Want to know something interesting about hell?

Question

My study of hell is taking me to unusual places. Other than the fact that it is used a lot in the KJV it as an interesting etymology. Let me just cut a little snippet for you:

O.E. hel, helle
...a death aspect of the three-fold goddess. Transfer of a pagan concept and word to a Christian idiom, used in the K.J.V. for O.T. Heb. Sheol, N.T. Gk. Hades, Gehenna.

A death aspect of the three-fold goddess? Now that's interesting. What's a pagan concept doing being used in an improper context in the christian bible?

Could it be that we have the wrong idea of hell afterall? Is it a place of eternal tormnet a "winnowing" process?

I've started a study and so far it not's looking good for the traditional doctrine.

I've been blogging this stuff on my 360 page if you are interested in joining me on my journey to hell.

What do you think?

I'm beginning to think that our early christian father's liked the nature religion so much they decided to borrow a lot of the ideas and wove them into the belief system.

Hmm... 3 fold goddess, trinity, hmmm

death aspect of the 3 fold goddess
hell

hmmm....

Very interesting stuff. I guess to sell the religion to the pagans you got to make it look appealing to them eh?

I was being a sarcastic. There are a lot of pagan ideas in doctrine but really not in the bible. For the one commenter, I am getting this from bible. Hell is not in the bible. You should study the words and their meaning instead of relying on a translation that tried to enforce these ideas.

Answer 1

Good research. Keep going with it.

Unfortunately, you probably won't convince anyone else, even though they tell you about verses that don't exist or are taken out of context.

There is also considerable evidence for Hell as a place of not of eternal torment, but simply of not living, after which people will be given a last chance to accept God before being thrown into the lake of fire, which annihilates them but tortures the devil, the beast, and something else (can't remember).

But many Christians would have you believe it's eternal torment. These people have abandoned rational thought. Such a Hell is incompatible with the Christian God of mercy and justice, as it is neither merciful (obviously) nor just (if you live for ~75 years, it's not fair to suffer for it forever). Some Christians will tell you that the people in Hell would never believe anyway, but that's complete NONSENSE. Some of us are just waiting for evidence.

Answer 2

"Death aspect of the three-fold goddess"?! Where in the world did you get *that* from? I've not seen any evidence that Hel was in any way, shape, or form, a triple goddess. And it refers to "the" three-fold goddess, implying that all goddesses are part of one great uber-goddess, which is far from univerisall accepted - so I'm a bit uncertain of how good that source is that you're using.

Second, the quote you cite even states that the concept existed under a different name in the OT. So, while the Nordic goddess name was chosen as a translation into English, and perhaps even influenced some of the other depictions of the Christian Hell, it doesn't change the Abrahamic roots of the concept.

Answer 3

It is interesting isn't it? Sheol and Hades will be the grave. Gehenna is used only once as relates to an ever burning pit of torment, and that is for satan only Trace the word back through the translation to the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem. That is neat. It is a public dump. If you have any trouble later on with the "worm that dieth not" email me. Raymond aen

Answer 4

I think what you're discussing is very interesting - and you're right, a lot of what became Christianity does seem like a packaging scheme derived to make it familiar to the pagans. A lot of this began with the apostle Paul, who probably never intended it to be taken to this length.

What I would ask you, then, is if the traditional Christian understanding of so many things is pagan in origin, then what you're telling me is that generations followed Christ, all engaged in embracing an erroneous, pagan worldview.

What does this say, then, to Gamaliel's test - that if it be of God, there is no stopping it.

Seems pretty well stopped to me.

Why be Christian, then?

All the best,

Lazarus

Answer 5

That is what Jehovah ´s witnesses had years more than 90 years explaining.

What Has Happened to
Hellfire?

http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2002/7/15/article_02.htm

Gehenna (Lake of fire) is not hell, Hell is Sheol or hades
(Ge•hen'na) [Gr. form of the Heb. Geh Hin•nom', “Valley of Hinnom”].
This name appears 12 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, and whereas many translators take the liberty to render it by the word “hell,” a number of modern translations transliterate the word from the Greek ge'en•na.—Mt 5:22, Ro, Mo, ED, NW, BC (Spanish), NC (Spanish), also the footnotes of Da and RS.

the false concept was created by our "lovely" Catholic Church.

Answer 6

No you are mistaken.

As you say the word Hell may have come from some goddess concept (we would still need to verify if it is true)

So the translators into English simply used the closest word that Gehenna and Hades could have.

Also the Bible in New testament is pretty clear as to what Hell is without any speculation to meanings of words. It says its a place of pain of fire with hungry worm, etc.

Also the first translations of the Bible, before KJV were largely latin. so they would use a different word for hell, some latin word like inferno , or whatever.

Answer 7

"What's a pagan concept doing being used in an improper context in the christian bible"

See also Christmas & trees, most of Easter, and actually a lot of the traditions which were lifted from earlier ones.

Also see Noah/Ark story and the epic of Gilgamesh and numerous other occurrences.

Answer 8

"....so then we danced until the place closed, went to Denny's for coffee and an early breakfast, drank coffee and laughed with other club-hoppers there until the sun came up, then went to my place and crashed before we could concentrate on each other. What a night! But we had fun!"

Answer 9

It's a marketing strategy - A way of trying to coerce people to follow a particular religion so that they leaders of that religion can maintain and increase their power, wealth and prestige.

Answer 10

Check out Gnostics...
That's why I keep telling you Pagans how much I love ya.
May Sophia shine in you.


Blessed Be!