Pope approves indulgences for visitors of Lourdes , discount off time in purgatory.?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7131088.stm

Where in the bible does it tell people about purgatory ?
Even if it did exist , Why would a man be able to give discounts ?
What makes the Pope think he can talk for God ?
Why do people listen to man made organisations pretending to be from God ?
Does the time discount include a price discount to get people out of purgatory ?

Does this discount include going to lourdes cricket ground ?

Johnatha...GET ?

Johnatha...I jumped in to quick , Thanks for your answer.

Answer 1

Good news clip that.

I liked the part where it says
''Indulgences became infamous in the 16th century for being sold rather than earned,''

Which really means , if you do wrong , dump a load of cash at the Pope and its all kool with God.

What a load of rubbish.

..As is.
''Purgatory is a kind of spiritual waiting room - for people who do not go directly to paradise or hell after death - to purify souls of residual sin before they enter heaven''

Which is something else totally not taught in the Bible.

Answer 2

What are the Christians babbling about now? there's no such component as a real Christian. in accordance to the teachings of the Christians, someone is meant to furnish all their worldly products away to the undesirable. I fairly have not started to work out this take position. clergymen and Popes stay off the fat of the land, at the same time as the peasants and surfs go in the course of the yolk of demanding labour and are informed, peace will are available heaven were all want and war will end. Crap! In my universe, there's no end of war and when I die, I anticipate to be charging for the era of an open area including Salisbury undeniable on my hand-equipped Celtic war chariot. i'd be with my ancestors doing war. better travellers bypass to Stonehenge than ever went to Lourdes or the different so-talked about as Christian website. Wodin!

Answer 3

+ Purgatory +

To discuss indulgences, first we have to talk about Purgation (or Purgatory).

The concept of purgation is hinted at in the Bible. Here are a few 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

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and no torment shall touch them. They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead; and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. For if before men, indeed, they be punished, yet is their hope full of immortality; Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed, because God tried them and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace, he proved them, and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself. Wisdom 3:1-6

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.

+ Indulgences +

The concept is that a person can do acts of penance now on earth to make purgation easier.

Penance is internally turning one's heart toward God and away from sin in hope in divine mercy and externally by fasting, prayer, and almsgiving.

A corruption grew in the Church many years ago where rich people would give enough alms (money to the Church) to essentially buy an easy way to heaven. This was one of Martin Luther's protests (hence Protestants) and shortly thereafter the Catholic Church cleaned up this practice.

In 1567 Pope Pius V canceled all grants of indulgences involving any fees or other financial transactions.

But remember because everyone in purgatory is already on their way to heaven, indulgences do not get you into heaven. They just make purgation easier.

I guess if you did not believe in purgatory then there would be no reason to worry about indulgences.

With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Read the Parable of the Unrepentant Servant. He was forgiven a great debt by his master, but refused to forgive the debt of a fellow servant. For this sin, he was thrown into prison. The prison is analogous to Purgatory.

Purgatory is the last justification of a saved person before he or she enters heaven.

The amount of time a person spnds in Purgatory depends on how close that person is to perfect holiness when he or she dies. The closer a person is to perfect holiness, the shortere the period of time in Purgatory needed to achieve perfect holiness.

There are things that we can do in this life to bring us closer to that holiness. That increase in holiness is callled gaining an indulgence.

There is more to gaining an indulgence than just showing up at a place. A person must also pray to God while at the place.

Answer 5

Well dear, the Pope does it because he can. Also remember that he is infallible. Perhaps you are not aware that should you question this, you are automatically damned.
This is not of great importance if you are protestant though because in that case, you are technically heretic hence damned already without any chance of salvation.
I know dear, that's a bit harsh but that's the way God set it up...

Of and you do know that the indulgence decree was signed by a US Cardinal.... Ain't that cool :-)

Answer 6

A pope (just a name) can do and say pretty much anything he wants to, BUT he still isn't God. He never will be. I find the pope's rather funny, how they think they have all this power. When judgement day comes, I won't be surprised at all to see the lot of them screaming from downstairs at those of us upstairs for mercy, just like Lazarus' brother!

Answer 7

Indulgences began in the Dark Ages. The early theologians forgot to tell the peasantry that there is no passage of time in Purgatory--just like in Heaven or Hell. Purgatory has its origins in the Jewish faith, just like a lot of other things. Man-made organizations continue to aspire to Godliness because there's money in it. BTW God's going to strike me dead if I don't raise a million dollars. Can you help?

Answer 8

Purgatory is kind of a trick. (I'm talking from a grammar school, Roman Catholic level.)

If you recite certain prayers, say, you get a certain dispensation - parole from Purgatory - like 300 days is pretty common. BUT that might not be much at all. Nowhere is it said how long purgatory lasts. It could be a billion years. So, you get cheezy cents-off coupons for "good time" in Purgatory. Big deal. I'm amazed that anyone over nine believes in God.

Answer 9

The pope is the antichrist,

and the next pope will be one of the seven who has already fallen, he is the final one

he will unite all religeons claim to be christ, and rally the world to destroy all chrisitans who do not bow before him, much like the spanish inquisition, and then he will raklly an army of 200 million to fight the mesiah in the plains of megaddo

seeing as one pope went around the world, and hugged and kissed other non chrisitan spiritual leaders and received their religious marks and kissed their holy books which deny Christ as God, it's not much wonder as to who it is going to be

Answer 10

dueteronamy
that which you loosen on earth is loosened in heaven
The pope is gods earthly sheperd
ummm catholic church is the first and only true authentic christian religion
just as you may apply roserys to other people I can imagine you could apply this.