As with most of my apologetics/theology posts, I wanted to talk about something controversial. It is in these types of threads where we really get down to the nitty gritty of religion. I also find that these type of threads can yield some of the best results as far as understanding religion. These topics are not meant to confuse, chastise or anger anyone, but rather allow us to explore the Bible in-depth, with the hopes that we gain some knowledge or understanding. To that end...
"Burning in Hell"
Where did the idea come from? When did it start? What is it based off of? Let's explore these questions and the topic...
For starters, the Bible does not mention "hell" in the literal sense that we think of it today. Here's where we need a little history lesson. The Hebrew word "sheol" simply means "the grave." The Greek translates this as "hades" and it also refers to "realm of the dead [grave]." However, this is largely based off Greek mythology, as Hades is also the name of the Greek god who rules the underworld.
The actual word "hell" comes from a variety of sources, the most prevalent being the Old English word "helle" (circa early 8th century AD). It also refers to the "land of the dead." The idea of eternal torment of souls or a lake of fire for sinners, well, that stems more from legend, not Scripture. Let me explain.
By the end of the 2nd century AD, early Christians started blending Greek philosophy with the rising popularity of Christian philosophy. The Greeks learned early on that you needed to have control over the population. The best way to go about this is to instill fear of the gods and death if you "dishonored the gods." If you control the hearts and minds, you have power over people. These early Christians were influenced in that part of the world by numerous cultures, including the Greeks.
The idea of hell grew not from divine revelations, but from varied cultural philosophies. It was a system of control. Priests, regardless of time or culture, have held a lot of power.
As a matter of fact, in Orthodox Judaism, you won't find any mention of the idea of hell. No where in the OT does it speak of it. Sheol (the grave), yes. Hell, no.
Fast forward to the end of the Dark Ages.
Note: at this juncture I am not trash talking the RCC. I am only going from a historical standpoint that further demonstrates the topic of this thread.
The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) was dominant in Europe. The church wielded a lot of power and influence. Their Bible (the Latin Vulgate) was unreadable to most for two main reasons:
1. Farmers, smiths, craftsmen, etc. were mostly illiterate.
2. The Latin Vulgate was written in...Latin. The peasants couldn't read it, even if they were literate in their native languages.
The RCC literally told people what to believe, how to worship, how to pray, etc. The Pope and the RCC had A LOT of power back then. Many of the clergymen entered the church for an easy, rich, comfortable living. The historic accounts of corruption are numerous (they are not the only "church" to have corruption). There was also this popular idea of doing things in God's name, as false as they may be.
Banking on old Greek philosophies, clergymen used the threat of "burning in hell for your sins" as a massive control mechanism. They literally kept people in fear of sin and death. All a priest had to do was accuse someone of being ungodly and their execution was all but assured. It's no wonder some of the Old World priests/bishops/cardinals were also among the wealthiest people around. Back then, they cashed in on people's fears.
Out of this "hell fire" era rose the stories, legends and folklore surrounding the idea of hell. One method of execution back then was to be burned at the stake. People knew it was painful and grotesque. What they didn't understand back then was biology and anatomy (as we do today). We know that pain comes from sensations in your nerve receptors that send signals to your brain. Since your nerves and brain stay behind when you die, there's no evidence of "feeling the fire" after death. It is a physical sensation, in the literal sense. The idea of burning in fire eternally was a MASSIVE control mechanism.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is pure historical fact.
Now, let's take a step back and study what the Bible does say.
There are numerous verses that indicate "hell" but none come out and say it. They are implied, but also taken out of context in order to support the idea of hell. As we stated earlier, the Hebrew does not speak of a hell. That is a Christian concept based off centuries of philosophy and control.
Someone may throw the term "Gehenna" out there. Jesus did speak of it 11 times, but He was referring to being absent of the Kingdom of Heaven after the second coming. What happened is that over the ages, people started substituting the idea of "Hell" for "Gehenna." This is done erroneously.
Now, as a Christian I grew up on the KJV and was taught all about hell, sin, eternal torment, etc. I do believe in God, Jesus and Heaven, but hell is a different story. The more I research and learn, the more I am convinced that traditional Christian teachings "have it wrong" in some areas. It's almost as if they are going on tradition rather than Scripture. Feel free to disagree.
Here is my challenge: if you find a verse in the Bible that you think says or refers to "hell," bring it up and we'll discuss it objectively and within context.
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