of the orginial books that were included in the orginial Bible. Most Protestant CHurches go by scripture alone, even though there was no scripture for several hundred years after Jesus except for the old testment. And there is no point in argueing with someone who doesn't have the full Bible, because they will always say its not in THEIR Bible, so it can't be true.

Answer 7

Because you can't find Purgatory in the King James Bible.

"In general, Protestant churches do not accept the doctrine of Purgatory. One of Protestantism's central tenets is Sola scriptura, a Latin phrase which translates to "Scripture alone". Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the basis for valid Christian Doctrine and, since the Protestant Bible contains no overt, explicit discussion of Purgatory (Protestants dismiss the second book of Maccabees, which advocates prayer for the dead, as un-canonical), Protestants reject it as an "unbiblical" belief.

Another tenet of Protestantism is Sola fide-- "By faith alone". While Catholicism regards both good works and faith as being essential to salvation, Protestants believe faith alone is sufficient to achieve salvation and that good works are evidence of that faith. Instead of distinguishing between mortal and venial sins, Protestants believe that one's faith dictates one's place in the afterlife. Those who have been "saved" by God are destined for heaven, while those have not been saved will be excluded from Heaven. Accordingly, they reject the notion of any "third state" or "third place" such as Purgatory."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory#Protestantism

Answer 8

The Catholics are going to officially change their view on the subject soon.

Answer 9

Catholics no more. The current Pope got rid of it.

Or don't you read the news. He joined the Proestants on that one.

Answer 10

The Jews say they dont believe in Hell anymore.

They used to.......you can see it in their older writings........ but it is more politically correct now to say they dont, so they wont step on any toes while they accomplish their goals using Christians.

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