From Newsgroup: alt.bible

False Bible Doctrines: Purgatory

God loves you. When I grew up, Catholicism says God will temp torture
you with literal fire, until you are 'purified' (burned away your
sins). God loves you.

If you believe that, I have a large statue in a harbor in New York I
can give you a good price on.

If Satan was teaching Purgatory, one would not be surprised. But God?

Happily, the word "Purgatory" IS NOT in the Bible. Neither is its
definition. They have to twist the Scriptures to the breaking point to
make it a Bible doctrine.

Jesus gave his life in order to release us from sin. (1 Pet 3:18)
Also, the apostle Paul says in the Catholic New American Bible (NAB):

-- New American with Apocrypha
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So what does that mean? This:

-- New American with Apocrypha
Romans 6:7 For a dead person has been absolved from sin.

YES, BY DYING YOUR SINS ARE ERASED. Gone! Poof!!!

Thus the Bible says there is no need for a Purgatory. Dying
accomplishes the same thing, but without torture. And for those who
don't die when the end comes, Jesus' ransom sacrifice covers them.

These are the Bible's teachings, not those of men.

Can humans really
end all wars?
Go to: jw.org (8/13/2026)
zebrabible@proton.me
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.bible

The Bible does not teach that the lake of fire is a purging process
required to get to heaven, or that you can get out of "purgatory" by
paying off Catholics ("a coin in the coffer clinks, a soul from
purgatory springs"). However, it most certainly does teach that everyone
who does not trust in Christ alone for salvation will suffer the
punishment of conscious, eternal torment in the lake of fire:


"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of
fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
(Revelation 20:10, ESV)

This verse directly contradicts the claim that there is no torment. The
devil, beast, and false prophet are not annihilatedrCothey are *tormented* eternally.

"And if anyonerCOs name was not found written in the book of life, he
was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15, ESV)

The lake of fire is not symbolicrCoit is the final destination for the unrighteous, following the resurrection and final judgment. It is the
*second death*, and not merely symbolic or unconscious.

"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life." (Matthew 25:46, ESV)

Jesus explicitly states that the punishment is *eternal*, not temporary
or symbolic. The parallelism with rCLeternal liferCY confirms that both destinies are equally enduring and conscious.

"In a flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know
God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They
will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the
presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might," (2
Thessalonians 1:8-9, ESV)

This passage describes conscious suffering (rCLthey will sufferrCY), not extinction or symbolic meaning. Eternal destruction refers to the irreversible, conscious ruin of their existencerConot annihilation of being.

"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they
have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its
image..." (Revelation 14:11, ESV)

Torment "forever and ever" and rCLno rest, day or nightrCY cannot be reconciled with the idea of unconsciousness or nonexistence.

"Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew
10:28, ESV)

Jesus warns of hell (*Gehenna*) as a place where both body and soul are destroyedrConot annihilated in the sense of nonexistence, but ruined in conscious judgment. The use of the word "destroy" (Greek: *apollymi*)
can mean ruin, not necessarily extinction.

Moreover, divine justice is not measured by human emotional standards
but by God's holiness and righteousness:

"For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait
for him." (Isaiah 30:18, ESV)

"Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would
plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked
prosper?" (Jeremiah 12:1, ESV)

Human empathy does not overrule divine revelation. GodrCOs justice
includes wrath against sin and eternal punishment for unrepentant rebellion:

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
(Hebrews 10:31, ESV)

The second death is not a metaphor or symbol of unconsciousness. It is
the eternal, conscious punishment of those who reject the gospel, and Scripture bears consistent, explicit witness to that reality.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.bible

The Bible does not teach that the lake of fire is a purging process
required to get to heaven, or that you can get out of "purgatory" by
paying off Catholics ("a coin in the coffer clinks, a soul from
purgatory springs"). However, it most certainly does teach that everyone
who does not trust in Christ alone for salvation will suffer the
punishment of conscious, eternal torment in the lake of fire:


"And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of
fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and
they will be tormented day and night forever and ever."
(Revelation 20:10, ESV)

This verse directly contradicts the claim that there is no torment. The
devil, beast, and false prophet are not annihilatedrCothey are tormented eternally.

"And if anyonerCOs name was not found written in the book of life, he
was thrown into the lake of fire." (Revelation 20:15, ESV)

The lake of fire is not symbolicrCoit is the final destination for the unrighteous, following the resurrection and final judgment. It is the
second death, and not merely symbolic or unconscious.

"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into
eternal life." (Matthew 25:46, ESV)

Jesus explicitly states that the punishment is eternal, not temporary or symbolic. The parallelism with rCLeternal liferCY confirms that both
destinies are equally enduring and conscious.

"In a flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know
God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They
will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the
presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might," (2
Thessalonians 1:8-9, ESV)

This passage describes conscious suffering (rCLthey will sufferrCY), not extinction or symbolic meaning. Eternal destruction refers to the irreversible, conscious ruin of their existencerConot annihilation of being.

"And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they
have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its
image..." (Revelation 14:11, ESV)

Torment "forever and ever" and rCLno rest, day or nightrCY cannot be reconciled with the idea of unconsciousness or nonexistence.

"Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matthew
10:28, ESV)

Jesus warns of hell (Gehenna) as a place where both body and soul are destroyedrConot annihilated in the sense of nonexistence, but ruined in conscious judgment. The use of the word "destroy" (Greek: apollymi) can
mean ruin, not necessarily extinction.

Moreover, divine justice is not measured by human emotional standards
but by God's holiness and righteousness:

"For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait
for him." (Isaiah 30:18, ESV)

"Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would
plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked
prosper?" (Jeremiah 12:1, ESV)

Human empathy does not overrule divine revelation. GodrCOs justice
includes wrath against sin and eternal punishment for unrepentant rebellion:

"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."
(Hebrews 10:31, ESV)

The second death is not a metaphor or symbol of unconsciousness. It is
the eternal, conscious punishment of those who reject the gospel, and Scripture bears consistent, explicit witness to that reality.
--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2