You people do realize that there was no concept of "hell" in the original religion, or in the original texts?

Question

Some of you have a bad habit of trying to threaten those of us who do not believe as you do with an imaginary punishment, after we're already worm food, that was made up a few hundred years ago. Pitiful.

Answer 1

Aye, Captain. And, that's the rub.

Answer 2

I am very well aware of it.

Of course, their are prolific mentions of an afterlife - regardless of how it is described, in ancient texts. These works go back past the Hebrews to the Summerians, and their ideas about life after death. And the Egyptians.

There are a few vocal Christians that do threaten hell. But the majority do not - and it is unfair to make it sound like many do. Many simply are trying to inform you, but instead it is taken like a threat.

For most Christians, hell in reality is not a punishment. It is instead something you chose. You chose to go against G-d and his gift, so he gives you what you want - an eternity without him.

Hell was an original concept to Christianity. Look at the book of Revelation. Hell is mentioned multiple times in there, including banishing Satan and his followers there. There is also hints that those who have turned away from G-d will go to hell, even though this was not the oribinal concept of hell. Revalation was writing around 90 CE, when John was on the Island of Patmos in exile. Although John as the author is more tradition then fact, the actual time that this book was written is not.

So you see, hell is really a true reality to the Christian religion. It was not made up exclusively to scare unbelievers hundreds of years later.

Answer 3

The concept of hell, as the western world knows it, is from a combination of Persian, Egyptian, and a little Greek mythology. It is not an original concept of the ancient middle east. You know -that place where Jesus was from?

The concept of a place of infernal damnation is mainly a European construct of the medieval church. As the saying goes, Dante's rings is Dante's problem.

The original concept of the underworld was a place where all souls went after this life. No heaven or hell, just the underworld. It was a dry, dusty place where souls survived on food and drink that their loved ones sent down, which was why it was important to leave family behind.

The entire good vs evil thing was brought into the middle east by mainly the Persians when they invaded Babylon late in Babylonian history. Zoroastrianism. The heaven and hell, good and evil thing didn't exist in the near middle east until the Persians brought the concept over.

Original texts? Try Ancient Near Eastern Texts by James Pritchard.

Answer 4

First, you are absolutely correct about hell. And many non-Christians are surprised to learn that some of the world's oldest, largest and most conservative Christian denominations are officially universalist (and always have been).

Of course, when the other folks talk about hell, they are not making threats. A threat implies that the person making the threat has the power to fulfill the threat. I can threaten to put my neice into time out. But when I warn her not to run into traffic, I am not threatening to run over her. That is a warning, not a threat.

Answer 5

RayeKaye: The "original" Christianity was Judaism. You won't find a place of eternal torment on the Tanakh (OT). Christianity absorbed much of the Egyptian traditions concentrating on life after death instead of life here on earth.

The entire Egyptian community was devoted to preparing for the pharoah's (god's) life after death. Judaism changed that culture by providing protections and rights for the general population in *this* life, not in the hereafter.

The message is not so much about putting our absolute trust in God to come through for us or else. It’s about believing in ourselves, and having the courage to look beyond the reality of “what is” or “what has been” to “what can be.” God never promised us a rose garden. He gave us the roadmap to get there and the capacity to plant and cultivate the seeds of a better world.
.

Answer 6

Is your time better served trying to refute it, or asking to avoid it?

You need to work backward. Your first question should be, "is the Word of God true?" From there, you can answer any of the other questions based on the findings therein.

My blog in the link below proves without doubt that the Bible was written by God through man and is indeed true. And I certainly would not bet my eternal soul that it is wrong.

The Bible says that hell is a real place--not a state of mind.

The Angel prophesying to Daniel said it was a real place...
Da 12:2 - And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

God revealed it to Isaiah that is a real place.
Isa 66:24 - “And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.”

Jesus confirmed God's prophetic word to Isaiah three times!
Mr 9:44 “where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’
Mr 9:46 “where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’
Mr 9:48 “where ‘Their worm does not die, And the fire is not quenched.’

...and described it as a dimension of darkness.
Matt 25:30 "...cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

Jude spoke of it...
Jude 7 - suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

And John in Revelation also described heaven in detail.
Re 20:10&15 - And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire...and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

I would not bet my eternity on man made philosophies and against the Word of God.

Answer 7

Sure. So? my faith doesn't depend on some being "in" some "out." I don't believe in hell, and I don't believe God would condemn anyone to eternity of punishment. But rant away at all us mean old Christians. oh yeah, and enjoy all the scripture:p

Answer 8

you haven't read the Bible very thoroughly.

The Old Testament has the concept of Hell very clearly in it. The Pharisees often prayed that God would throw all the Romans in to hell; it was believed that Romans were the fuel for burning the Devil in hell.

But, even if it weren't: I'm quite satisfied that the Son of God revealed it clearly enough. I don't need to know if Aaron and Moses understood it completely.

Answer 9

I don't threaten anybody, and why do you think there was no reference to Hell in the original texts? I noticed you didn't list any sources.
Pitiful.

Answer 10

Let's have those "original texts". The Bible IS the original text and Jesus warns of Hell more than He speaks of Heaven.

Answer 11

try Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Job, Psalm, Proverbs, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Jonah, & Habakkuk.