2007-08-07 08:55:22 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Priests used the threat of eternal damnation during the Dark Ages to terrify people into believing and obeying them. The actual word "hell" comes from Hel, the Scandinavian Goddess of the underworld. The idea of eternal fire to punish people originated from Babylon. It was incorporated into Christianity along with a lot of other Pagan ideas. The Bible translators used Hell instead of Hades, Gehenna, and Sheol like their original versions. There are many scriptures that teach that the fate of the unsaved is death, nonexistence.
2007-08-07 09:07:25 · answer #1 · answered by Graciela, RIRS 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I really like your questions, it makes me search for an answer then I learn as well.
One of the names for hell in Islam is the fire not just fire but THE fire.
Another name is Jahnam which means in Hebrew the Valley of Hinnom's son.[1] The valley forms the southern border of ancient Jerusalem and stretches from the foot of Mt. Zion, eastward, to the Kidron Valley. It is first mentioned in Joshua 15:8.[1] as a deep, narrow ravine at the foot of the walls of Jerusalem where refuse was burned. It is here that the bodies of executed criminals or others deemed unworthy of a proper burial were dumped.
When this word is translated its normally called hell.
2007-08-08 09:35:16 · answer #2 · answered by Knowing Gnostic 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Depends on whose modern theology you're talking about. Most liberal theologians dismiss the idea of a physical Hell, and understand that Hell as we have come to understand it was mostly constructed in the Middle Ages.
2007-08-07 15:59:10 · answer #3 · answered by keri gee 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because people realize what a powerful tool the concept of hell is in regards to winning and keeping followers. It's just a scare tactic, but an extremely effective one.
2007-08-07 16:00:21 · answer #4 · answered by rbc_commish 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because this is how the theological language developed. Simply put, the connotations of the modern concept of "hell" come from theologians explaining what the Faith teaches the place of the dead is like--as opposed to the place of eternal life, heaven.
2007-08-07 16:00:28 · answer #5 · answered by delsydebothom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is really important that we understand the message of Jesus even if we do not like it. People have opinions. Jesus talked a lot about hell, and for a reason that will affect us for a very long time. : )
2007-08-07 16:02:32 · answer #6 · answered by SeeTheLight 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
B/C when catholics where assimilating the pagans to chrisitanity they took common words, common pagan words, and twisted them to mean negative things. Like for instance the word Satan is just a hebrew word that mean adversary!
2007-08-07 15:59:35 · answer #7 · answered by Starry Pluto ॐ 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The fear of hell is an effective money maker for the churches so they push the concept hard.
2007-08-07 15:59:06 · answer #8 · answered by Michael da Man 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you look in the Bible, several words are translated as Hell. But the description is similiar.
2007-08-07 15:58:36 · answer #9 · answered by RB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it's scarier, so easier to covert people as well as keep them in the chruch.
2007-08-07 15:59:21 · answer #10 · answered by Daisy Indigo 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋