JEWS: Do You Believe in Hell?

[durangodawood]

And I like them to be honest too, honest and clear.

It think its natural to expect that certain aspects of the divine order of things might not make sense to the finite human mind, when presented honestly.
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[sidhe]

And I like them to be honest too, honest and clear.

The two don't always coincide. To quote Terry Pratchett - "We're trying to explain the infinite using language designed to tell each other where the fresh fruit is."

 

[Lord Herdsetk]

I like that aspect, actually.

Same here. I wished more Christians would adapt that mindset. We really don't know, and shouldn't be acting like we do know without a doubt. If more people left room for doubts about our faith and who ends up where, I think we could treat each other a whole lot nicer.

 

[Eudaimonist]

The clear message of Judaism is that it is best to be the best person you can be in this life and not to worry about the afterlife.

That's a good message.

The two don't always coincide. To quote Terry Pratchett - "We're trying to explain the infinite using language designed to tell each other where the fresh fruit is."

That's a great quote.

For my part, I require honesty, and I appreciate clarity, but I think that both ideally and realistically we should have different "levels" of clarity that correspond to different stages of personal growth.

If a text is perfectly clear to everyone, it's pablum. If it is clear to no one, it's useless. If it is clear only to supremely realized individuals in that path, then how do they get there?

If it addresses different groups at different stages of personal growth, then it can help guide them along the way.

(Note: it is possible for a single text to have different levels of interpretation, so something that seems clear and helpful to the unwise, may have an improved clarity and profound insights for the wise.)


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Abana]

As a whole, Jews to not believe in Hell, in HaSatan as Christians understand "him"
(he is an accuser who can not go against G-d's will and is often likened to the
"evil inclination" in us).
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That is interesting. In the garden, could it have been Eve and Adam's own "evil inclination" that tempted them and "the serpent" represents that inclination? I ask that because in James 1:13 - 15 it says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

This is so similar to what happened in the garden. It's just something to think about.

 

[LoAmmi]

That is interesting. In the garden, could it have been Eve and Adam's own "evil inclination" that tempted them and "the serpent" represents that inclination? I ask that because in James 1:13 - 15 it says, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

This is so similar to what happened in the garden. It's just something to think about.

Well, we're not going to recognize James as scripture being Jews, but I don't think I would be opposed to understanding the serpent as being the evil inclination within us. Keep in mind, however, that we view that inclination as necessary to function in life.

 

[HeathenWarrior]

Judaism 101: Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife

If my research is correct, then that is what "Hell" is, right on the money. I find the Jewish perspective of the afterlife much closer to what I have found and believe than the Christian and Muslim perspectives.