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Hell is a subject I write on often. Why? Because it seems that this one stumbling block is the biggest "love affair" most Christians have going concerning the afterlife of Damned souls. Well, Damn it, I am going to continue to write until we get the point that the "hell" most have been 'conditioned' to believe in simply DOES NOT EXIST. Woah, don't quit reading just yet. Let me explain.
Any student of Greek Mythology, a study of where all things came from and from what god they descended, will readily recognize the similarities of Ancient Greek fables and modern Western Theological Christian thinking. Remember, there is a Devil who wants all of us to believe a lie. The lie. Any lie. A lie. Lie.
So, let me just ask you a question? Have you EVER looked into the subject of Hell on your own? Where did you come to believe in a punishing and torturing hell? Mommy or Daddy or old country preacher? Just where?
Well, let'S look at a few things for you to look into. What about the NAME, Hell? Where did it originate? OK, let's answer.
The ancient Greeks had a belief in an underworld of the individuals who lived evil lives here on earth and 'inherited' upon death called the Netherworld. The world of the dead. From which there was NO escape. It was ruled over by --get this--by a WOMAN GOD-- and her name was hel. Not hell. Just hel.
Well, enter Plato the Great Greek thinker and philosopher. Brilliant man. He takes the concept in 400 years B.C. and embellishes it and calls the afterlife here in this torture and suffering, HELL. He gives it departments, purgatory, etc. Cool, huh?
So far so good. Well, in the 5th Century A.D., St. Augustine a devout student of Plato reasoned that if we insert this teaching of an ever burning hell into the churches afterlife doctrine then it would keep the good saints of the church in even better line and so he did. ( This had never been taught in the church for the first four hundred years of the church not by ANY of the early church leaders including JESUS, John, Polycarp, Irenaeus, Athenasius, and others.)
Now, parables such as Lazarus and the Rich Man had to be reinterpreted in light of this new spurious teaching to make hell fit with the new interpretation of suffering and torture.
Get the picture? It Ain't so.
That is why we write these blogs. You can know the truth. I DON'T WANT ANY MONEY.
But you need the truth to set you free and appreciate what Jesus has done to you and for you and through you.
Lots more to say.
Paul
www.newelifewcg.org
www.pastorpaulsinteractiveblog.blog.blogspot.com
Happy studying.
Paul
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Monday, September 14, 2009
Saturday, September 12, 2009
TERMS UNFAMILIAR BEGOMING FAMILIAR
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Since Religion, Theology, Philosophy and Cosmology can not be totally disconnected here are some helpful descriptions of various words one will encounter in the overall study of Philosophy.
Philosophy throws around such big sounding words that many, if not most, people become disinterested immediately when hearing these. However, when we look at the basic words and concepts of philosophy in their simplicity they are disarmed as to their ostentation. Here is a brief summary of words one will often hear when philosophy is discussed. Knowing these will allow us to better understand what is being studied.
THEOGONY-- The study of the origin of the ancient Greek Gods ( Roman Gods, etc.
THEOLOGY--The study of God as to beginnings, nature, existence of, etc.
PHILOSOPHY--"Gk" Lover of wisdom". Study of how one should live; Ethics.
ONTOLOGY-- The study of reality and nature of being or existence.
METAPHYSICS--"Gk" After or above physical reality." Study above physical reality; Study of the essential nature.
EPISTEMOLOGY-Genuine knowledge relating to truth and belief.
LOGIC--Correct principles of reasoning.
TRUTH--A combination of belief and proof.
COSMOS--The Universe
COSMOLOGY--The study of the existence of the universe and all in it in relationship.
While there are other terms that relate to the study of these disciplines mentioned here these are a basic starting point for any to begin a study of Who, What, When, Why, and How!
All of these areas can be accessed on the Internet for further explanations. So, happy searching friends and have fun. I did.
Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
Madison, ALabama
256-468-8081
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.
Since Religion, Theology, Philosophy and Cosmology can not be totally disconnected here are some helpful descriptions of various words one will encounter in the overall study of Philosophy.
Philosophy throws around such big sounding words that many, if not most, people become disinterested immediately when hearing these. However, when we look at the basic words and concepts of philosophy in their simplicity they are disarmed as to their ostentation. Here is a brief summary of words one will often hear when philosophy is discussed. Knowing these will allow us to better understand what is being studied.
THEOGONY-- The study of the origin of the ancient Greek Gods ( Roman Gods, etc.
THEOLOGY--The study of God as to beginnings, nature, existence of, etc.
PHILOSOPHY--"Gk" Lover of wisdom". Study of how one should live; Ethics.
ONTOLOGY-- The study of reality and nature of being or existence.
METAPHYSICS--"Gk" After or above physical reality." Study above physical reality; Study of the essential nature.
EPISTEMOLOGY-Genuine knowledge relating to truth and belief.
LOGIC--Correct principles of reasoning.
TRUTH--A combination of belief and proof.
COSMOS--The Universe
COSMOLOGY--The study of the existence of the universe and all in it in relationship.
While there are other terms that relate to the study of these disciplines mentioned here these are a basic starting point for any to begin a study of Who, What, When, Why, and How!
All of these areas can be accessed on the Internet for further explanations. So, happy searching friends and have fun. I did.
Paul
www.newlifewcg.org
Madison, ALabama
256-468-8081
.
.
Monday, September 7, 2009
WHAT "HELL" DO YOU BELIEVE IN ???
I believe in hell. The question is what hell am I speaking of? What hell, if any, do you believe in? You might be interested to know where the Western Christian religion got its concept of a 'torturing, fiery, burning, suffering, anguishing, punishing' hell from. You see, I believe in hell--but NOT the one you probably are thinking of.
The world's first recognized religion, Zoroastrianism, 6000 years ago had the concept of do good and go to a good place after death, and if your evil deeds outweighed your good ones then you would go to a suffering place upon death. Sound familiar?
The ancient Greeks had the concept of a place called 'the Netherworld' which would be the place one would go to upon death if one's evil outweighed their good in life. In the 4th Century B.C. the ancient philosopher, Plato, put a name on the place one would go to to suffer because of an evil life--Plato called this place "HELL", a name he took from the Greek Goddess, 'Hel', the ruler of the underworld in Greek Philosophy. He gave it department level names, purgatory, etc. Plato invented this concept of hell.
The Jewish religion of the Old Covenant had NO concept of a place bad or disobedient people went to upon death, and only good people would rise in a future resurrection.
For almost five (5) hundred years the early Christian Church never preached a concept of Plato's hell. Then in the 5th Century A.D. Augustine of Hippo who was a great fan of Plato introduced Plato's hell into the Catholic Church thinking that the added fear factor would keep followers in line for fear of going to "hell". The concept stuck and stayed in the Church in the West up until today.
Scripture had to be reinterpreted to be consistent with this philosophy of Plato. Lazarus and the Rich Man now had to fit a fiery hell and torture. Lakes of fire had to fit as well as other verses.
But, as I said at first, I do BELIEVE in Hell. The Bible's hell. Simply one who lives in his or her own way of thinking and doing and bringing misery and suffering on oneself apart from knowing WHO they are in Jesus and living accordingly IS IN HELL. One who refuses to accept and believe who they are in Jesus and experience the abundant life Jesus brought STAYS in hell--the misery, suffering, perishing, weeping and gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, and angst that choice brings. And this can last forever if one so chooses. HEll !
DON'T BELIEVE ME, PLEASE. Do your own study. Look up and study Hell and its origins in Western Christian thinking. Then study God's Unconditional Love for all of His children and learn how Jesus made the Adoption of all of humanity a reality for all through His life, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father. DON'T BELIEVE ME. Do your own study. I did.
God Bless you friend,
Paul
P.S. Email me for a free booklet on Trinitarian Theology --How God loved you and adopted you into His life BEFORE the foundation of the world. ( Ephesians 1:3-14)
Paul.Kurts@wcg.org
The world's first recognized religion, Zoroastrianism, 6000 years ago had the concept of do good and go to a good place after death, and if your evil deeds outweighed your good ones then you would go to a suffering place upon death. Sound familiar?
The ancient Greeks had the concept of a place called 'the Netherworld' which would be the place one would go to upon death if one's evil outweighed their good in life. In the 4th Century B.C. the ancient philosopher, Plato, put a name on the place one would go to to suffer because of an evil life--Plato called this place "HELL", a name he took from the Greek Goddess, 'Hel', the ruler of the underworld in Greek Philosophy. He gave it department level names, purgatory, etc. Plato invented this concept of hell.
The Jewish religion of the Old Covenant had NO concept of a place bad or disobedient people went to upon death, and only good people would rise in a future resurrection.
For almost five (5) hundred years the early Christian Church never preached a concept of Plato's hell. Then in the 5th Century A.D. Augustine of Hippo who was a great fan of Plato introduced Plato's hell into the Catholic Church thinking that the added fear factor would keep followers in line for fear of going to "hell". The concept stuck and stayed in the Church in the West up until today.
Scripture had to be reinterpreted to be consistent with this philosophy of Plato. Lazarus and the Rich Man now had to fit a fiery hell and torture. Lakes of fire had to fit as well as other verses.
But, as I said at first, I do BELIEVE in Hell. The Bible's hell. Simply one who lives in his or her own way of thinking and doing and bringing misery and suffering on oneself apart from knowing WHO they are in Jesus and living accordingly IS IN HELL. One who refuses to accept and believe who they are in Jesus and experience the abundant life Jesus brought STAYS in hell--the misery, suffering, perishing, weeping and gnashing of teeth, outer darkness, and angst that choice brings. And this can last forever if one so chooses. HEll !
DON'T BELIEVE ME, PLEASE. Do your own study. Look up and study Hell and its origins in Western Christian thinking. Then study God's Unconditional Love for all of His children and learn how Jesus made the Adoption of all of humanity a reality for all through His life, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father. DON'T BELIEVE ME. Do your own study. I did.
God Bless you friend,
Paul
P.S. Email me for a free booklet on Trinitarian Theology --How God loved you and adopted you into His life BEFORE the foundation of the world. ( Ephesians 1:3-14)
Paul.Kurts@wcg.org
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