[adiaireton8]

Somehow, apparently, you [1000 silverlings] moved from my statement (in 1902) that "when we enter Heaven we are (already) glorified" to the conclusion that Catholicism teaches that "we must die in a state of sinlessness in order to merit heaven".

That is a non sequitur. In Catholic theology the moment a Christian dies is not necessarily the moment he enters heaven. In Catholic theology, the Christian who is not fully sanctified enters purgatory until his sanctification is complete. One cannot enter heaven without being perfectly sanctified. But that does not mean that one must die sinless in order to go to heaven.

-A8

[Quix]

I don't recall . . .

WHEN in the umpteen centuries of tradition did this purgatory come into being as a fait a compli dogma?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

In Catholic theology the moment a Christian dies is not necessarily the moment he enters heaven. In Catholic theology, the Christian who is not fully sanctified enters purgatory until his sanctification is complete. One cannot enter heaven without being perfectly sanctified.

This brings up something that Protestants see as a real knot in RC logic.

First, do RCs believe God ordains the day of our birth and the day of our death?

"Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass" -- Job 14:5

From your post, it seems not everyone ends up in purgatory. Some are able to be sanctified enough in this life to merit heaven. Which begs the question, wouldn't it be simpler for God to wait a while before taking those who will eventually be sanctified in purgatory, thus giving them more time on earth to be sanctified enough without the needless detour?

Why not just take the elect after they've been sanctified on earth, as some apparently are?

This would seem to cut out the middle man, which as you probably know, always gives Protestants a thrill.