Theologumenon regarding Purgatory

[Padraig]

So wait, let me see if I got this right. After death, you pass through these tollhouses where you're expected to hand over freshly-baked cookies to a bunch of evil spirit tax collectors to get them to let you get through. Is that right?

Though, according to Angus McMystic (A little-know Scottish elder with 6 toes on each foot), Scotch works too.

 

[RobNJ]

Though, according to Angus McMystic (A little-know Scottish elder with 6 toes on each foot), Scotch works too.

A good single malt can do amazing things!!

 

[MariaRegina]

So wait, let me see if I got this right. After death, you pass through these tollhouses where you're expected to hand over freshly-baked cookies to a bunch of evil spirit tax collectors to get them to let you get through. Is that right?

LOL

Now that's called Bribery!

Certain Protestants say that we cannot take any good works (cookies and scotch) to the afterlife with us. Yet, we know from the Scriptures that Christ will ask us if we have fed the hungry, visited the prisoners, etc. And those are good works also.

My 11,000th post.

 

[The Prokeimenon!]

So wait, let me see if I got this right. After death, you pass through these tollhouses where you're expected to hand over freshly-baked cookies to a bunch of evil spirit tax collectors to get them to let you get through. Is that right?

Exactly! that's why we fast from cookies during lent- so that we may store up cookies where moth doth not corrupt (or however that quote goes) so that we may have enough to bribe the cookie-monsters (who, though truly grotesque, appear to us as happy keebler elves...)

Okay- I'll stop
Moses

 

[joyfulthanks]

Exactly! that's why we fast from cookies during lent- so that we may store up cookies where moth doth not corrupt (or however that quote goes) so that we may have enough to bribe the cookie-monsters (who, though truly grotesque, appear to us as happy keebler elves...)
Moses

Moses -

[Grace signs off for the evening to get a head start on her massive new cookie-baking endeavor...]

 

[Servus Iesu]

I think there is merit to this idea of tollhouses. The Scripture says that nothing done in secret will not be brought into the light. My conception of purgatory has always been that we will have to face all of our sins and examine who we really are. Perhaps the intermediate state could be understood as a form of confession...

 

[MariaRegina]

I think there is merit to this idea of tollhouses. The Scripture says that nothing done in secret will not be brought into the light. My conception of purgatory has always been that we will have to face all of our sins and examine who we really are. Perhaps the intermediate state could be understood as a form of confession...

Dear Servus:

Yes, the intermediate state is definitely going to be a time when we will have to admit our sins whether we want to or not - and at the Last Judgment all of our failings will be exposed to the whole world.

But the time of repentance ends with our death - and little has been revealed to us about that time of transition into eternity.

The Orthodox Church has few dogmas and the ones that it has are only those necessary for salvation.

Purgatory is not one of those theological opinions that is deemed necessary for salvation in the Orthodox Church.

Think of it this way: If you knew that you could be a minimal Christian and still get saved and eventually make it into heaven, wouldn't you tend to be a little careless?

It's like those pass/fail classes in college.

How many college students really try to study for an excellent grade if just a "C" will earn them a Pass with no damage done to their overall GPA?

Now consider the student who has a heavy load. He won't spend as much time studying for the class that offers

CREDIT / NO CREDIT grading, compared with the classes that offer

A / B / C / D / F grading when he has to earn an "A" to maintain a scholarly GPA.

Is there any reputable college that uses only the CREDIT / NO CREDIT system that you know about?

Wouldn't this lead to an affliction called academic mediocrity?


BACK TO PURGATORY

So if a Church teaches about purgatory, this teaching could lead to mediocrity or a lukewarm spirit and that could be very dangerous eternally speaking.

Remember Christ condemned the lukewarm saying that He would vomit them out of his mouth.

However, if the Church teaches that you must maintain the purity of your Baptismal Garments and live a holy life, and that all sins are serious, then wouldn't you strive to be a better person?

 

[tdcharles]

Think of it this way: If you knew that you could be a minimal Christian and still get saved and eventually make it into heaven, wouldn't you tend to be a little careless?
...
So if a Church teaches about purgatory, this teaching could lead to mediocrity or a lukewarm spirit and that could be very dangerous eternally speaking.

Hi. You can't be a minimal Catholic and expect to see heaven. You can't say you'll just burn it off all yours sins in purgatory and you can be only minimally dedicated to God. That's the sin of presumption of God's mercy, which is contrary to the first commandment.

 

[MariaRegina]

Hi. You can't be a minimal Catholic and expect to see heaven. You can't say you'll just burn it off all yours sins in purgatory and you can be only minimally dedicated to God. That's the sin of presumption of God's mercy, which is contrary to the first commandment.

And neither can we be minimal Orthodox and hope to see heaven.

Indifference or failure to improve in the spiritual life is considered a serious sin. Aceite, I think is the term. (Anyone know the spelling?)

 

[Xpycoctomos]

And neither can we be minimal Orthodox and hope to see heaven.

Indifference or failure to improve in the spiritual life is considered a serious sin. Aceite, I think is the term. (Anyone know the spelling?)

I don't know... but in Spanish that means oil

 

[MariaRegina]

I don't know... but in Spanish that means oil

The Greek word that I am looking for means indifference, dryness, and despair.

It is also called depression but is not related to psychological depression, but is more of a spiritual illness that leads to spiritual death.

 

[Llauralin]

And neither can we be minimal Orthodox and hope to see heaven.

Indifference or failure to improve in the spiritual life is considered a serious sin. Aceite, I think is the term. (Anyone know the spelling?)

Do you possibly mean Acadia, similar to Sloth?

 

[MariaRegina]

Do you possibly mean Acadia, similar to Sloth?

Thanks, that sounds more like it, but again, I'm not sure of the spelling.

I've been studying Greek and Spanish together and so mix up the words sometimes. The joy of being a Linguist. A lot of Greek words have been incorporated into the Spanish like mapa, Hijo, Dios (< Gk. theos).... to name a few.

 

[tdcharles]

And neither can we be minimal Orthodox and hope to see heaven.

I know that, it just seemed like you were knocking purgatory as a "short-cut" that allows us to be spiritually lax.

 

[MariaRegina]

I know that, it just seemed like you were knocking purgatory as a "short-cut" that allows us to be spiritually lax.

I know a lot of cafeteria catholics who think that they can make it to purgatory by "winging it". Sad thing is that they go around telling people that they are Catholics when they are Catholics in name only. They truly don't know that they are in danger of losing their immortal souls. Yet ignorance in this case is not bliss.

 

[tdcharles]

I know a lot of cafeteria catholics who think that they can make it to purgatory by "winging it". Sad thing is that they go around telling people that they are Catholics when they are Catholics in name only. They truly don't know that they are in danger of losing their immortal souls. Yet ignorance in this case is not bliss.

When I rediscovered Catholicism I realized that the Catholic Church didn't fit with my lifestyle. I was shocked to hear that I could lose my salvation, because I grew up in a country where I was taught as long as I believe in God I'm "saved". But instead of becoming a cafeteria Catholic, and ignoring the things that didn't fit with the way I wanted to live my life, I changed the way I lived my life. As the Lord says,

Matthew 6:19-20 Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through, and steal. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.