Limbo
Not Purgatory?
Believe it or not, limbo is not the same as purgatory. Sorry, "Supernatural", your research was a bit off.
Most people probably believe limbo and purgatory are the same thing, and they are similar... in a way. Both are
populated by people who aren't ready to rise to heaven or fall down to hell. However, that's where the similarities end. Not only are people in limbo for different reasons than those in purgatory, but the scenery and what you can do there are also markedly different.
Believe it or not, limbo is not the same as purgatory. Sorry, "Supernatural", your research was a bit off.
Most people probably believe limbo and purgatory are the same thing, and they are similar... in a way. Both are
populated by people who aren't ready to rise to heaven or fall down to hell. However, that's where the similarities end. Not only are people in limbo for different reasons than those in purgatory, but the scenery and what you can do there are also markedly different.
As Dull As it Gets
Heaven is surrounded by a bright blue sky, puffy white clouds, and rainbows. Hell has dark caverns, rivers of lava, and cackling demons. Even purgatory has some fire and somewhat sadistic angels who help "purify" you. Limbo? Not that much to offer. It's as dull as it gets, with a shadowy, bleak landscape, and no activities to offer for its inhabitants.
Whereas you can have a great time doing whatever suits your tastes in heaven, and you're tortured daily in hell and purgatory (though the latter has an excuse: it'll get better), limbo has absolutely nothing to do. It's the waiting room of the afterlife, and sadly, there aren't any Vogue or Playboy magazines to relieve the boredom.
Heaven is surrounded by a bright blue sky, puffy white clouds, and rainbows. Hell has dark caverns, rivers of lava, and cackling demons. Even purgatory has some fire and somewhat sadistic angels who help "purify" you. Limbo? Not that much to offer. It's as dull as it gets, with a shadowy, bleak landscape, and no activities to offer for its inhabitants.
Whereas you can have a great time doing whatever suits your tastes in heaven, and you're tortured daily in hell and purgatory (though the latter has an excuse: it'll get better), limbo has absolutely nothing to do. It's the waiting room of the afterlife, and sadly, there aren't any Vogue or Playboy magazines to relieve the boredom.
Too Early to the Party?
You see, of all the requirements to get into heaven, being a kind, generous, selfless, and peaceful person isn't at the top of the list. A bit strange, isn't it? The fact of the matter is that more than anything else, you have to believe in Jesus Christ's sacrifice and that he will save us from... ourselves, presumably. Alright, it's Christianity, it's logical that you should believe in Christ to be allowed into the Christian happy place. Only, what about all those millions of righteous people who died before Jesus was born?
You see the problem now. These people existed long before Jesus ever did, and weren't Christian themselves. But people like David, Moses, and Abraham were praised nonstop in the Bible, and it didn't make sense to many that such admired leaders should go to hell just because they weren't alive to see Jesus being born. So, the idea of limbo was created to dump the pre-Christ people, where they would wait, and wait, and wait, until Jesus died and pulled them up to heaven. (13)
You see, of all the requirements to get into heaven, being a kind, generous, selfless, and peaceful person isn't at the top of the list. A bit strange, isn't it? The fact of the matter is that more than anything else, you have to believe in Jesus Christ's sacrifice and that he will save us from... ourselves, presumably. Alright, it's Christianity, it's logical that you should believe in Christ to be allowed into the Christian happy place. Only, what about all those millions of righteous people who died before Jesus was born?
You see the problem now. These people existed long before Jesus ever did, and weren't Christian themselves. But people like David, Moses, and Abraham were praised nonstop in the Bible, and it didn't make sense to many that such admired leaders should go to hell just because they weren't alive to see Jesus being born. So, the idea of limbo was created to dump the pre-Christ people, where they would wait, and wait, and wait, until Jesus died and pulled them up to heaven. (13)
But What About the Children?
There was also another group of people who didn't get to be baptized or blessed by the awesome power of Jesus.
Babies. Yup, that's right, babies weren't allowed into heaven, the logic being that they had never been blessed and become Christian. (14) This presumably also applied to foetuses that died in the womb. So all the Christians metaphorically threw the dead babies into limbo, comforted by the fact that at least they weren't in hell. However, the babies have it much worse than the men who lived before Jesus's time, because they can't leave limbo. Ever.
These babies are trapped in limbo forever, and one of the worst parts is that they only have each other for company, because while we can assume that Jesus is slowly relocating the Christian figureheads who are trapped in limbo to heaven, all of those dead babies aren't allowed to go with them. Although all humans are born with original sin, babies are just so neutral that God can't allow them into his kingdom. (13) So somewhere between heaven and hell, there's a place with millions of babies who can never again be with their families, even when they are all dead. What a comforting thought, huh?
There was also another group of people who didn't get to be baptized or blessed by the awesome power of Jesus.
Babies. Yup, that's right, babies weren't allowed into heaven, the logic being that they had never been blessed and become Christian. (14) This presumably also applied to foetuses that died in the womb. So all the Christians metaphorically threw the dead babies into limbo, comforted by the fact that at least they weren't in hell. However, the babies have it much worse than the men who lived before Jesus's time, because they can't leave limbo. Ever.
These babies are trapped in limbo forever, and one of the worst parts is that they only have each other for company, because while we can assume that Jesus is slowly relocating the Christian figureheads who are trapped in limbo to heaven, all of those dead babies aren't allowed to go with them. Although all humans are born with original sin, babies are just so neutral that God can't allow them into his kingdom. (13) So somewhere between heaven and hell, there's a place with millions of babies who can never again be with their families, even when they are all dead. What a comforting thought, huh?