if purgatory doesn't exist, then where are those that have passed?

In Catholic theology, purgatory is a spiritual state of being for those who are in need of spiritual purification before entering Heaven, which Revelation tells us allows nothing unclean.

Nobody who goes to purgatory goes to hell. Those who go to purgatory have had their sins forgiven, but have not done penance for them.

It is, in other words, a spiritual state where love of self is transformed into perfect love of God.

Purgatory, contrary to what some anti-Catholic "Bible Christians" say, squares with the Bible.

Jesus speaks of the sinner who cannot be forgiven, either in this life or the next. In the next life, forgiveness cannot happen in hell, and it is not needed in heaven. So, a third place must exist, or else Jesus would not have spoken about sins being forgiven in the next life.

Jesus speaks of those who "must remain in prison, till you pay the last penny." This "paying the last penny" cannot occur in hell, which is permanent; nor does it happen in heaven, since heaven is no "prison" and there's no need to "pay" anything there. So, again, a third place must be the topic of Jesus' words here.

2 Maccabees speaks of praying for the dead being a "holy and wholesome thought ... that they may be loosed from their sins." These prayers cannot help those in hell, and they are not needed for those in heaven. Again, a third place must be the reference here.

Protestant versions of the Bible don't contain 2 Macabees, which was removed from the Bible by the "reformers" -- probably because of its clear reference (mentioned above) to purgatory.

I say purgatory exists. Some sadly believe that having professed their faith in Christ means they never have to ask for forgiveness again. And some that do ask for forgiveness to remove sin throughout their life may still die at a time when sin is on their heart. They have run the race well and do not deserve hell, but they still have sin on their souls. God must burn this sin away before they can enter heaven, where no sin exists. The burning away part is called purgatory. Now if only some men didn't throw out some books of the Bible......

Those that have passed and gone to neither heaven nor hell remain in a state of limbo on earth. They stay here until either they have accepted that they have died or repent for the bad things that they have done. Some always remain specially if there death is brutal. It is almost as if they live in a seperate dimension to us buut some of us can see spirits and can percieve the difference.

six feet under

How does Jesus talk about death. Lets see what the NT says John 11:11-14 "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; Verse 12 His disciples replied, "Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better." 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead, we see even more of what Jesus said in Matthew 9:24... he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." ,Mark 5:39.."Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." Luke 8:52...all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." Acts 13:36 "For when David had served God's purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his fathers and his body decayed. 1 Cor 11:30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 1 Cor 15:6,18,20, ...most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. verse 18 ... fallen asleep verse 20 ... fallen asleep. 1 Thess 4:13-15 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. So we see that the bible and Jesus said death is a sleep, and our souls for the christians who died are asleep in Christ.

LDS believe all who have passed on are either in spirit prison or spirit paradise, according to their faithfulness while on the earth. They will wait there until the first resurrection of the just. The spirits in prison are being taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, that is why we do baptism's and temple work for the dead. So that if they accept the gospel there, their work is done for them.

Kip has it right.

When you die you are in the grave.

There are 3 resurrections. Christ spoke of 2 of them:

"Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29).

The King James "damnation" is the Greek "krisis", meaning "contesting". But that's another story.

Moldering in the dust. Live as if this is it. Don't worry about the afterlife. No one has ever returned to tell us that it exists. This is it. Live so that you can face yourself in the mirror and be proud of how you behaved. That's all that matters.

The Bible says that the dead know not anything. The dead sleep a spiritual sleep without dreams until the Resurrection.

Everyone who has died is dead. They are laying in the ground somewhat like sleeping, awaiting the resurrection.

Maybe the same place you were before you were born. Where IS that, exactly?