What exactly is Purgatory?
Who is more evil - Satan or the Beast at Apocolypse ?
What's the point of a confirmation name? ( For the
Catholics)
As we all know, God has has a special list of ten things he does
not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he
has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture
and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn
and choke and scream and cry forever and ever til the end of
time! But he loves us! How could someone be kind and forgiving but
cruel at the same time?
I apologise in advance if i offend anyone.
Purgatory
Purgatory comes from the latin word "purgare" which
means to make clean or to purify. So purgatory is a place or
condition that you go to if you die in God's grace (ie: you've
already obtained eternal salvation and are bound for heaven) but
need to be 'cleaned up' a bit before you enter heaven where
"nothing unclean will enter" (Rev 21:27).
Note that purgatory is not a 'second chance'. Only
those bound for heaven would go through the purification (if
necessary). Those who do not die in God's grace will head straight
for hell. They do not go to purgatory for a second chance.
Hell
God wants all of us to be in heaven with him. However, there
will be those who will turn from God and separate themselves from
him out of their own free will. Hell may or may not
consist of 'fire' but the eternal separation from God
will be worse than fire and it would sadly be our own doing because
God predestines no one to go to hell.
Paragraph 1057 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
summarises what hell is:
Hell's principal punishment consists of eternal separation
from God in whom alone man can have the life and happiness for
which he was created and for which he longs.
Confirmation
Name
I believe it is not necessary for a Catholic Christian to
have a confirmation name. Some do and often take the name of a
saint whom the person has a special affinity for, who will become
the person's guide and protector, as well as someone the person can
look up to in terms of living a life pleasing to God.