(September 23, 2012 at 11:23 pm)apophenia Wrote:(September 23, 2012 at 10:58 pm)chisto Wrote: The Jews in the OT had no concept of afterlife or hell but believed EVERYBODY went to Sheol or 'the pit' (also, the 'unknown'). They eventually learned about from their neighbors (the Greeks).
Minor technical point, Sheol in the Old Testament was not the only place later identified with hell. Both Sheol and Gehenna (a valley in the neighborhood of Jerusalem) are identified with the references in the New Testament. Gehenna appears to have originally referred to a literal place, but Jewish lore gave it additional interpretations. Hades or Hell, as referenced in the New Testament (10 times) appears to refer to Sheol. Another word which is translated as Hell in the New Testament is actually Gehenna (Gehinnom in the Hebrew; 11 times).
But are not minor technical points really big issues in most christian circles?
"In a world plagued by -isms that claim to have The Answer, atheism serves as a counterweight. If it becomes its own Answer, then it is no better than the religiosity that it mocks." ~Dan Kennedy
