Purgatory

The other night Todd and I were talking about various different things, and the idea of purgatory was one of them. The idea of purgatory really escapes me. According to Dante Aligeheri in his book Purgatorio, there are seven levels to purgatory (much like the circles of Hell he describes in the Inferno). While in purgatory one is able to ask God for forgiveness for their sins and move up a level until they finally reach paradisio: Heaven. From what I understand of the Catholic faith is the one can buy their family out of purgatory, or rather, buy their families forgiveness.

My idea is that when one accepts Jesus their name is in the Book of Life as the Bible says. So when they die it's either Heaven or Hell, not an in between. I mean once we accept Jesus we have forgiveness, we need to ask for it, but we are already forgiven. And I think that if we die before you are able to ask God's forgiveness for our sins he takes that in consideration (once we've accepted him already). I understand the idea of Purgatory, and forgiveness are hard things to think about and figure out. There are verses that Catholics think support the idea of purgatory, I forget them right now, but I don't think there is.

Its hard for me to comphrend some of the ideals around purgatory. I think it's because it's never been a part of what I have believed. I have always believed that once you accept Jesus you are in the Book of Life: hence in Heaven. I could be wrong, but that is how I always viewed it.