Is there such a thing as purgatory?

[Beloved]

I was wondering if there is such a thing as purgatory, as in a place where spirits go to wait for judgment before going to heaven or hell.

I've always thought purgatory was started by Catholics. They also say that when you commit suicide, you bypass purgatory and go straight to hell for taking your own life.

Its been my thought, and what I've observed in Christianity is that once you die you go straight to heaven or hell.

But after reading the Book of Enoch, I think going straight to heaven or hell after death [or separation from the body] is an incomplete teaching. It speaks of holding chambers [4 columns] that spirits are divided in and they wait for judgment and its all under the base of a mountain.

Purgatory seems to explain a lot of things. As in what happens after a person dies and how spirits go to either heaven or hell. It only makes sense that a process must happen and they are judged.

Also, when Jesus comes back, aren't a lot of the dead supposed to rise with him or something? They're dead already and waiting for Jesus's return. So where are they waiting for him?

Could it be possible that in purgatory spirits find ways to channel back to the earth? As in ghosts? Since they seem to be in this “middle” sort of place and not exactly in heaven or hell yet. It's my thought that once in heaven or hell, there's no getting out of either once you're there. [Well people can't get out but angels and demons can.]

Ghosts are always associated with the environment getting very cold, but ghosts themselves emit a source of heat as modern technology shows. It makes sense considering they were living biological beings before death. Maybe the coldness comes from them being in the mountain and the waiting place and NOT the rising popular belief that hell is cold and filled with ice.

I know for sure that hell has unquenchable fire, not ice and coldness. Hell is not a winter wonderland.

I know next to nothing about this topic and am highly interested in learning about it.

[kerwin]

Nick brought up another thread where this issue is discussed.   Purgatory is a Roman  Catholic tenet.   Scripture tells us there is the grave and the lake of fire.   The earlier appears to be equivalent to a holding cell you wait in prior to judgment and the second is where a guilty verdict is rendered.  Scripture also declares that after death you are subject to judgment.  

Hebrews 9:27(NIV) reads:

Quote

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,

[NickHassan]

Hi,
Catholicism is driven by guilt and doubts for good reason.

It does not preach salvation in Jesus but by ritualism and so they can never know the freedom and joy God's forgiveness brings.

So they imagine a clean up station rather like the second chance idea of the WWCOG.

[Beloved]

Oh snap! I didn't see that topic started before! I'll just go read that

[kerwin]

Quote (Beloved @ Nov. 18 2009,10:41)

Oh snap! I didn't see that topic started before! I'll just go read that

I understand as there are a lot of threads and finding one is like finding a needle in a haystack. If you don't know it exists in the first place then it is even harder yet.

[Author]

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