Purgatory...

[Farsight one]

Let me first note that these are not beliefs that I hold to. The concepts just popped into my mind. I don't know if they directly contradict Church teachings or not, either.

1. So...is it possible that people in purgatory don't know they're in purgatory - that they think they are in hell? Perhaps this is part of the cleansing process. I know that it would help me to feel shame for my sins if I thought I had been sent to hell for them.

2. Or...perhaps purgatory is a review of your life. You are shown any and every sin you ever committed along with the harm that each of them ended up causing.

Any thoughts?

(yes, it's the middle of the night and yes I'm tired.)

[Galloglasses]

1. Doubtful, Mary is said to visit Purgetory every now ands again to give souls relief. I don't think Mary ever visits Hell. And there are no Demons in Purgetory as far as I know.

2. Interesting theory, that would be quite painful.

My own theories of Purgetory is that you are isolated from everyone else. A grey flat landscape, perpetually overcast sky and nothing but an uncomfortable rock to sit on for a few centuries. Either that or its some kind of washing machine for Souls. jk, don't eat me.

[thicke]

Here's my thoughts:

1. In my mind, that would amount to God lying to the poor souls in Purgatory. That of course won't happen.

2. If so, I am really in for a long stay.

[Galloglasses]

More to the point, if it is a cinema reel of the sins of your life, does it omit the sins that have been forgiven?

[Selah]

1. I agree with thicke on this one.

2. My theory is that there is a fire we go through for each sin. I don't think we go alone though. I believe our angel goes with us. Who knows? We may even be walking with and comforting another poor soul who is worse off than us.

Edited June 28, 2008 by Selah

[Ash Wednesday]

I thought we went through purgatory following judgment. So basically you know that you're in purgatory. I think the process itself would be very painful for many people and perhaps very severe depending on the gravity of sins committed, and in many cases you have the knowledge that you committed crimes that were worthy of hell -- but as you are in purgatory it is because you repented and were shown God's mercy. And that is a very humbling thing, indeed. But I think hell is a different situation entirely where there is absolutely no hope or consolation, and no repentance due to hardness of heart or despair, whereas you do have at least bits and pieces of hope in purgatory.

Purgatory is painful and for lack of a better word, I think some levels of it can feel "hell-ish" but hell, as an absense of God, is an abyss like no other.

Edited June 28, 2008 by Ash Wednesday

[Aloysius]

[quote name='Galloglasses' post='1585568' date='Jun 28 2008, 12:58 PM']More to the point, if it is a cinema reel of the sins of your life, does it omit the sins that have been forgiven?[/quote]
not if there is still damage that was caused by that sin that needs to be repaired... so if it's been forgiven and indulgenced, then it'd be omitted from the video reel I suppose.

the analogy of a review of your life is an interesting way to look at it, I think it's not really that type of experience but that the purification process gives you full realization of all the damage caused by the sins you have committed and as such you repair that damage to yourself... so you would sort of review your life but probably not by the experience of watching all your sins...

[CatherineM]

I could see the cinema reel of your life version as very painful. I don't think your forgiven sins would be excluded because it's like breaking your neighbor's window. He can forgive you, but that doesn't mean you aren't still going to have to pay for the window.

[HisChildForever]

Wouldn't it be crazy and super move-like if those of us now who are alive are really dead and in Purgatory and we just don't know it?! Kidding, kidding.

I think that Purgatory is painful because we not only realize that we have fallen short of Heaven due to our sins, but we feel tremendous guilt and shame because of the wrongs we have done. Perhaps we will feel the sorrow Christ felt when we committed them. But, we also feel hope because we know we have been forgiven, and that we will get to Heaven. Hell, however, is a much different kind of pain, because there is absolutely no God and no love there, so it's complete and utter anguish.

[Ash Wednesday]

I read somewhere about a mystic that received visions and according to their vision -- one of the reasons people feel pain in purgatory -- not just the aspect of "paying our dues" for sins committed, but also that deep sense of longing and desire for heaven that awaits them.

[havok579257]

Anybody read Dante's Inferno and his version of purgatory. Thoughts?

[Veridicus]

I would say the sanctifying punishments of purgatory fit the crime so to speak to an extent...the imagery of fire seems to be a prevailing scriptural and traditional theme however regardless of the sin.