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The oldest Christian manuscripts (epistles & gospels) do not contain any specific word that could be accurately translated into the European conception of 'Hell'. In the oldest manuscripts (written in Koine Greek) there are four words that often get translated into 'Hell' for European New Testament translations, and those words are:
-Sheol
-Gehenna
-Tartarus
-Hades
To the ancient Hebrews, Sheol was a resting place where everyone's soul was to go to after they died. Sometimes it is also translated as simply 'the grave'.
For the Hebrews, Gehenna was a place where the wicked go (after death) to be purified of their sins for a period of time (Some Jewish sources say for no longer than 12 months). Gehenna was also an actual place outside of Jerusalem were the dead were cremated and criminals were executed.
Tartarus comes from Greek mythology and refers to the deepest region of the underworld, where the Gods locked up their enemies, such as Titans, or locked up wicked people for punishment.
Hades is also derived from ancient Greek mythology and refers to the 'God of the Underworld'. Hades is also sometimes loosely used to described the entire underworld.
These are the four concepts that get combined and then translated into what modern Christians know of as "Hell". Keeping this in mind, does Hell really exist?
I would say that the tabernacle was built in 3 sections to mirror the 3 kingdoms like Hebrews 8 says.
We know that tabernacle design is the design of the kingdom of heaven and you are the tabernacle, the kingdom of heaven.
If this is correct then there are 3 states of the kingdom of heaven, and this body/tabernacle has to be the least of 3 versions.
Yes, maybe they were.
But on the original topic, eternal Hell is still a big part of the doctrine and the "statement of faith" for many Christian churches.
I have been on an Evangelical site forum and received an Infraction for questioning the eternal Hell doctrine, ie by saying it was a waste of humanity to send billions of people to Hell!
The eternal Hell doctrine is still thus very important for many churches to keep their members- and warn them of the perils of the non-Christian and secular world.!
Perhaps this is the cynic in me, but I do have to wonder whether ''hell' as believed and taught by the majority of Christian denominations is necessary to ensure continued membership. Take away hell and you also take away 'control'. I've seen and heard so many examples as to how a belief in hell and the avoidance of going there is at least one of the reasons behind church attendance of perhaps many people.
From reading of your posts, my recollection is that you were originally an SDA member for many years.
They are certainly one group that don’t believe in a literal, or an eternal Hell.
There’s quite a few groups that teach the Annihilation view on Hell, or that it simply doesn’t exist at all.
Catholics obviously still have the Hell doctrine, although it is very rarely spoken about anymore.
They are more likely to talk about Purgatory, and praying for the dead.
In the same Catholics very rarely talk about the Rapture or Second Coming either, or discuss the Book of Revelation.
Perhaps this is the cynic in me, but I do have to wonder whether ''hell' as believed and taught by the majority of Christian denominations is necessary to ensure continued membership. Take away hell and you also take away 'control'. I've seen and heard so many examples as to how a belief in hell and the avoidance of going there is at least one of the reasons behind church attendance of perhaps many people.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Derek41
From reading of your posts, my recollection is that you were originally an SDA member for many years. They are certainly one group that don’t believe in a literal, or an eternal Hell.
There’s quite a few groups that teach the Annihilation view on Hell, or that it simply doesn’t exist at all.
Catholics obviously still have the Hell doctrine, although it is very rarely spoken about anymore.
They are more likely to talk about Purgatory, and praying for the dead. In the same Catholics very rarely talk about the Rapture or Second Coming either, or discuss the Book of Revelation.
Yes, I was a one-time 'enthusiastic' member of the SDA church. And while it's true that SDAs don't believe the 'literal eternal hellfire' belief of mainstream Christianity, they do believe in annihilation, i.e., the belief that 'unbelievers' will simply cease to exist.
For me, however, simple logic more tempers my belief than that of any specific church. While these days I really don't know what I believe about the state of the dead, I don't really place too much credibility on the SDA 'annihilation' belief either. I (obviously) have no idea what happens when a person dies but logic certainly dismisses from my mind the horrific belief of literal eternal suffering in a literal place that mainstream Christianity refers to as 'hell'. Such a belief, in my opinion, puts 'mainstream Christianity' in its entirety into disrepute. It's a belief that is not only unbelievably sadistic, but it also MAKES NO SENSE!
Who would believe in a supernatural deity who makes no sense?
The Lake of Fire was created for those who rebel against Yahweh. There was a time where none of us existed. Yet when we were created, from that point we will always exist. The parts of us, our soul and spirit, will always be, from my understanding. Even in our scientific laws, we know through conservation of energy that matter cannot be destroyed. How much more the spirit! So those who of their choice rebel and forsake Yahweh, a place was created to house them. The fire was added as the form of punishment for sin.
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