[DouglasKC]

Well, then I can see how you think poorly of us.

I don't think poorly of you.

But, didn’t the righteous souls rise up when the veil was torn?

No, their bodies came out of the graves:

Mat 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Mat 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
Mat 27:53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Presumably they died again, and went back to the grave.

Weren’t Elijah and Moses present with Jesus at the Transfiguration? Were they dead, or were the virtuous alive in Christ?

It was a vision of the future Christ, when he was glorified and was in the kingdom with Elijah and Moses.

Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him.
Mat 17:9 And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.

If you look at the greek word translated "vision" it always refers to a supernatural vision, either a waking vision or a dream vision. It didn't happen in our reality, but it can be a prophetic vision.

To believe otherwise is to throw out the biblical teaching that the we are not communicate with the dead.

[papertyger]

...the greek word translated "vision" it always refers to a supernatural vision, either a waking vision or a dream vision. It didn't happen in our reality, but it can be a prophetic vision.

So what's the greek word for a vision of something real, yet of supernatural origin?

[thefrankbaum]

Presumably they died again, and went back to the grave.

Presumably...how can you do that? It doesn't say either way in Scripture. Now, I know how I can say the righteous are alive, since I have the support of Sacred Tradition. If you are solely looking within written words of the Bible, you cannot presume anything. It is either there or it isn't.

To believe otherwise is to throw out the biblical teaching that the we are not communicate with the dead.

And the word "dead" is where we differ. Righteous life leads to eternal life, not death. That was the promise. And how can Elijah be dead if he was taken away on a Chariot of Fire?