Thanks! It took quite a while to put that list together, but it quite fascinating to read all the statements in chronologial order.
Did the Bible writers think people would suffer in a burning hell?
by AlmostAtheist 13 Replies latest jw friends
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AlmostAtheist
>>It took quite a while to put that list together
And it's appreciated! I have my kids all this weekend, so I haven't had time to read it all through. But I will, and I thank you for it!
Dave
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FlyingHighNow
Not all churches or Christians believe the Bible is 100 % accurate or even always inspired by God. A lot of sincere theologians and laity believe some of the Bible to be strictly opinions of some of the writers. When what is written conflicts with 1 John 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 4-8, then it is likely the author's flawed opinion.
"He that does not love, does not know God, because God is Love." 1 John 4:8
1 Corinthians 13: 4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [2] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends
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AlmostAtheist
Well, I still couldn't sleep, so I had my chance and I took it. I see now why you and others so enjoy digging through this stuff! It's really a science just like any other, this study of the evolution of religion. And it would seem that just as there are people all over the "hell spectrum" today, so it has been for millennia. Just amazingly interesting, thank you!
The brutal imagery in some of that stuff was beyond comprehension. People hanging from their tongues? I actually laughed, though, when it said that these tongue-hangers were ALSO suspended over fire. Like the torturer hung these guys from their tongues, then thought, "No, it's not quite enough." Love it!
BTW, there is a scholarly reference book I think you might want to take a gander at. It's called "Reasoning From the Scriptures". It helps you to understand that words like "torment" and "hanging from their tongues" actually mean "locked in a prison-like state of death" and "given a cookie and told to go away". I'm sure you'll enjoy it. ;-)
Dave