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Your god is a figment of your imagination. As are all gods, demons, angels or any other supernatural things. Just like faeries and leprechauns. Same scat, different pile.
I've heard it said that not believing in hell is one of the best ways to get there. We're doomed if we do and doomed if we don't!
In Thai Buddhist thought, many believe hell is more like purgatory. Although there are many graphic images of Buddhist hell in some temples. But most see it as 'in the mind', not a literal place.
The Hebrew word Sheol= The Greek word Hades, both translate the grave--hades is hell.
Sheol was the Hebrew place of the dead, both the righteous and unrighteous. In Hebrew cosmology there was a gulf between the righteous side (known as "the bosom of Abraham") and the unrighteous side.
Hades is the Greek god of the dead and king of the underworld. The realm of Hades was a gloomy place where, like Sheol, all the dead go. Later Greek philosophy came up with the notion that all mortals are judged after death and either rewarded or cursed.
The NT also refers to Gehenna, another word translated as "hell". It is a garbage dump outside Jerusalem where the trash was burned, where the fire was, so to speak, never quenched.
Most of the modern conception of hell as a place of torment and fire and eternal suffering comes from Milton and Dante, not the scriptures. It is unfortunate that the KJV translated all of these words "hell". Or handy that it did, if you want to control people through fear.
Religion doesn’t ‘do good’ (or bad); it’s people who contribute, aid, protect/fight for others - and some of us are atheists. :-)
Absolutely it is people who do good or bad. Religion provides a structure to do good. Each of us can contribute individually but it does not compare to a food truck pulling up at a disaster area and feeding the hungry. The langar or feeding in Gurdwaras feeds anyone who walks in. The compassion and service is part of the devotion. It shapes character.
I am sure my post will be followed by a chorus “how about the sex abuse in the church by priests?”
The church did not provide a structure for the abuse, the abusers are responsible for their actions.
Religion provides a structure to do good. Each of us can contribute individually but it does not compare to a food truck pulling up at a disaster area and feeding the hungry.
Sure, it provides opportunity; but even a group effort (of any size) requires individual contribution. How is disaster relief any different i.e. why does it not compare? Keep in mind your thread title states ‘How Religion Does Good’. Hence my point relative to the individual i.e. not all theists have compassion or empathy, and not all atheists lack it.
Sheol was the Hebrew place of the dead, both the righteous and unrighteous. In Hebrew cosmology there was a gulf between the righteous side (known as "the bosom of Abraham") and the unrighteous side.
Hades is the Greek god of the dead and king of the underworld. The realm of Hades was a gloomy place where, like Sheol, all the dead go. Later Greek philosophy came up with the notion that all mortals are judged after death and either rewarded or cursed.
The NT also refers to Gehenna, another word translated as "hell". It is a garbage dump outside Jerusalem where the trash was burned, where the fire was, so to speak, never quenched.
Most of the modern conception of hell as a place of torment and fire and eternal suffering comes from Milton and Dante, not the scriptures. It is unfortunate that the KJV translated all of these words "hell". Or handy that it did, if you want to control people through fear.
I always thought it was the Catholic Church who were accused of inventing the eternal “Hell” concept.
But the KJV obviously solidifies it.
It is pretty much part of a “statement of faith” for many Evangelical churches.
Sure, it provides opportunity; but even a group effort (of any size) requires individual contribution. How is disaster relief any different i.e. why does it not compare? Keep in mind your thread title states ‘How Religion Does Good’. Hence my point relative to the individual i.e. not all theists have compassion or empathy, and not all atheists lack it.
You are picking an argument that does not exist. How Religion does good does not exclude all other good acts done by people all over the world. It is a subset of the universe of goodness. Some like me believe the universe of goodness IS Divinity, the human need to do good is Divinity. That is a belief that nobody needs to share in order to do good, it comes naturally because Divinity is within all of us and it get expressed in action. That is also a belief, and nobody needs to share it to do good.
It is early morning here and thank you for helping me think good thoughts to greet the day.
A good morning to you.
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