quote:
Egyptians had a doctrine of purgatory, I bet if we did research it goes back as far as Sumer, perhaps the decent of Inanna.
For you.
home.computer.net/~cya/cy00026.html - 9k
"In Egypt, substantially the same doctrine of purgatory was inculcated. But when once this doctrine of purgatory was admitted into the popular mind, then the door was open for all manner of priestly extortions. Prayers for the dead ever do hand in hand with purgatory; but no prayers can be completely efficacious without the interposition of the priest and no priestly functions can be rendered unless there by special pay for them. Therefore, in every land we find the pgan priesthood devouring widows houses, and making merchandise of the tendor feelings of beloved dead" (The Two Babylons, p. 168).
That the doctrine of purgatory is unscriptural can be shown easily. The Bible says nothing about any such place, and in fact the most devastating arguements against purgatory come from those inspired pages. Christ made not even so much as a passing allusion to purgatory. Instead He said: "He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hath eternal life" (John 5:24). Hence eternal life is already possessed by the soul that believes on Christ and there can be no possible condemnation of that soul. When Jesus said to the penitent theif on the cross, "Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43), the clear inference was that at his death he would go immediately to heaven, Christ's words, "It is finished" (John 19:30), spoken at the end of His suffering on the cross, mean that the work of redemption which He came to perform has been accomplished, finished, not partially, but completely."
The link makes a great read.
Added: I see the link does not work. Google 'Pagan Origin of Purgatory',
This message has been edited by DorfMan, 10-29-2005 09:41 PM