Benedict says:

[quote:37si1mqt]
1 Corinthians talks of “as by fire” not “by fire”. It is drawing upon the common imagery of using fire to purify precious metals. It is an analogy.

If it seems we are talking out of both sides of the issue, it may be because you are not reading close enough what is being said.
[/quote:37si1mqt]

Analogy? Ha-ha – are all of your prayers for the souls in Purgatory then
an analogy too? And what about the sins that Purgatory supposedly removes or removes – are you now saying that they are still there? This is getting crazy. How does your church then claim that we can be purified?