When good protestants die and are in purgatory, will they understand where they are?

[Church_Militant]

Scott_Lafrance:

Charitable Catholic apologists who die in the grace of God, but in a state of temporal sin will be assigned as tour guides of Purgatory for our separated brothers and sisters.

Ooo Ooo Ooo Mr. Cotter! Mr Cotter!

 

[ShockleyHaynes]

Scott_Lafrance:

Charitable Catholic apologists who die in the grace of God, but in a state of temporal sin will be assigned as tour guides of Purgatory for our separated brothers and sisters.

Most Protestants with whom I’ve worshipped and enjoyed friendship find the idea of Purgatory quite charming. I think most of us [Protestants, that is] are agreed that the specifics of the afterlife are unknown. The faith we carry into it–now that’s what we have to guide us.

 

[Edwin1961]

When in the Presence of God, we will know everything AND our final destination. With that said, I believe Protestants will realize what will be happening with them.

Case in point:
My father was 76 years old when he went through RCIA and became Catholic. (He had NOT graduated from high school). Yet, what he learned he took on Faith and what he couldn’t understand he took on Faith.

A year and a half AFTER his becoming Catholic, my father died. (Sept. 2002).
I was going through a ‘deep sorrowful’ period in 2003 and my Pastor consoled me in saying that my knows KNOWS all that is happening… even to me at this very moment. What was a comfort!

 

[gusano]

DavidFilmer:

When good protestants die and find themselves in purgatory (but they knew nothing about purgatory in their earthly life), will they understand where they are and what is happening?

Remember, there is no basis for believing we will automatically acquire spiritual insight simply because we die.

After they are shown their situation …
Some will accept it and go through the “purging”…
and others will continue through the “purging in denial” …

so, both will need our prayers.

gusano

 

[ICXCNIKA]

For Protestants Puragatory will resemble a Stuckeys somewhere in the mid-west.

For Catholics it will resemble a Parish Council meeting.

 

[Jenni_McCracken]

J.W.B.:

What if you are in Purgatory and you believe it’s hell? Oh my Dear Lord that would be awful! I wonder what it’s like? Is there physical pain or emotional pain such as a pain of loss?

Do any of you think that many go directly to heaven after they die and not purgatory but the Church does not know of them? I strive to become as holy as I can by the Grace of God. I want to hate every kind of sin with a super hatred and passion. I have stopped whatching alot of tv lately because it’s so “dirty” if you know what I mean. Every show lately will have a pro homosexuality, little respect for life, cursing up to high heaven, SENSLESS violence, and the girls on tv, well lets just say they need to put on some clothes

I fear the pain & suffering of any place other than heaven. I would think that it is possible for some catholics to go to heaven, because of the suffering & pain that they have experienced on earth which would possibly lessen their sufferings after physical death. Of course this would depend on their walk w/ Christ while and the degree to which they followed their faith…ect.

 

[hilde_the_dog]

I believe as a Catholic and former Protestant that my parents will be made aware of where they are and why. I was just reading in Catholic for a Reason a chapter by Curtis Martin on purgatory who explained that it was a period of purification, cleansing. And that this may entail fire (1 Corinthians 3:11-15).

 

[Vanny]

We are Lutherans interested in the Catholic Church- I have NO problem with the doctrine of Purgatory- It is reported that C.S.Lewis and some Methodist theologians. accepted the doctrine of Purgatory.
When it was explained to me properly what Purgatory actually IS, I have no problem with the doctrine.
Most Protestants have a false idea of what it is.
In fact- the bible doesn’t exclude purgatory , and there are some passages that seemingly allude to it.
If you die without being completly made perfect- but are saved, it seems ludicrous that you would immediatly see the face of God- you would have to be purged first. I wouldn’t think most Protestants would have a problem with that if they understood it correctly.
I think we will all understand exactly where we are and why when we die, regardless of religeon.

 

[Malachi4U]

Purgatory is a name invented by Catholics to describe something not given a specific name in Sacred Scripture.

Is Purgatory a place or a process? An instance in time as we know it or a long drawn out affair?

Our current Pope, Benedict XVI, has made comments on Purgatory in his lifetime. As I recall he also corrected some misconceptions about it made by Catholics.

 

[Kristina_P]

puzzleannie:

Aquinas says at the moment of death we come face to face with God for the particular judgement, and will be infused with all the knowledge and insight we need to know our sins, know what our relationship with God should be and could be, and to make our definitive choice for or against God for all eternity. Those who choose God will be given the beautiful, merciful opportunity for cleansing of the effects of sin (previously forgiven but leaving its damaging residue) upon their souls before being admitted to the Beatific Vision.

Wow. I’ve never heard that. How does this idea of some kind of choice made after death jive with the idea that the state of your soul when you die is what is judged? For example, if one dies with unconfessed mortal sin, will he still be given this opportunity to choose God?

 

[sara888]

****When we die we will be in full conscience of where we are, Heaven, Hell, Purgatory. Purgatory is good and bad, the good part is we know we will get to heaven and see God after we are purified, the bad part is the yearning and thirsting for God while being purified. That is the worst pain of Purgatory, I always tell my protestant friends,they well have a great surprise (Purgatory), as they profess Heaven or Hell. I always tend to kid them with the remark, you better hope you are Holy enough to get to Heaven and not bad enough to go to Hell.

I feel most well go to Purgatory according to the Virgin Mary(Marian Apparations). optional dogma of the RCC which I do honor, accept, profess and believe.

“Blessed Virgin told a Saint , that Most are going to Purgatory, some to Hell, and few to Heaven.”

I pray all Christians go to Heaven, God is more merciful than just, however he is a just God. But his mercy is beyond our reasoning. Pray always for Mercy and God will be there and grant you Mercy if you trust in him.

Sara****

 

[coyote]

puzzleannie:

It is a very good idea, especially for new poster on the forums, to consult the CA homepage for tracts, This Rock articles, and FAQs before asking or discussing the common apologetics questions: purgatory, the papacy, Mary, saints, justification and salvation etc.

There is a problem with this suggestion, not everyone has the vocabulary to understand these readings. Some people need information presented with more vernacular language to have comprehension. After, then, being provided a basic understanding they might find the readings suggested less intimidating.

 

[coyote]

The third option isn’t possible, that they would have no idea of where they are. Without the knowledge they would remain in Purgatory for eternity. It is not intended that anyone will remain in purgatory for eternity.

 

[Domini_Canis]

After death, when the soul is separated from the body, the intellect will be enlightened about the state of its soul.

Fr. Reginald Lagrange OP (theologian) on the subject,

In the divine judgment the examination of the case is instantaneous, because it needs neither the testimony of witnesses, for or against, nor the least discussion. God knows by immediate intuition, and at the moment of separation the soul knows itself without medium. It [the soul] is enlightened, decisively and inevitably, on all its merits and demerits. It sees its state without possibility of error, sees all that it has thought, desired, said, and done, both in good and in evil. It sees all the good it has omitted. Memory and conscience penetrate its entire moral and spiritual life, even to the minutest details. Only then can it see clearly all that was involved in its particular vocation, for instance, that of a mother, of a father, of an apostle.

Secondly, the pronouncement of the sentence is also instantaneous. It does not come by a voice to be heard by the ear, but in a manner entirely spiritual. Intellectual illumination awakes all acquired ideas, gives additional infused ideas, whereby the soul sees its entire past in a glance. The soul sees how God judges, and conscience makes this judgment definitive. All this takes place at the first instant of separation. When it is true to say of a person that he is dead, it is also true to say that he is judged.

DC.