and do the good ones still go to hell?
2006-06-29 09:30:16 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
close enough. they were some sort of social pariah.
2006-06-29 09:37:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
They were not atheists by definition as they recognized some sort of religion. The Samaritans were an early sub-group of Judaism who were residents of the district of Samaria, located north of Jerusalem and Judah. They were the people brought in to settle the region after the Assyrians conquered it. Tradition has it that the only scriptures they acknowledged was the Pentateuch and that they regarded Mt. Gerizim as their sacred center, not Jerusalem. Samaritan communities still exist today.
Because of the strained relations between the Jews and Samaritans, the appearance of a "Good Samaritan" was very radical in the stories about Jesus.
As for whether or not the good Samaritans go to hell or not, it depends on your views.
2006-06-29 16:37:14 · answer #2 · answered by provence 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the Samaritans weren't athiests. They were just a different sect of Judaism at the time. They believed that they were following the True Judaism that was around before the Temple of Solomon was around, and that the religion was wrong from that point on. This is still a viewpoint that is rejected by most normal Jews, and there are very few still around. But anyway, they aren't athiests, as they believe in YHWH, as the rest of the Jews do.
And as to whether or not they are going to hell, that is entirely up to your beliefs, and I cannot answer that for you.
2006-06-29 16:36:53 · answer #3 · answered by Archangeleon 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, as a matter of fact, they weren't. They were, like the Jews, monotheists. But you might say they were ultra-ultra reformed Jews. Cohabitation was falrly common among them, and not really frowned upon. They did not abide by Jewish dietary laws.
(one reason the Jews considered them "unclean").
Jesus healed them (the woman who touched the hem of his garment was one such). He did not disdain touching their eating utensils to his lips (a definite no-no for Orthodox Jews). He used them as examples to Jews that good deeds were more important to God than a professed religion. (the parable of the good Samaritan).
They were hated by the Orthodox. When some Jews were first allowed to return from Babylon to cleanse and resanctify the Temple, the Samaritans offered to help. They were curtly dismissed.
But Jesus was clear as to how he would judge man. And my guess is there are many "Good Samaritans" in heaven (and bad Jews and Christians in Hell.)
2006-06-29 16:52:36 · answer #4 · answered by ALLEN F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No Samaritans were those Jews who mixed with the pagans to form a new people around 700 AD.
Even today, there are Samaritans who practice their own faith, They have their own version of the Torah, their own Holy Sites(some mountain in Nazareth), and basically keep to themselves.
2006-06-29 16:35:09 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Samaritans, back in the Bible days, were half Jews who had Gentile blood. the Jewish establishment thought less of them, they were what you call half-breeds, and they were not accepted by the Jewish religious leaders.
Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan to show that it's good deeds, not your breeding, which make you a good person.
2006-06-29 16:35:00 · answer #6 · answered by cirque de lune 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mix of Jew and Gentile.pagan.
2006-06-29 16:34:35 · answer #7 · answered by robert p 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋