What do you believe and why?

What are some of your most deeply held beliefs or convictions? Why do you believe them? For most of us, our parents played a key role in shaping our beliefs.  Many of our beliefs have been shaped by personal experiences, teachers, peers, society, ministers and traditions.  They are not our original beliefs, but someone else’s.

What we believe matters.   What we believe can lead us down a path that leads to good or bad, success or failure, safety or danger, happiness or sadness, humility or pride and even love or hate.   One set of convictions or beliefs shapes those  that belong to the Ku Klux Klan or The Black Panthers or ISIS and another set of beliefs shapes those that belong to charitable organizations, support groups, community service that benefits all, etc.  What we believe really does matter.

From the earliest times Christians made attempts to summarize their essential beliefs the Apostle’s Creed is an example of that.  I know of no church organization that does not have a statement of beliefs and I know of no fraternal organization that does not have a statement of beliefs.  Beliefs matter!  They define our values, morals and relationships.  They shape our goals, ambitions, hopes, and dreams.  It is important we know what we believe in and be able to defends those beliefs.

Unfortunately we can be so rigid in our beliefs and convictions that we cannot listen to those with different beliefs or convictions.  This is especially true in the religious world.  Regardless of what we believe about God, humanity or our world, we will lack certainty and that lack of certainty should lead us to humility in our convictions and in our interactions with those who disagree with us.  How can anyone prove beyond a shadow of doubt  what they believe is absolute truth and that there is no other way?

I learned long ago that what I believed was sometimes flawed and not only hurt me it hurt others.  This is not going to set well with many, but there was a time that I believed if you did not accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior you COULD NOT go to heaven.   Pastor Joel Olsten is criticized by many in the religious community because he will not state point blank that your destiny is hell if you do not accept Jesus Christ.  I am not God and God has inspired men in scripture to write, “My ways or not your ways”, I am not to judge, but leave that to Him, that He can do anything He pleases and does not need our permission. 

I once believe that abortion was an unforgivable sin.  I once believed people that divorced and remarried without jumping through the church's legal loops to get an annulment could not partake of the sacraments.  I once believed if you were not baptized you could not go to heaven and that babies who died before being baptized were in LIMBO.  I once believed in purgatory.  I once believed priest had a special power to represent God when it came to forgiving yours sins.  I once believed we needed to sacrifice Christ over and over again at every mass as if the one sacrifice on the cross was not enough.  I now do not believe any of those things.  Not only did I sincerely believe those things I taught them to others.  I believed them because that is what my parents believed and my church believed.  I did not know any different and did not think I had the right to question them.

What we believe has a significant impact on our lives.  Our beliefs influence who we marry , the career we choose, the way we see right and wrong, how we see our parent and our children, what we do with our time and money, and how we face adversity.  Those beliefs lead us to say no to many things we may have said yes to and yes to things we might otherwise have said no to.

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.”  I believe Christians must believe there is a God, a Supreme Being, that created the universe.  How God created it may be open for debate, but it is essential that a Christian believe that God did create all things.  I believe Christians must perceive God not simply as a force of nature, but as an entity, a Being, that is both intelligent and powerful.

Men like Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal, and Galileo, who, despite the church’s blunder in criticizing their conclusions, continued to maintain their faith in God.  I do think science and faith are compatible.  I also believe these men were far more intelligent than me.  There are some scientist that do not believe in God, but there is just as many that do.

 Jesus Christ is our defining story.  Jesus demonstrates who God is, what God is like, and what God’s will is for our lives. His life and ministry, His death and resurrection shape how we see ourselves and how we see the world.  Jesus Christ provides us with a different perspective on life.  Christians believe we were born with purpose, our lives have meaning and when our mortal body is finished, we’ve only just begun to live. 

Richard Dawkins (who I believe to be evil) once wrote, “We are survival machines—robot vehicles blindly programmed to preserve the selfish molecules known as genes.” But faith in Jesus says that we were made for more than this.  In fact, the pain and brokenness in our world are largely the result of our living as “robot vehicles” blindly focused on serving the self.  Jesus calls us to be authentically human, to love, give, serve, and rise above our selfish genes.  As we do so we not only make the world a more just and compassionate place; we find joy in the process.  I pity Richard Dawkins and I am willing to show him mercy because of his broken body that may influence his beliefs.  Regardless of what Richard Dawkins says about Jesus Christ or what anyone else may say I know Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for over 2000 years and I doubt that Richard Dawkins will be.   

When God sought to communicate His love for us, he sent Jesus. It was in His Son that God’s message came to us and became our defining story. Through Jesus, God was saying: You matter to me and I love you.  In Jesus, God showed that He cares about those who are lost and those who are made to feel unimportant.  He showed us compassion for the sick.  He showed us how to love, to forgive, to give, to serve.  In Jesus’ death on the cross God showed us the depth of His love and the price of grace. And in Jesus’ resurrection, God defeated our evil, hate, sin, and death! 

My church has put so much emphasis on Mother Mary that our people know little about the Holy Spirit.  Many Christians in our church haven’t been taught about the Spirit, nor encouraged to seek the Spirit’s work in their lives. As a result, their spiritual lives are a bit anemic and they are trying to live the Christian life on their own power and wisdom.  That is impossible!

What are the voices you listen to, and what are the powers that shape your life?  I find there are voices in my own life that would lead me to give in to hate, indifference, desire, pride, infidelity, selfishness, or greed. But when we listen to the voice of the Spirit and open ourselves to the Spirit’s active work in our lives, we find that we are led to a very different place and to become very different people.

The Spirit convicts us and quickens our conscience when we’re doing wrong. The Spirit, through persistent nudges, urges us to act selflessly in our care for others. The Spirit makes us long to be more than we are at the present and to become more like the people God intended us to be.  in Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  The Holy Spirit gives us these gifts and no where in the Bible does it say Mother Mary does. 

How different is this fruit than the fruit of our own hearts, and the culture around us.

The “Holy” and catholic (universal/unity) church.”  When many people view the church today, it looks neither holy nor catholic. It seems filled with hypocrites and judgmental people; in fact, this is one reason why many have turned away from “organized religion” and why so many young adults today say that they are “spiritual but not religious.”  Interestingly, these same young people have great admiration for Jesus, but far less admiration for His people, the church. They see neither holiness nor catholicity (unity) when they look at the most vocal Christians and the most outspoken churches today. 

The word holy in the biblical context means belonging to God, or “sacred to” God or “set apart for” God. You’ve likely heard it said that the church is not a country club for perfect people, but instead a hospital for broken and sinful people who are slowly being made well. We need to make sure the non-churched understand that we know that and stop pretending we are bunch of perfect people.  The church does not belong to us it belongs to God.  The next time you try and tell someone they are sitting in your seat at church remember that. The church is holy when we love Christ and seeks to be faithful to Him.  The church is holy when we are not attacking one another for interpreting a scripture differently. 

Christ tried to forestall the divisions among His followers by telling His disciples not to judge one another, and to love one another and forgive one another. Nevertheless, the church divided and continues to divide to this day.   Our belief in the holy, catholic church (universal/unity) is an ecumenical belief that all who call upon the name of Christ and seek to follow Him as Savior and Lord are, despite their denominational or nondenominational names, part of one universal church.  The Roman Catholic Church is a part of that one universal church, and so is the Eastern Orthodox Church, as well as the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Baptists, Pentecostals, Methodists, nondenominational churches, and all the rest.  What right do you have to say Catholics are not CHRISTIANS?  Does it make you feel more important than Catholics, more loved by God?  PRIDE!

I still believe in the importance of the church, but unfortunately at the moment I find that I cannot attend and that certainly has affected my life in a negative way.  I pray one day before I die I will be able to find a church that I can return to and feel at home.  I have not stopped looking.  People need to be able to express differences of opinion within the church and be respected and loved.  I knew that once in a church in Galveston, Texas and I will never forget it. 

I am Catholic and I do not believe in Purgatory

I do not deny it I no longer believe in purgatory.  Regardless of what some say I am as much a Catholic as those that do believe in purgatory.  For non-Catholics purgatory is that place, according to the Roman Catholic Church doctrine, where everyone who is saved must go for a time to be purged of their sins and purified before they can enter into God’s holy presence. If that doctrine is true Christ did not accomplish His purpose for coming to the earth and it was not finished on the cross as Christ said and Christ did not pay the price of our sins.

I make no apology that I believe Christ paid for all our past, present and future sins and that Christ did accomplish His purpose for coming to earth.  I said ‘all’ Christians go through purgatory, but that is not true those declared ‘Saints’ by the Catholic hierarchy are exempt according to Roman Catholic Church doctrine.

There is nothing in Scripture about purgatory. The concept was added to Catholic theology long after the New Testament age. There is no need for a Christian to go there or anywhere else to be purged of sins. Jesus accomplished that task once and for all on the cross. Through faith, we have our sins purged and we are purified only by his grace and imputed righteousness.

I am a Christian a follower of Christ before I am Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc.  I am an American even though I do not approve of everything the leaders of my country do. I am Caucasian, but I am not proud that my ancestor owned slaves in Alabama. I consider myself a Texan even though I was born in Alabama. I am what my convictions lead me to believe I am what I believe myself to be rather than what anyone says I am.  Yes, I am Catholic, but I am not going to follow any man blindly.

Oh by the way, I believe I can forgive those that sin against me, but I do not believe a Pope, Cardinal, Bishop or priest can forgive me of my sins – only God can.

Teachings of Pope Francis - Part V

Our goal is not to proselytize but to listen to needs, desires, disappointments, despair and hope. We must restore hope to young people, help the old, be open to the future and spread love. We need to include the excluded and preach peace.

You cannot know Jesus without having problems. We only come to know Jesus on the daily path of life … in order to know Jesus; we need to enter into a dialogue with Him. If you don’t pray, you don’t know Him.

What will my cross be like? We do not know, but there will be a cross and we need to ask for the grace not to flee when it comes.

Faith contains the memory of our encountering God.

A people who do not take care of their elderly and their children have no future. The only commandment which brings with it a blessing is the fourth, the commandment which regards honoring our parents and the elderly.

God is in every person’s life even if the life of a person has been a disaster. You must try to seek God in every human life. There is always a space in which the good seed can grow.

Charity is simple: worshiping God and serving others.

Let us respect creation, let us not be instruments of destruction! Let us respect each human being. May there be an end to armed conflicts. May hatred yield to love, injury to pardon and discord to unity. Let us listen to the cry of all who are suffering and who are dying because of violence.

We can all flee from God. This is a daily temptation: not to listen to God, not to hear His voice, not to hear His promptings His invitation in our hearts.

Are you able to find the Word of God in the history of each day or do your ideas so govern you that you do not allow the Lord to speak to you?

Today let us all ask ourselves do I remain caught up in forms of material security, taking refuge in my own projects and plans. Do I truly let God into my life?

God asks us to be faithful to Him in our everyday life, even if we are sometimes unfaithful to Him, He remains faithful to us. He never tires of stretching out His hand to lift us up, to encourage us to come back and tell Him of our weakness, so that he can grant us His strength.

Saying “thank you” is such an easy thing and yet so hard! How often do we say “thank you” to one another in our families? These are essential words for our life. “Sorry,” “excuse me,” “thank you” - If families can say these three things, they will be fine. How often do we say “thank you” to those who help us. All too often we take everything for granted! This happens with God. It is easy to approach the Lord to ask for something, but do we thank Him.

God invites us to pray. Prayer makes us feel God’s presence. Persevering prayer is the expression of faith in God.

If money and material things become the center of our lives they seize us and make us slaves.

The Kingdom of Heaven is for those who do not place their security in material things, but in love for God.

 

Why do Filipinos ask are you Catholic or Christian?

 

Catholicism is a denomination, and is, therefore, a subset of Christianity. All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. A Christian refers to a follower of Jesus Christ who may be a Catholic, Protestant, Gnostic, Mormon, Evangelical, Anglican or Orthodox, or follower of another branch of the Christian religion.

Once again I had a man ring my door bell and when I went to the gate he said, “Sir, are you Catholic or a Christian.” My reply, “Sir I am a Christian Catholic.”

The Catholic Church is the largest of the Christian Churches - about 60% of Christians are Catholic. Catholics are expected to participate in the liturgical life, celebrate and revere Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and celebrate seven sacraments Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Matrimony, Anointing of Sick, Holy Orders and Confession.

Catholics use the same Bible as Protestant Christian, but we do have some additional books.  The Catholic Church protected the Bible across the ages until the Gutenberg press was invented in the 16th century. There was no Bible until 397 when the Catholic Church decided on what books belong there. Before that there were hundreds of letters and the Septuagint. Even the word Bible is not in the Bible. It was coined by Catholics. It means books.  We believe in the Virgin Birth. We acknowledge the resurrection of Christ. We believe in the ascension of Jesus Christ. We believe in the second coming of Christ. We even celebrate Mass (services) every day of the week not just one, two or three times a week. We believe that mankind needs forgiveness of sins and the Father sent his Son to save humanity from sin. We believe in eternal life, hell and heaven. We believe Jesus Christ made salvation possible. We believe in the Ten Commandments. We believe in the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one God.  "Trinity" is a Catholic doctrine that predates the Evangelical community by 1200 years. That word isn't even in the Bible.

When I first came to the Philippines ten years ago I had to scratch my head for a few moments because it never occurred to me that some people didn't think Catholics are Christian. I did not know if Catholics in the Philippines were being taught they were not Christians or that Protestants in the Philippines were teaching that Catholics were not Christian. I have a big problem with any organization that says "Catholics are not Christians," because they are ignoring the history of Christianity. The name Christian predates all Protestant and Evangelical Churches by over a millennium.

The Bible didn't fall out of the sky, spiral bound with a King James Version sticker on it. It has a rich Catholic history.

I even had one ask me if you are Christian then why do you say you are Catholic. That is when I started saying I am a ‘Christian Catholic’. But, to that person and other like him I ask you why do Protestant Christians say they are Baptists, Pentecostals, United, Methodist, or even nondenominational instead of simply saying I am a Christian? The word Catholic was used by the year 110 A.D. to distinguish the Church of the Apostles from heretical teachings. It means ‘universal’.

The modern Evangelical movement is a result of numerous splits that occurred after the Reformation, in the 1500's. Protestant is a word that came from some Christians protesting the teachings and rules of the Catholic Church. The only other Churches not to be in union with Rome before that are the Orthodox Church which split off in 1054 A.D.  For over 1000 years there was only one Church – the Catholic Church. Whether or not someone agrees with Catholic doctrine is their choice. But all who look at history honestly will admit that Catholics are clearly Christian.

I am disturbed even more by Catholics who will say “I am not a Christian, I am Catholic.”  There are Catholics living on my street that say that. To many Catholics, the terms “Christian” and “Protestant” are synonymous.

I am not saying that Catholics and Protestant interpret the Bible the same way. I am not saying all their doctrines agree. I am not saying Catholics and Protestants are in complete unity regarding their teachings. I am not saying Catholics are right or Protestants are right. I am not saying Catholics are wrong or Protestants are wrong. Quite honestly, I think both are right on some issues and wrong on some issues. I do not agree with all the doctrine of any ‘denomination’.

The Roman Catholic Church is indeed a Christian Church, and Roman Catholics are Christians. I agree with Alan Schreck when he says, “Satan has been able to use lack of understanding (both among Catholics and others) to divide Christians from one another and to divert their attention and energies away from proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and advancing his kingdom on earth.”

Some Christians believe:

•Roman Catholics don’t believe that Jesus is raised from the dead - some people mistakenly think this because of the prominence of the crucifix in Roman Catholic Churches

Some Christians believe:

•Roman Catholics worship Mary and other saints. If any Catholics are they are not following the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

Some Christians believe:

•Roman Catholics believe they can save themselves apart from the work of Christ.

Some Christians believe:

•Roman Catholics believe that only Roman Catholics are saved.

I suggest before you start evangelizing for your denomination and trying to covert Catholics to Protestants you know what Catholics believe, not what you have been told they believe! I would give the same warning to Catholics, but frankly I unfortunately do not know any Catholics that try to get people to attend church with them.

Is there a purgatory?

The Bible does not mention the exact word “purgatory,” but instead it makes reference to a place which one could understand to be what Catholics refer to as purgatory.  To claim that just because the word purgatory does not exist in the Bible does not necessarily mean such a place does not exist at all. 

The word “Trinity” is never found in the Bible and some wonder whether this is a Biblical doctrine or not, but the absence of a term used to describe a doctrine does not necessarily mean the term is not Biblical. The issue is does the term accurately reflect what the Scripture teaches? 

Protestant churches teach the doctrine of the Trinity, as well as Catholics.  If other denominations teach the concept of Trinity then why do other denominations immediately reply there is no purgatory simply because the word purgatory is not found in the Bible?  Why do they deem one word valid and the other not based on the word appearing in the Bible?  Purgatory or Trinity both are words not found in the Bible.

The Bible contains references to many other Christian doctrines, but fails to call them out by name. One might as well deny that there is something called the Bible because no such name is found in the Bible.  If we are going to use the basis for validity of a doctrine on the word used to describe that doctrine being found in the Bible then we might as well deny incarnation because the exact word is not found in the Bible. 

The name does not make the place; the place must exist first, then we give it a name.  Catholics call this place “purgatory” because it means “a cleansing place.” Catholics believe that purgatory is the place that souls are purged of small sins, which prevent their immediate entrance into Heaven. 

Catholics will tell you in Matthew 5:26 and Luke 12:59 Christ is condemning sin and speaks of liberation only after expiation (death), “Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.” Now we know that no last penny needs to be paid in Heaven and from Hell there is no liberation at all; therefore, they say the reference must apply to a third place.

Catholics would also say in Matthew 12:32 it states, “And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”   Here Jesus speaks of sin against the Holy Spirit.  The implication is that some sins can be forgiven in the world to come.  We know that in Hell there is no liberation and in Heaven nothing imperfect can enter.  Sin is not forgiven when a soul reaches its final destination because in heaven there is no need for forgiveness of sin and in hell the choice to go there is already made.

Catholics would go on to say in Revelation 21:27 “…but nothing unclean will enter it, or anyone who does abominable things or tells lies.”  The place that is to be entered (the place to which this passage refers) is heaven (read the text around it for context). 

It is hard for me to state beyond a shadow of doubt there is no purgatory when the Bible clearly implies a place for an purification after we die in the many passages which tell that God will reward or punish according to a person’s life.

It was explained to me, “After shouting at the neighbor about their dog, the angry and stress filled man walks into his house, had a heart attack, and died having just committed a small sin in the final moments of his life.  Remember, this man is Christian and justified by the Lord, yet he committed a sin and died before he could repent.  Does he go to heaven or does he go to hell or does he go to purgatory?  Are all sins created equal?  No, all sins are not equal and justified men of the Lord can make mistakes and sin”.  I believe God is just and would not send anyone to hell in a case like this, therefore I do not agree with the premise of purgatory.  

Catholics most likely would say that it is foolish for me to believe that Christ on the cross covered all my sins, past, present and future, but that is exactly what I believe.  If that is not the case then why did Christ go to the cross in the first place?   I do not believe Christ and the cross relieves me of my responsibility to not sin and I think it is foolish for anyone to think that it does.  Christ on the cross gives no one a license to sin.  I simply have a hard time believing purgatory is part of Gods plan for justice. 

I do not believe gifts or services rendered to the church, prayers by the priests, and masses provided by relatives or friends on behalf of the deceased can shorten, alleviate or eliminate any journey of the soul to a place called purgatory.  I take responsibility for my sins and I believe everyone else must do the same.  God’s judgment of me is only about me and no human being can fix my past after I am dead or before I die.  For me to believe any different seems to me to mean I have a misunderstanding of the atonement of Christ and adds insult to the finished work of the cross. 

I believe the suffering of Christ on the cross paid for all believers’ sins and I do not believe we need to make another suffering sacrifice.  On the cross Jesus said, “It is finished,” (John 19:30).  In the Greek, this was an accounting term which meant a debt was paid in full.  If the payment for our sins was paid in full on the cross, then how could purgatory be a reality?  Hebrew 9:27, “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

I personally do not believe in purgatory, but I will admit there are hints of such a place in the Bible and there are more than hints in the Bible that there is not.  I do not believe anyone is going to go to hell based on what they believe about purgatory, therefore I doubt if the subject is worth debating.  It is just one of the differences Catholics and Protestants have that we will argue about until the end of time, instead of focusing on the beliefs we have in common.

In closing I will confess I taught the doctrine of purgatory for many years because that was what I was taught and I believed at the time.  Now that I am retired and have far more time to study scripture on my own and have more freedom  I have come to doubt the need for a purgatory.

Why pray for the dead?

The question of purgatory and praying for the dead was a major issue between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th century. The Council of Trent in 1563 reaffirmed the existence of purgatory and the usefulness of prayers for the dead, yet it cautioned against superstition concerning it.

The Catholic teaching regarding prayers for the dead has nothing to do with buying the dead out of purgatory, but unfortunately that is what most non-Catholics believe?  The Catholic Church’s teaching about purgatory (Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1030-32) says that all sin has a life of its own and may have bad effects even after the sinner repents.  Repentance includes a desire to repair the damage done by one’s sins, but repentance may not be complete before the person dies, therefore Catholics pray for completion of repentance.  I do not agree totally with that teaching.

I will say this in defence of the Catholic doctrine on purgatory I would not say beyond a doubt that no type of purgatory exists.   I want to believe our loved ones go straight to heaven, but the truth is I do not know that for a fact.  The Bible provides evidence that there can be no imperfections in heaven.   According to the Catechism, most of us who don’t merit hell still need purification before we can enter heaven. 

I believe if there is any type of purgatory it would have nothing to do with punishment of sin.  It would only be a place to put the final touch on our perfection or holiness.  I will go further to say I do not believe it has anything to do with suffering or paying a sin debt.  Christ paid in full all our past, present and future sin debt. 

I do not believe anything we do after a person dies will affect the deceased relationship with God or their status in heaven.  I believe our salvation is determined on earth prior to death, therefore heaven or hell is determined before death.    

Christians and non-Christians alike have both heard the Bible verse ‘to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord’ (2 Corinthians 5:6-8 Plus 9), but what does those verses really mean?  Does it really mean as soon as we breathe our last breath we are face to face with God?  I think those verses have a much deeper meaning.  Is Paul saying - if we are in our earthly bodies we are away from the Lord.  Yes, the Lord is always with us, but not where we can stand face to face with Him and that makes the difference.   I question that Paul was talking about a time line in those verses, but instead was assuring us that when we die we will come face to face with God.  Will that happen immediately, one day later, two days later or upon Christ coming again.  I do not know for sure.  I do know for sure it will happen and believers will come face to face with God. 

Protestants believe Hebrews 9:27 when it affirms that..."it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment."  Protestants feel that prayers for the dead are useless.  They believe once you die judgment follows immediately.  They believe there is no state in between death and judgment called purgatory.   I am comfortable with that teaching.  But, I also find some aspects of Catholicism appealing due to its historicity and great respect for traditions, authority, and the early Church Fathers.

 I guess in the end it is up to each Christian to decide this issue, since there is no definitive answer in the Bible.  Catholics believe in Scriptures authority and its traditions.  Protestants believe in the sole authority of Scripture alone. There are many things in Scripture that remain a mystery to me and will remain a mystery until I am face to face with God.  These mysteries do not create a faith problem for me.  I think some scriptures remain a mystery for all, but some do not want to admit that they do not have it all figured out and are not in control.

Some may be scratching their head and saying I still do not have an answer.  I still do not know what he believes about praying for the dead.  Sorry, I am not sure I know.   I came to believe over fifty years ago that God did not call me to think for you or to tell you what to think.  I sincerely believe God called me to challenge you and provoke you to study scripture not just read it.  Pray over scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to a conclusion.  

The practice of praying for the dead in my mind naturally implies that we can influence the present state of those who are dead and I do not believe we can.  I do believe we are justified by faith in Christ, and we stand or fall based on our faith at the time of our death.  I believe our righteousness comes from the righteousness of Christ and that makes it hard for me to believe a place like purgatory would need to exist.  I do believe regardless of what you believe about praying for the dead it will not affect where you will spend eternity.   I hope that somewhat clears up my beliefs, but what I believe should not be a defining factor in your deciding what you believe. 

God wanted and wants us to be in unity.  He gave us the church and man was not satisfied.  God then allowed us to have Plan B - denominations.  We were not and are not yet mature enough to come together on the things we have in common and allow our difference to teach us and allow us to grow.  When we surround ourselves with only likeminded people we stifle our growth, but it seems we are more comfortable with likeminded people.