What is Purgatory?

[georgek]

It really means the same, whatever angle we look at it. Although I do not agree with the severity of a place of penance. There is so much talk of punishment, that I do not quite go along with.

As you say, it is a term what is used to frighten us into submission.
Reminds me of the Spanish Inquisition whereby sinners were tortured in order to believe.

It was said that better the body be punished on earth, than the soul suffer eternal torment.

The way the Spiritualist looks at it; is that when a person dies, the soul is in shock. The Astral is like a mid way place. This is best illustrated in the film 'Ghost' and probably explains why those who have died suddenly, do not realise that they have died. In a way, a kind of 'purge' takes place where the spirit adapts gradually to it's new surroundings.

In science, transgression is always incremental. If we think about ice into steam. Transgression can be found in the way everything adapts, otherwise it goes into shock. Although this is a gradual state, the environment changes for each adaptive process. For example a child grows to a man. The surroundings are tailored to fit the state of mind in the adaptive process. A child will be more attuned to a playground, as an adult to let us say......a pub (now why did I pick that ?)

So if we take the law of science and apply it to religion, each has it's counter part, as the laws of nature and God are the same.
Anyway, this is just my viewpoint