[armydoc]

The "fatal contradictions" of purgatory and indulgences:

Assume the Church is correct, that there exists a "temporal punishment" for sins already forgiven that must be paid here on earth or in purgatory. No, I don't accept that, but lets go with it for a minute.

The punishment supposedly "purifies" the person. Why would anyone not want to get the full "purification" afforded by the punishment? If the "merits of Christ and the Saints" can be substituted for punishment, why were they not substituted immediately upon the death of a person, just like Christ substituted his rightousness for our sins at the moment of our belief in him? Why the piecemeal substitution? Finally, why Christ's merit AND the Saint's merit? Does Christ not have enough merit of His own? He needs the Saints to chip in some of theirs??

[Nihil Obstat]

"Finally, why Christ's merit AND the Saint's merit? Does Christ not have enough merit of His own? He needs the Saints to chip in some of theirs??"

see St. Paul - Col. 1:24

"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, on behalf of His body, which is the church"

SALVIFICI DOLORIS
Pope John Paul II

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2SALVI.HTM

[Salvation]

PURGATORY

Lk 12:58-59; 1 Cor 3:15; Mt 5:25-26 ... temporary agony.
Heb 12:6-11 ... God’s painful discipline.
Mt 12:32 ... no forgiveness ... nor in the age to come.
1 Pet 3:18-20 ... might be purgatory (limbo?).
1 Pet 4:6 ... preached to the dead.
Rev 21:27 ... nothing unclean shall enter heaven.
Heb 12:23 ... souls in heaven are perfect.
Col 1:24; 2 Sam 12:13-14 ... “extra” suffering.
2 Mac 12:43-46 ... sacrifice for the dead.
2 Tim 1:15-18 ... prayer for Onesiphorus for “that Day.”
1 Jn 5:14-17 ... mortal/venial sins