Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory

Pope John Paul II says Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory are not places, but states of existence.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2heavn.htm

http://www.medjugorje.com/medjugorje/heaven-purgatory-hell/614-stories-of-seeing-heaven-purgatory-and-hell.html

Could they each be both a place and a state of being?

Purgatory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory

Hell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell

Heaven

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven

Purgatory does not exist and is not a Bible teaching........


Purgatory
Definition: “According to the teaching of the [Roman Catholic] Church, the state, place, or condition in the next world . . . where the souls of those who die in the state of grace, but not yet free from all imperfection, make expiation for unforgiven venial sins or for the temporal punishment due to venial and mortal sins that have already been forgiven and, by so doing, are purified before they enter heaven.” (New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. XI, p. 1034)

On what is the teaching of purgatory based?

After reviewing what Catholic writers have said regarding such texts as 2 Maccabees 12:39-45, Matthew 12:32, and 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, the New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967, Vol. XI, p. 1034) acknowledges: “In the final analysis, the Catholic doctrine on purgatory is based on tradition, not Sacred Scripture.”
“The church has relied on tradition to support a middle ground between heaven and hell.”—U.S. Catholic, March 1981, p. 7.

Regarding the nature of purgatory, what do Catholic spokesmen say?
“Many think that the total suffering of purgatory is identified with the awareness of the temporary postponement of the beatific vision, although the more common view holds that, in addition to this, there is some positive punishment . . . In the Latin Church it has been generally maintained that this pain is imposed through real fire. This is not, however, essential to belief in purgatory. It is not even certain. . . . Even if one chooses, with the theologians of the East, to reject the idea of suffering induced by fire, one should be careful not to exclude all positive suffering from purgatory. There are still real affliction, sorrow, chagrin, shame of conscience, and other spiritual sorrows capable of inflicting true pain on the soul. . . . One should remember, at any rate, that in the midst of their sufferings these souls also experience great joy over the certainty of salvation.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967), Vol. XI, p. 1036, 1037.

“What goes on in purgatory is anyone’s guess.”—U.S. Catholic, March 1981, p. 9.

Near-Death experience of the After-Life.

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/research15.html

Originally posted by RJHinds
Pope John Paul II says Heaven, Hell, and Purgatory are not places, but states of existence.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2heavn.htm

Originally posted by RJHinds
http://www.medjugorje.com/medjugorje/heaven-purgatory-hell/614-stories-of-seeing-heaven-purgatory-and-hell.html

Could they each be both a place and a state of being?

Originally posted by RJHinds
Purgatory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purgatory

Originally posted by RJHinds
Hell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell

Originally posted by RJHinds
Heaven

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven

Sing me a song, you're a singer
Do me a wrong, you're a bringer of evil
The devil is never a maker
And he less that you give, you're a taker
It goes on and on and on, it's heaven and hell
Oh well

The lover of life's not a sinner
And the ending is just a beginner
The closer you get to the meaning
Well, the sooner you'll know that you're dreaming
And it goes on and on and on, oh it's on and on and on
It goes on and on and on, Heaven and Hell
I can tell
Sometimes we’re are fools

Oh, we’re going down

Something is evil down there
Someone is coming to take your soul away
I see some trouble up there
You’ll not make it to another day

There’s a big black shape looking up at me
He said: “I know where you ought to be”
He said: “Come with me and I’ll give you desire!
First you got to burn, burn, burn in fire!”

Down we go
I’ll take you there, I’ll see you there, we’ll always be there
Somewhere in hell

Well, they say that life's a carousel
Spinning fast, you've got to ride it well
The world is full of kings and queens
Who’ll blind your eyes and steal your dreams
It's heaven and hell, oh well

And they'll tell you black is really white
The moon is just the sun at night
And when you walk in golden halls
You get to keep the gold that falls
It's heaven and hell, oh no, no

Fool, fool
You've got to bleed for the dancer
Fool, fool, fool
Look for the answer
Alright, alright
Heaven and hell

Well, it’s heaven, it’s heaven, it’s heaven and hell

On and on, on and on
It’s heaven and hell
On and on, on and on
It’s heaven and hell
On and on, on and on
It’s heaven and hell