Help on Good Theif Issue

[ironman]

Can someone send me a link or give me a full detail of how to defend, when Jesus says to the good theif "Today you will be with me in Paradise." My non-denominational neighbor, say's he didn't mention "Purgatory," so then the debating began.......thanks for the help guys.........

[Paphnutius]

Perhaps being crucified was enough for that thief to forgo going through purgatory. We must remember that purgatory is not a holding pin so much as a place to be purified to enter into eternal life. It could be that the amount of suffering the thief endured upon his own cross was enough for both his conversion of faith and to bring him directly into heaven, thus purgatory was not needed. His cleansing by fire was the cross so of course Christ would not of mentioned purgatory to him.

[SarahB]

These two articles might help you.

[url="http://www.catholic.com/library/Purgatory.asp"]Purgatory[/url]

[url="http://www.catholic.com/library/Roots_of_Purgatory.asp"]The Roots of Purgatory(Early Church Fathers)[/url]

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Baptism (in this case by desire), wipes away both sins and temporal punishment. Purgatory was not necessary.

[Jake Huether]

[quote name='thedude' date='May 17 2005, 01:59 PM'] Baptism (in this case by desire), wipes away both sins and temporal punishment. Purgatory was not necessary. [/quote]
Excellent response! I hadn't even thought about that.

Thanks.