I need different Basic Views Of hell now as quick as possible for a project...?

Question

In my English class I have to do a research project, wikipedia not involved, and alot of websites are not helping at all...


I just need a basic reference on what different religions believe hell is like...?

Answer 1

There is no such place, at least not any more. And it never WAS what Christians want you to think it was. It was the local trash dump.

First of all, the Tanakh (what Christians call the "Old Testament") doesn't mention "Hell".

It's Gehenna or Sheol, not "Hell".


The word Gehenna traces to Greek, ultimately from Hebrew: גי(א)-הינום Gêhinnôm (also Guy ben-Hinnom (Hebrew: גיא בן הינום)) meaning the Valley of Hinnom. 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. Originally it referred to a garbage dump in a deep narrow valley right outside the walls of Jerusalem (in modern-day Israel) where fires were kept burning to consume the refuse and keep down the stench. It is also the location where bodies of executed criminals, or individuals denied a proper burial, would be dumped.

Like Sheol, Gehenna is sometimes translated as "Hell", which is fine...but the IDEA of Gehenna, in the process of translation and interpretation, and being combined with Pagan ideas, took on a meaning that has nothing whatever to do with the original.


Why would a garbage dump be considered a place of torment? Well, the only immortality that people have (in Jewish tradition) is in being remembered by others. The traditional Yahrzeit (the ceremony to mark the annual anniversary of the death of a person) is one way in which the memory of a deceased Jew is kept alive. The yahrzeit is observed by lighting a twenty-four hour candle the evening before the day of the yahrzeit, and most people recite the Kaddish and take a few moments of introspection and thought. Most congregations recite the name of the deceased whose yahrzeit is being observed during the Shabbat services closest to the date.

Naming one's children after a deceased relative is another way to keep alive the memory of the dead. And no one would name their child after someone whose body had been dumped into the trash heap.

So....in summary, the whole idea of "Hell" as a place of eternal torment is a misinterpretation of the Jewish idea that being lost to memory is the worst thing that can happen to someone. Having one's body thrown onto the trash heap rather then being buried in sanctified ground with a commemorative headstone, and not being remembered through ritual, prayer, or having one's name passed along to future generations - THAT is the original horror that has been changed into the idea of the soul in eternal torment in the flames of "Hell".

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For some ancient Pagan beliefs about punishment after death:

The Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh describes an afterlife where worms eat sinners, but the blessed lie on a couch and drink pure water.

Hellenized people believed this:

"Happy is he among men upon earth who has seen these [Eleusinian] mysteries; but he who is uninitiate and who has no part in them, never has like good things once he is dead, down in the darkness and gloom."
[Hymn to Demeter, 480-2]

One crossed the river Styx, and there received either the reward or the punishment one deserved from one's behavior on earth:

Among the famous denizens on "the other side" was Cerberus, the three headed hound of Hades. He was just one of many monsters of Greek Mythology. Sisyphus, who was forever condemned to push a boulder uphill, lives there. As does Tantalus, who stands in a pool of water with fruit all around him, yet can never quench his thirst or hunger.

*****

Here is a GREAT resource that I just found:

http://www.near-death.com/religion.html

Answer 2

Christians believe that hell can be anything from eternal damnation through submersion in an eternal lake of fire to simply separation from god.

Jews don't believe in hell at all, but that all souls are eventually purified and then sent to God. What Christians call "Hell" has never existed in Judaism.

Muslims, well, their hell includes hooks, boiling oils, and other nasty little tid bits that make it scarrier than Christianity's version.

The Greek Hades is a predecessor to the Christian Hell, you may want to start there for finding info for your search.

Answer 3

Hell is one of those subjects that makes people uncomfortable. We hear stories of hell being a place of fire, demons, and endless torment. Throughout history many authors have written about it, Dante's Inferno for example. Western culture is very familiar with the concept. Even Hollywood has made it the subject of many movies. Whatever the context, whatever the belief, hell is definitely taught in the Bible. But even the doctrine of hell is not without its controversy. Some say it is only the grave with no consciousness. Others say it is a place of correction and punishment that is not eternal. Others say it is an endless agonizing punishment in fire. Whichever it is, hell is the total absence of the favor of God.

Answer 4

In my understanding of hell as a Christian, I understand hell not so much as the underground, burning, sulpherous scream-fest I've heard of. Theologically, the Bible speaks of it as eternal seperation from the presence of God. The Bible does also speak of a lake of fire, so that image isn't off. But I once heard an author picture it as a place of absolute aloneness. A person there is locked, for eternity, into solitary confinement with himself. He's forever complaining, whining and revisiting all his failures and unfulfilled selfish wishes. Quite frankly, if I were afraid of being in hell, and thankfully because of Jesus Christ I'm not, this picture of hell scares me worse than the first. I hate the idea of being all alone with the worst I've ever known to be in me, forever....I somehow can't even write it as horrifying as it feels to me. In the Bible there is none of this idea of people having a party with satan in hell, eternally cursing God. Oh no.....

I hope this helps. There is a site: Biblegateway.com that will let you search for things in the Bible. You could enter a search for hell, lake of fire, eternal seperation and get some literal references. :) Good question

Answer 5

Hell is permanent & horrific separation from God. The greatest suffering poeple will have in Hell is full knowledge of the loss of God, not being able to know & love God face-to-face. Jesus describes hell as "eternal fire" It is unending physical & spiritual torment.

Answer 6

"It is the ultimate humiliation and loss; there is nothing worse"

"…The people of Hell are five: the weak who lack the power to (avoid evil); the (carefree) who pursue (everything irrespective of wheher it is good or evil) and who have no concern for their families and their wealth; the dishonest people whose greed cannot be cocealed even in the case of minor things; and those who betray you, morning and evening, with regard to your family and your property. He also mentioned misers, liars, and those who are in the habit of abusing people and using obscene, foul language."

Hope that helps.

Answer 7

JW believe hell is simply mankind's common grave, not a place of perpetual fiery torment. The original words for hell, sheol (hebrew) and hades (greek) translade to grave

Answer 8

Pastafarians believe that hell is just like heaven only the beer is stale and the strippers have VD.

Answer 9

I can only confirm christianity's version of hell as "separation from love" or separation from God (same because christians believe that God IS Love) so whatever comes with having no love! darkness! coldness! torment! burning (for want) etc.

Answer 10

I am Wiccan and we do not believe in hell. We believe that you get what you put out. But not in the traditional brimstone and hellfire hell, where there is a devil and all.