Was purgatory made up by Catholics to give them peace of mind?

Question

(I was rasied catholic)

It is nowhere in the bible. I am wondering where purgatory came about and why Catholics belive so heavly in the idea that it exists.

Answer 1

The catholic church claims such nonsence to serve it's own purpose. What they quote from the Bible as their proof has nothing what so ever with what they are talking about. The catholic church really is the blind leading the blind. I don't say that to be mean either. It's just simply true.

And when they can't prove what they want people to believe from their Bible, then they claim that the Bible has error in it or that we only have part of God's Word to begin with so what do you expect, etc.

Their comment here is partly true. If you read from anyone of the books written on the behalf of the vatican for the past so many years (NIV, NASV, RAS, JB, etc.) all of them do have error in them. There is a lot missing from them. However, if they would read from the King James Bible, they wouldn't have those problems. But it is against State Law of the vatican to have anything to do with the King James Bible if you are a catholic. I know. I use to be one.

Answer 2

+ Purgatory +

The concept of purgation is hinted at in the Bible. Here are a couple of places:

"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 on earth into perfect beings in heaven. 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.

+ Sources of Doctrine +

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

Catholics also 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)
- Which books to include in the New Testament?
- How do our imperfect selves on earth get to be perfect in heaven?

This second source of doctrine is called Apostolic Tradition.

For more information, see the Catechism of the Catholic Church, section 1030: http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt1sect2chpt3art12.htm#1030

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 3

Purgatory

On Purgatory
http://scripturecatholic.com/purgatory.html

Catholic Encyclopedia on Purgatory
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12575a.htm

More on Purgatory
http://www.catholic.com/library/Purgatory.asp

The Roots of Purgatory
http://www.catholic.com/library/Roots_of_Purgatory.asp

Purgatory, Fact or Fiction?
http://home.inreach.com/~bstanley/purg.htm

Purgatory
Purification necessary for heaven Heb 12:14; Rev 21:27
An intermediate state of purification Mt 5:26; Lk 12:58-59
Degrees of expiation of sins Lk 12:47-48
Can be aided by prayer 2Mac 12:45
Salvation; but only as through fire 1Cor 3:15
Temporary agony 1 Cor 3:15; Mt 5:25-26
Christ preached to spiritual beings 1 Pet 3:19
Nothing unclean shall enter heaven Rev 21:27
Sacrifice for the dead 2 Mac 12:43-46
A reality beyond the two realms of Heaven and Earth a place between or near 2 Cor 5:10; Rev; 5: 2;3 Rev; 5:23; Phil 2:10; Matt 18: 23-25 Luke 23:42
No forgiveness in this age nor in the age to come. Mt 12:32
"Extra" suffering. Col 1:24; 2 Sam 12:14

Scripture Alone? Is Half the Story Sufficient?
http://www.call2holiness.org/ScriptureAlone/ScriptureAlone.htm

Answer 4

Life After Death—What Do People Believe?

The fifth-century B.C.E. Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato are credited with being among the first to advance the belief that the soul is immortal. Yet, they were not the originators of the idea. Rather, they polished and transformed it into a philosophical teaching, thus making it more appealing to the cultured classes of their day and beyond.The question, then, is, What is the source of this teaching?

But did the ancient Babylonians believe in the immortality of the soul?Babylonians believed that life of some kind, in some form, continued after death. They expressed this by burying objects with the dead for their use in the Hereafter.Clearly, the teaching of the immortality of the soul goes back to ancient Babylon.

In India the idea of an immortal soul took the form of the doctrine of reincarnation. Hindu sages, grappling with the universal problem of evil and suffering among humans, came to what is called the law of Karma, the law of cause and effect. Combining this law with belief in the immortality of the soul, they arrived at the teaching of reincarnation, whereby merits and demerits in one life are said to be rewarded or punished in the next. The goal of the faithful is moksha, or liberation from the cycle of rebirths and unification with what is called the ultimate reality, or Nirvana. Over the centuries, as Hinduism spread, so did the teaching of reincarnation. And this doctrine has become the mainstay of present-day Hinduism.

When and how, though, did this “pagan philosophical dogma” infiltrate Christendom? The New Encyclopædia Britannica explains: “From the middle of the 2nd century AD Christians who had some training in Greek philosophy began to feel the need to express their faith in its terms, both for their own intellectual satisfaction and in order to convert educated pagans. The philosophy that suited them best was Platonism.” Two such early philosophers who wielded a great deal of influence on Christendom’s doctrines were Origen of Alexandria and Augustine of Hippo. Both were deeply influenced by Plato’s ideas and were instrumental in fusing those ideas with Christian teachings.

While the idea of the immortality of the soul in Judaism and Christendom is due to Platonic influence, the concept was built into Islam from its beginning. The Koran, the holy book of Islam, teaches that man has a soul that goes on living after death. It speaks of the final destiny for the soul as being either life in a heavenly garden of paradise or punishment in a burning hell.
Clearly, religions around the world have developed a bewildering array of beliefs in the Hereafter, based on the teaching that the soul is immortal. And such beliefs have affected, yes, even dominated and enslaved billions of people.

It's a man made Doctrine Plain an simple... Not Biblical Check out the link below for ur own understanding in the Encyclopedia...


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory_and_world_religions

Answer 5

The doctrine of purgatory was first explicitly formulated in the 12th century, yes the catholics invented it for political and economic reasons.The Eastern Orthodox Church does not recognize Purgatory.The tradition of purgatory arose originally as part of the universal practice of caring for the dead, and specifically from the ancient Christian practice or praying for and celebrating the Eucharist for departed Christians Prayer for the dead, in the belief that the dead are thereby benefitted, is mentioned already in the pre-Christian deuterocanonical 2 Maccabees 12:46 ("Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin") and is part of the practice of all the ancient Christian Churches.

Answer 6

The heresy of Catholics with its ritualistic works based salvation recognizes that it's standards for salvation is far above the behavior of its membership. So purgatory was a way to compensate. Plus they used to make money off of it by sell "indulgences" which could pay off people's time in purgatory. (Bit of a mafia racket)

Answer 7

I don't know why it was invented by the church, but you are right - it is nowhere in the Bible.

Answer 8

Purgatory is very biblical and not made up.

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.

Psalm 51:6-10 reads:

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being;
therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Fill me with joy and gladness;
let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice.
Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.

Likewise, John the Apostle writes, "Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. And every one who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3).

In this life, the process of purification from sin is called "sanctification." Purgatory is the culmination of that process by which a human being who has died in the grace of God is made utterly and completely full of the life of the Blessed Trinity and perfectly "conformed to the image of Christ" (Romans 8:29).

When does sanctification start and end?

Sanctification starts the moment a human being surrenders to Jesus. Jesus welcomes anyone who comes to him by faith (John 3:16). But he welcomes us in order to transform us (Romans 12:2). Therefore, our relationship with Jesus is a cooperative struggle in which his Holy Spirit helps us fulfill the promise of holiness planted in our hearts in baptism. This process is well described by Peter, who writes "By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:3-7). Sanctification will continue, according to Paul, until "he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:6). In short, God will not rest until we are completely blessed and happy. If the process is not finished when we die, then God completes it in Purgatory. That is why Purgatory is not a "second chance". All who are in Purgatory have, in fact, died "in God's grace and friendship"
All the souls in Purgatory are absolutely assured of seeing God's face. They simply do not yet see it fully.


The first mention of Purgatory in the Bible is in 2 Maccabees 12:46: "Thus he made atonement for the dead that they might be freed from sin."

Granted 2 Maccabees may not be in Protestant Bibles, but even if it cannot be used doctrinally then it at least has to have some historical worth. In it we can see what the pre-Christian community believed.

In Chapter 12 we can see Scriptural proof for Purgatory and evidence that the Jews had sacrifices offered for those of their brothers who had lost their lives in battle. That the Jews prayed for the dead shows that they believed in a place where they could be helped (now called Purgatory) and that the prayers of their living brothers and sisters could help them in that place.



In Matthew 5:26 Christ is condemning sin and speaks of liberation only after expiation. "Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny." Now we know that no last penny needs to be paid in Heaven and from Hell there is no liberation at all; hence the reference must apply to a third place.

Matthew 12:32 says, "And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come."

The same person as in the previously mentioned verse, Matthew, speaks of sin against the Holy Spirit. The implication is that some sins can be forgiven in the world to come. But not in Hell from which there is no liberation; nor in Heaven because nothing imperfect can enter it as we see in the next part. Any remission of sin cannot occur in either of these places because they are a final destination unlike purgatory.

Revelation 21:27: "...but nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who does abominable things or tells lies." The place that is to be entered (the place to which this passage refers) is heaven