Why do Christians believe in hell and the devil? (see details)?

Question

Seriously, where did these beliefs come from? Christianity is an offshoot of Judaism, and Jews don't believe in a place called hell (just the grave), and they believe that Lucifer isn't evil, just the heavenly version of a prosecuting attorney.

If Jesus was a Jew, and he didn't come to change the law/scripture (by his own words), then why, all of sudden in the new testament, are there all these references to an evil Satan and the non-believers going to hell to suffer forever?

Did Jesus even say these things? Did early Christians subvert the old testament to make it support their positions? Were Christians pretty much a cult that won the religion lottery when they got endorsed by Constantine, thereby getting the ability to re-write their own past?

What do you think?

Servant:
I think you need to talk to some Jewish theologians. The snake was a snake. Later Christians equated it with Satan.

Sometimes I don't know why I try. I appreciate those who actually attempt to answer my questions, whether to agree or argue.

To those who just use the opportunity to spout mindless Christian tag lines and grab 2 points.... you really need to examine why you "believe" what you do.

For anyone who comes back to read this question, for whatever reason:

I'm not making this up! Ask a rabbi, Jews (religiously, not ethnically) do not believe in a devil or hell.

Many of you seem to be under the impression that the old testament should be interpreted differently than it is by the people who actually wrote it.

Answer 1

I think that Paul had a lot to do with rewriting the OT to make it fit into a new religion called Christianity. The church also had a lot of influence in writing it in order to control the masses,

Answer 2

I am a Methodist Christian and I believe not in Hell exactly in the full sense of the word, but that there is an evil, or bad, force out there as well as a good one. With nothing referring to the Bible, and in my own beliefs, I would say that to appreciate something good, there must be something bad in opposite. Would we appreciate life if there was no death? Would we appreciate that we can see in light, if there was no dark? And so on. That's my personal view. So if there is a good force, a 'God' at work, then there has to be a bad force. It's like a balance, or Yin and Yang. Equivalency.

There are a lot of factors that led to christianity becoming a major religion, many of which we will not know because, like you say, it could have been misinterpreted and re-written in past. But Hell, most certainly, could be a scare tactic or a shocker into getting people to do only good, or it could be a metaphor meaning you will be miserable and guilty.

I hope this helps you- sorry I can't say any more! My knowledge of this side of Christianity is really limited >.< Will make a note to learn more ^_^

Answer 3

Moral: Religious Jews DO believe that "Lucifer" - "light bringer" later, after his rebellion, became the "Adversary" better, known as "Satan" or the Devil. You are absolutley correct in your assessement of the fact, that there is no eternal burning "hell" fire, nor is there a mention of non-believers being in a "hell" fire - eternally suffering i.e. How could Satan be burned up since he is of a spirit composition ?) You err in your assumption that Jesus Christ was a legalist ( Law-centered) since He was accused on several occassions by the Jewish leaders of "breaking the Law" - particularily, the Sabbath Day. No - early Christians did not subvert the Old Testament [O.T.] since the O.T. was no longer valid, and did not apply to non-Jews (Gentiles); therefore, no longer in force after Jesus Christ was murdered at the hands of the Romans, under the influence of the Jewish Leaders. This is why the NEW Testament or Covenant [N.T.] was now, introduced to ALL humans, Gentiles included - giving all people a shot at the GRACE of Jesus Christ - the opportunity and chance for a relationship with God, the Father, through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament used RACE to attain to obedience via Law to justify one's action; whereas, the New Testament encompasses GRACE. One is physical the other Spiritual. The Episitles or letters of the New Testament were all ready, written, long before Constintine endorsed any of them or arrived on the scene. And NO, Christianity is not an "off-shoot" of Judaism, either.

Answer 4

Hi Moral Monkey, for me it seems that Christianity boils down to whether or not a person believes that Jesus was God's Son, the Messiah, and the Bible is God's word. The Jews didn't even recognize Jesus as the Messiah so I can't stake my eternity on what they believe about hell. In Matt. 10:28 Jesus basically tells his disciples that because they are following Him they may experience the wrath of men but they don't need to fear man who can only hurt or kill the body but the wrath of God who has the power to cast into hell. The word hell in that scripture is the greek word geenna which means the place of future punishment. Rev. 4:11 says that we were created for God's good pleasure. Jesus chose to come to reconcile us back to God because sin had separated us and to redeem us from the law which is what the Jews still follow. The OT speaks of Satan, especially in the book of Job. I believe that the NT is about Jesus showing us how to live and overcome the devil instead of vice versa. (plus lots more) In James 4:7 we are told to submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee. Not sure if I helped but I hope you keep searching. :)

Answer 5

The overall problem comes into play when they read it literally without the necessary understanding to perceive what it is really trying to convey. Hell and Satan and it's character holds a great esoteric truth in it's meaning, however they subscribe to the letter that kills and actually negate their reasoning abilities to prove what is allegory into literalism, thus what they say becomes the traditions and commandments of man as a whole host of ritualistic and carnal judgments come from such and they condemn themselves more. The problem is in how you discern it and interpret it. Anything literal is only working towards your own undoing.

Answer 6

The Bible never says that people are gong to hell forever. The whole concept of hell, a place of burning torment orginaed in the ancient pagan religions of Babylon. Then, after Jesus return to heaven, apostates appointed literal meaning to the illustration of the Rich Man and Lazurus.
Most of those in Christendom today, fail to remember that Jesus spoke in illustrations, meaning what he said was a lesson pointing to something specific. The point of the Rich Man/Lazurus, story, was to expose the hypocrisy of the Jewish religious leaders, and to let them know that their position of the good things had been taken away from them and given to the poor in spirit.

Answer 7

A lot of these false beliefs were adopted by the church of Rome in the early days of Christianity to satisfy Pagan beliefs which were prevalent at the time in an attempt to include Pagans into the church. They have no biblical basis in truth but unfortunately a lie that has been repeated enough times becomes viewed as the truth.

Answer 8

To find your answer you need to let go of you own ego and allow God, not me, or your friends give you a belief. You are hiding behind something that will never stand like true faith can. When some one else tries to level with you, you shut them out because you believe in your own argumentive behavior. Listen to those things that ring as truth.
You see I was once a skeptic such as you, but I was slowly convinced that it does take faith to see true religion. There is a true religion, but with the kind of attitude like I used to carry around I would have never come to know that there is a true power of God that does reach down and touch a man's heart. This touch changes even us skeptics and moves people to give their lives for the truth. I allowed the true God to move me inside my heart and when I felt him I knew he was real.
Open up and see!

Answer 9

Not just that, but they also worship 3 gods. For instance, the holy spirit is Gabriel according to the Tanakh, so they consider an angel to be a god. it is bad enough Christianity turned a servant of G-d into the devil

Answer 10

It is not an issue of history nor religion, but it is the search for truth that arrived you in this question.

Your question cannot be answered by posting it to the Internet or telling arguments about a certain faith or history.

My friend there are truth that cannot be explained by man. and there are truth that man does not want to accept.

Answer 11

Actually it is a scientific value: There are absolute truths in the Natural Laws and It comes from this Biblical principal: For every action, there is an Equal and Opposite Reaction