D -
I confess, I'm really pretty lost in understanding what you are conveying (sorry! forgive!). And it's getting worse with every one of your posts! I think you framing all this in terms of PURGATORY - a very specific, technical, unique, new dogma of just one denomination - probably is throwing me off.
I know that some Evangelicals embrace a sort of brand new "spin" on the medieval RCC invention of Purgatory (Charles Stanley is usually associated with this - although he is careful to never use the word "purgatory" to speak of this new "Evangelical" invention - which, BTW, is a result of the same Pelagian/synergistic model that the RCC had to produce Purgatory nearly 1000 years earlier). But I don't think that's what you are suggesting (although I think some others suspect it is).
Maybe you could back up...... and clearly state EXACTLY what you are suggesting (and leave out the word "Purgatory" unless you really are referring to the very specific, very controversal, new, unique Dogma of the singular RC denomination)? That might help. Because I DO want to understand what you are suggesting....
Pax Christi
- Josiah
PS Just for clarity sake: In Catholic theology, Purgatory has NOTHING to do with hell. It has to do with requirements for heaven.
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I feel many in faith have many scales over their eyes. They cannot get passed what the group fills fit for acceptance and if you step out of line, you are condemned a heretic. Strip down the church and what you have is people, God wants people and not idols or new ideas invited into the church. For if even the apostles or an angel of light taught anything different than what the bible says they are accursed.
With this being said we need to get passed the assault of of manmade theories and suggestions of what hell has become. Most Catholics believe protestants are hellbound and vise versa, do we really seriously believe that any man with the mark of God on his forehead will suffer immensely and eternally in scourging flames and never burn up but be tortured forever and ever? God forbid, it is NOT scriptural it was early heretics introduced into the church, drawing in converts by superstitious Zoroastrian beliefs to command all Christians under the law of Rome.
Reformation helped shape things up so we shouldnt be damning one another anymore and also, while i am on the subject, since when was it okay to name churches after men? 1 cor. 12 should sink in, did Luther die for your sins?
The idea of purgatory is half truth, it had potential but now has lost all effect as it the whole idea is thrown out as dogma, who wins now?
I will struggle to paint a picture so please forgive me. Apply the same "idea" of purgatory to this current world we live in, and instead of literal fire use the symbolic fire as described in Isaiah 43:2, now then, we know that sinners have no eternity
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
1 John 3:15
So those buried in Christ accepts his father and has God in their forehead, the reward is with thee according to thy works.
Those who reject Christ and is buried in sin had their reward on earth but are now forever dead. God does not want that evil character called the devil, rebellious sinning personality of Satan around forever, hence they have no eternal existence. God is omnipresent and as long as this "character, personality" continues it will squirm as usual in our consuming fire until "it" is done away with for good not burning for ever but burnt up. Death will be no more and hell will be no more all things will be made new, a new universe with no more death and no more tears or agony or misery, the new earth will have no shade of darkness as the heaven will be illuminated having no need for a sun.
Something like that but not the hanging by the tongue over a constant flame with screaming demons and a horned red devil with a trident laughing wagging its tail. That is silly man made exaggeration and error, story telling beast that get kicks out of pressing fear, except this one got into the church and both protestants and catholics cant get out of it.