Where do these beliefs come from?

[CuriosityCuredTheCat]

Hello, I just signed up so I apologize if there is a subject already on this (I'm sure there is) but my questions are....

Where did the belief that we go to heaven when we die come from? Of all my years of reading the bible I have never seen a scripture that indicates that we do. Also where did the idea of a fiery torture filled hell with a red horned devil come from? Am I missing out on something because I can't find anything to support those ideas?

I think the bible is up for interpretation. I guess people can read the same this as me and just see it a totally different way. I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness but I'm trying to read the bible without a specific religious mind set and just take it for what it is. But I'm just wondering other peoples opinions on why they believe the way they do.

[Kuan]

Well, I am not sure about heaven to be honest. Ill have to look through the bible. Maybe someone who knows more than I do could help you out.

As for a fiery hell. It isnt part of the bible. It was an idea that was formed by the catholic church to scare people into being christian.

[CuriosityCuredTheCat]

Thats pretty much what I thought. Scaring people into being christian seems like quite the christian thing to do....

[Kuan]

Thats pretty much what I thought. Scaring people into being christian seems like quite the christian thing to do....

Seems quite common of the Abrahamic religions.

[JehovahsWitness]

Where did the belief that we go to heaven when we die come from? Of all my years of reading the bible I have never seen a scripture that indicates that we do.

John 14:2, 3: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.�

Hebrews 12: 22 But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, [...] the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens...."

Rev. 14:1-3: “I saw, and, look! the Lamb [Jesus Christ] standing upon the Mount Zion [in heaven; see Hebrews 12:22-24], and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand [...] who have been bought from the earth.�

Rev. 5:10: “You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over [“on,� RS, KJ, Dy; “over,� AT, Da, Kx, CC] the earth.�

Also where did the idea of a fiery torture filled hell with a red horned devil come from?

QUESTION: So where does the teaching of the hellfire come from?

SYMBOLIC BIBLICAL PASSAGES
Many individual misinterpret illustrations or symbols in the bible, for example, revelation speaks about a "lake of fire" but this book (which also speaks about flying dragons and locust with heads like lions) is a symbolic book and the lake made of fire is not to be taken literally. Neither should we interpret illustrations Jesus gave which obviously were 'picture stories' rather than descriptions of literal places.

TRANSLATIONS
Further bible translations have translated 3 DIFFERENT words (Tartarus, Ghehenna, sheol (hebrew)/hades (greek)) indescrimately as "hell" and this has added to reader confusion.

PAGANS
The teaching about eternal torment is in fact widespread and pagan in origin and while the bible does say that the penelty for sin is ultimately death, burning people forever for the sins they committed for 70 or 80 years is unjust and unloving and most importantly UNBIBLICAL.

[Kuan]

Where did the belief that we go to heaven when we die come from? Of all my years of reading the bible I have never seen a scripture that indicates that we do.

John 14:2, 3: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.�

Hebrews 12: 22 But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of [the] living God, heavenly Jerusalem, [...] the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens...."

Rev. 14:1-3: “I saw, and, look! the Lamb [Jesus Christ] standing upon the Mount Zion [in heaven; see Hebrews 12:22-24], and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand [...] who have been bought from the earth.�

Rev. 5:10: “You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over [“on,� RS, KJ, Dy; “over,� AT, Da, Kx, CC] the earth.�

Also where did the idea of a fiery torture filled hell with a red horned devil come from?

QUESTION: So where does the teaching of the hellfire come from?

SYMBOLIC BIBLICAL PASSAGES
Many individual misinterpret illustrations or symbols in the bible, for example, revelation speaks about a "lake of fire" but this book (which also speaks about flying dragons and locust with heads like lions) is a symbolic book and the lake made of fire is not to be taken literally. Neither should we interpret illustrations Jesus gave which obviously were 'picture stories' rather than descriptions of literal places.

TRANSLATIONS
Further bible translations have translated 3 DIFFERENT words (Tartarus, Ghehenna, sheol (hebrew)/hades (greek)) indescrimately as "hell" and this has added to reader confusion.

PAGANS
The teaching about eternal torment is in fact widespread and pagan in origin and while the bible does say that the penelty for sin is ultimately death, burning people forever for the sins they committed for 70 or 80 years is unjust and unloving and most importantly UNBIBLICAL.

I have to agree with everything said in here.

[cnorman18]

In the Torah -- the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, which are considered the most authoritative -- an "afterlife" is not mentioned. Allusions to a "next life" in the rest of the Hebrew Bible, also known as the "Old Testament," are vague and unspecific in the extreme and may well be metaphorical references to the memory of a departed person left among those who remain alive. To this day, Judaism has no formal teaching about an afterlife; we leave that matter to God. Some, even many, Jews believe in a life after death of some kind; very many do not. But none that I know of will claim to know what form it might take or what it is like.

I have no comment on the New Testament.

[Shermana]

Hello, I just signed up so I apologize if there is a subject already on this (I'm sure there is) but my questions are....

Where did the belief that we go to heaven when we die come from? Of all my years of reading the bible I have never seen a scripture that indicates that we do. Also where did the idea of a fiery torture filled hell with a red horned devil come from? Am I missing out on something because I can't find anything to support those ideas?

I think the bible is up for interpretation. I guess people can read the same this as me and just see it a totally different way. I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness but I'm trying to read the bible without a specific religious mind set and just take it for what it is. But I'm just wondering other peoples opinions on why they believe the way they do.

Read 2 Esdras, which was originally part of Jewish canon until the Dark ages, Ancient Jews used to consider Purgatory and Rebirth a matter of fact. The Pharisees and Sadducees each had their own view on the "Ressurection" and the "World to Come"...the Sadducees denied it altogether, and the Pharisees view was similar to modern Christian's view, live once, die, judgment, heaven or hell. Luke 16:17-31, some people say its a Parable even though its not introduced as such, is remarkably similar to the concept of Jewish afterlife at the time.

[wonderer]

Well, I am not sure about heaven to be honest. Ill have to look through the bible. Maybe someone who knows more than I do could help you out.

As for a fiery hell. It isnt part of the bible. It was an idea that was formed by the catholic church to scare people into being christian.

A fiery hell IS part of the Bible. Whether it should be interpreted as literal or not is debateable, but it is in the Bible, as is heaven.

[McCulloch]

"If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.¹ And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. ² And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where
[center]‘the worms that eat them do not die,
and the fire is not quenched.’"[/center]

_________
¹Mark 9:44 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.
²Mark 9:46 Some manuscripts include here the words of verse 48.

Jesus does seem to indicate here that Hell, with its unquenchable fire, is somehow worse than annihilation, death by drowning.