The Church teaches that all mankind was sentenced to hell to pay for Adam’s sin. This doctrine is both biblically and historically insupportable.
Biblical Viewpoint
It would be interesting to know why this should be when Adam was not sentenced to hell to pay for his own sin. In Genesis 3:17-19 we are told all the terrible things that will happen to Adam. Have you ever read this for yourself? If so, did you notice Adam’s punishment is confined to his physical existence? In fact, Yahweh says “until you return to dust.” So we are talking here about physical death. The soul does not return to dust. The body does and according to the Bible, that is the end of Adam’s punishment. The word “until” means there’s a time limit. So from where did the Church come in and decide our punishment is to be eternal?
Is it not odd that in the 4,000 years between Adam and Paul, not one biblical writer says a word about anybody going to hell to pay for Adam’s sin? You’d think that for something so cataclysmic that it affects the entire human race at least one biblical writer would find it worth mentioning. But none did. Hell was not a place where anybody went in the Old Testament. You might mention Psalm 16:10
For thou shall not leave my soul in hades/sheol. Not let your holy one see corruption.
There is no rationale for translating the Hebrew word “Lish·'O·Vl” as “Hell.” Lish·'O·Vl is the underworld or place of the dead. In classical Judaism, this was the permanent abode of the dead. Elijah and one other prophet notwithstanding, resurrection was not something experienced by the general populace.
Yes, you might say, but what about the rich man and Lazarus? We see Lazarus going to Abraham’s Bosom and the rich man went to hell. I challenge any Christian to show me one instance of Abraham’s Bosom in the Old Testament. Again, the Bible is silent about a concept large enough to deserve at least one mention. Just as Abraham’s Bosom is a construct of apocalyptic Judaism, so is the idea of humans going to hell when they die.
The Psalms were written during the Babylonian captivity. So we see a pagan influence on Jewish theology even before apocalyptic Judaism took hold in the second century B.C.E.
At this point you might turn to the book of Revelation where we find people being cast into the lake of fire because their names were not written in the book of Life. You are not supposed to ask yourself why their names were not written there. The Bible does not say and where the Bible is silent, the Church feels free to add its own interpretation. They tell us it’s because they were unbelievers. However, since nowhere else in the Bible do we see anyone going to hell for what they did or did not believe, this interpretation lacks credibility. The only people the Bible definitely says will have their names taken out of the book of Life are those who take things out of that book and those who add things to that book will have the plaques of that book added to them. So the vast majority of Christian leaders are already in trouble.
Historical Viewpoint
I’ve mentioned apocalyptic Judaism several times. Jesus was an apocalyptic Jew. After the Babylonian destruction and captivity, Jews began to move away from the teachings of the prophets. The prophets taught that suffering was punishment for not keeping God’s covenant. They taught that if the people turned back to God he would heal them and bless them. Yet ever the centuries it was becoming clear that this was not happening. Apocalyptic Judaism was an alternative to the teachings of the prophets. It taught that God had an enemy and it was this enemy who caused Yahweh’s people to suffer when they tried to follow God. According to the prophets, the “soul that sinneth it shall die.” Yet the people saw over and over that the wicked and sinners lived long lives. They did not see the wicked being punished in this life, so apocalyptic Judaism offered an after-life during which justice and retribution would be exacted. Thus, Satan emerges as the arch enemy of God and Hell becomes the destiny of the wicked.
The Church needs hell. Fear is a very strong emotion. It can make people accept what they otherwise would reject. It can make people believe in things that they know are not true. It will take time to free yourself from fears that have lodged in your mind for years and decades. It will be even more difficult if you are surrounded by people who reinforce that fear. As you can see from the above there is no basis for this fear. The last question is, do you think you will find favor with God by believing things you know are not true?
Biblical Viewpoint
It would be interesting to know why this should be when Adam was not sentenced to hell to pay for his own sin. In Genesis 3:17-19 we are told all the terrible things that will happen to Adam. Have you ever read this for yourself? If so, did you notice Adam’s punishment is confined to his physical existence? In fact, Yahweh says “until you return to dust.” So we are talking here about physical death. The soul does not return to dust. The body does and according to the Bible, that is the end of Adam’s punishment. The word “until” means there’s a time limit. So from where did the Church come in and decide our punishment is to be eternal?
Is it not odd that in the 4,000 years between Adam and Paul, not one biblical writer says a word about anybody going to hell to pay for Adam’s sin? You’d think that for something so cataclysmic that it affects the entire human race at least one biblical writer would find it worth mentioning. But none did. Hell was not a place where anybody went in the Old Testament. You might mention Psalm 16:10
For thou shall not leave my soul in hades/sheol. Not let your holy one see corruption.
There is no rationale for translating the Hebrew word “Lish·'O·Vl” as “Hell.” Lish·'O·Vl is the underworld or place of the dead. In classical Judaism, this was the permanent abode of the dead. Elijah and one other prophet notwithstanding, resurrection was not something experienced by the general populace.
Yes, you might say, but what about the rich man and Lazarus? We see Lazarus going to Abraham’s Bosom and the rich man went to hell. I challenge any Christian to show me one instance of Abraham’s Bosom in the Old Testament. Again, the Bible is silent about a concept large enough to deserve at least one mention. Just as Abraham’s Bosom is a construct of apocalyptic Judaism, so is the idea of humans going to hell when they die.
The Psalms were written during the Babylonian captivity. So we see a pagan influence on Jewish theology even before apocalyptic Judaism took hold in the second century B.C.E.
At this point you might turn to the book of Revelation where we find people being cast into the lake of fire because their names were not written in the book of Life. You are not supposed to ask yourself why their names were not written there. The Bible does not say and where the Bible is silent, the Church feels free to add its own interpretation. They tell us it’s because they were unbelievers. However, since nowhere else in the Bible do we see anyone going to hell for what they did or did not believe, this interpretation lacks credibility. The only people the Bible definitely says will have their names taken out of the book of Life are those who take things out of that book and those who add things to that book will have the plaques of that book added to them. So the vast majority of Christian leaders are already in trouble.
Historical Viewpoint
I’ve mentioned apocalyptic Judaism several times. Jesus was an apocalyptic Jew. After the Babylonian destruction and captivity, Jews began to move away from the teachings of the prophets. The prophets taught that suffering was punishment for not keeping God’s covenant. They taught that if the people turned back to God he would heal them and bless them. Yet ever the centuries it was becoming clear that this was not happening. Apocalyptic Judaism was an alternative to the teachings of the prophets. It taught that God had an enemy and it was this enemy who caused Yahweh’s people to suffer when they tried to follow God. According to the prophets, the “soul that sinneth it shall die.” Yet the people saw over and over that the wicked and sinners lived long lives. They did not see the wicked being punished in this life, so apocalyptic Judaism offered an after-life during which justice and retribution would be exacted. Thus, Satan emerges as the arch enemy of God and Hell becomes the destiny of the wicked.
The Church needs hell. Fear is a very strong emotion. It can make people accept what they otherwise would reject. It can make people believe in things that they know are not true. It will take time to free yourself from fears that have lodged in your mind for years and decades. It will be even more difficult if you are surrounded by people who reinforce that fear. As you can see from the above there is no basis for this fear. The last question is, do you think you will find favor with God by believing things you know are not true?
The god who allows children to be raped out of respect for the free will choice of the rapist, but punishes gay men for engaging in mutually consensual sex couldn't possibly be responsible for an intelligently designed universe.
I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.
Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire
Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
I may defend your right to free speech, but i won't help you pass out flyers.
Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.
--Voltaire
Nietzsche isn't dead. How do I know he lives? He lives in my mind.
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