Purgatory?

What does the Catholic Church teaches after a person dies?

"According to Catholic belief, immediately after death, a person undergoes judgment in which the soul's eternal destiny is specified. Some are eternally united with God in Heaven, often envisioned as a paradise of eternal joy, where Theosis is completed and one experiences the beatific vision of God. Conversely, others reach a state called Hell, that is eternal separation from God often envisioned as a fiery place of punishment,"

"According to Catholic doctrine, some souls are not sufficiently free from the temporal effects of sin and its consequences to enter the state of heaven immediately, nor are they so sinful as to be destined for hell either. Such souls, ultimately destined to be united with God in heaven, must first endure purgatory— a state of purification." source: wikipedia

The only question with this doctrine of the Catholic Church is that, is this BIBLICAL?

Nov.1 is coming again, in the Philippines:

"this day, called "Undas", "Todos los Santos" (literally "All Saints"), and sometimes "Araw ng mga Patay" (approximately "Day of the dead") is observed as All Souls' Day. This day and the one before and one after it is spent visiting the graves of deceased relatives, where prayers and flowers are offered, candles are lit and the graves themselves are cleaned, repaired and repainted. Living relatives of the dead spend the day & evening at the grave site where food and drinks are served like a picnic." source: wikipedia

In the Philippines, it should not be called "Araw ng mga Patay (Day of the Dead)" but to "Feast for the dead". Its very obvious, they go to the cemetery not only because of the reason of visiting the deceased relative but also to make fun (party-party!^^) like having a picnic, reunion, gambling and even drinking liquors and so on. (But now it is not allowed in the cemetery, while still some does it secretly)

As what ive read in a discussion:

Roland Nagtalon wrote:

Chuck, Chibog na lang ang uso ngayon sa sementeryo. bawal na alak at sugal.
believeme man, you will be apprehended. times have changed....for the better.:)


Reutcek Basilio wrote:

Walang "undas" dito pare, unbills" (bayarin) madalas hehe. Kamusta ka na? Crowded parin ba sa mga simenteryo? Ang sarap noon I remember pumupunta ako sa sementeryo para makipag reunion sa mga pinsan ko, uminom, magsugal at tumingin ng mga cuties haha pero siempre pagkatapos magdasal. Ingat ka lang pare, nice to hear from you again. source: yahoo groups

History

"Theologians and other Christians then developed the doctrine regarding purgatory over the centuries, leading to the definition of the formal doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church on the matter (as distinct from the legendary descriptions) at the Second Council of Lyon (1274), the Council of Florence (1438–1445), and the Council of Trent (1545–63)." source: wikipedia

History according to some books

"Purgatory had been invented by Rome in A.D 593 but it remained a very unpopular doctrine for many centuries. When Mass came into being however, these two innovations of the Roman Church became inseparably connected with each other. The question came up in Roman circles: 'Can Mass of an alleged infinite spiritual value, deliver the souls in Purgatory?' The Pope soon accepted this new idea and the Mass in connection with Purgatory was born. Today our readers know what a financial success the marriage of Mass and Purgatory has been. There is not a single product in the world toady that has been more successful financially than these two religious doctrines, mass and Purgatory" Lucien Vinet, I was a Priest, pp. 43-44


"The Idea of Purgatory finds its roots in Buddhism and other ancient religious systems, long before the existence of the Roman Catholic Church. Evidences of its introduction into Christian thought are found in some of the writings of the early Church Fathers, as far back as the third and fourth centuries of the Christian Era, but it had no officially recognized place until the time of Gregory I..." Dreyer and Weller p. 107


"... from the time of Augustine onwards in the West the element of purgatorial discipline becomes much more obtrusive. Augustine himself is by no means dogmatic on the subject of purgatory. In The City of God, he mentions the theory that the spirits of the dead will be purified by fire between death and last judgment, and he comments: "I do not reject this theory, for it may be true'..." A Dictionary of Christian Theology p.160


"...Tertullian, in the second century, writes: 'We make obligations for the dead on their anniversary' (that is, we offer up the Holy sacrifice of the Mass). 'If you seek from the Scriptures the precept for this, and other practices, you will not find; tradition is the author of it, custom confirms it and faith observes it'..." Reverend Clement H. Crock p. 271


"The Catholic Church has defined the existence of Purgatory in the Decree of union drawn up at the Council of Florence in 1439, and again at the Council of trent..." Reverend Bertrand Conway p. 393



Biblical Teachings

What does the holy Scripture say about the dead? What happens to the soul when a man dies? Can the dead profit from anything that the living do for them(prayers, offer foods and so on)?

“The living know they will die, but the dead know nothing. Dead people have no more reward, and people forget them. After people are dead, they can no longer love or hate or envy. They will never again share in what happens here on earth.” Eccl. 9:5-6

The dead knows NOTHING. Meaning, even if you offer a millions of prayers, candles, flowers, and so on, it will never profit or share whatever happens here on earth.

What really happens when a man dies?

“His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Psalms 146:6

Upon cessation of breath, the thoughts of a dying man perish; he returns to his earth, a fulfillment of what God had decreed;

“…Later you will return to the ground, because you were taken from it.
You are dust, and when you die, you will return to the dust." Gen. 3:19

What happens to the spirit of a man upon cessation of breath?

“You will turn back into the dust of the earth again, but your spirit will return to God who gave it.” Eccl. 12:7

What is the proof of the scripture that does not teach the immortality of the soul?

“For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground.”
Psalms 44:25

We can see that when a person died, he then knows nothing and cant do anything because he is already dead. His body is already in the grave, so his thoughts also perish as what happened to him. We should remember that a person is consist of: body, soul and spirit. Both soul and body cleave to the ground while the spirit returns to God.

Meaning to say, the belief that after a person died, he will immediately be in heaven, hell or purgatory is WRONG. It is indeed unbiblical!

And most importantly, the souls are not with us here on earth as many alleged, they called it "Ghosts" as they are still in the purgatory. Ghosts are product of our imagination, and ghost related experiences have scientific explanations and even though some events still cant answered by science, it doesnt mean that it is already true.

Why? Different species, organisms and so on are discovered as time goes by, meaning to say, there are still living things that are not yet discovered, but it doesnt mean that THEY DONT EXIST.

INC doesnt believe ghosts, but "evil spirits", i think yes, because even in the bible we can see that there are people possessed by the demons.

By the way, it is also a self explanatory, that if its true that when a person dies, he will immediately go to hell or heaven, then what is the so called JUDGMENT DAY in the bible?

Another thing, if dead people really needs our prayers for them to go to heaven, as they have sinned, what will happen if all "purgatory believers" died? Who then will PRAY FOR THEIR SOULS EVERY YEAR? Does that mean that they are all destined to hell?^^