[clue-talk] Re: Bible Academia

[Sean LeBlanc]

(Replying to both David and Angelo, so hopefully I don't muck it up...)

On 10-01 20:06, Angelo Bertolli wrote:
> David L. Willson wrote:
> >Hm.  No answers yet.  OK, let me try another hypothetical question:
> >
> >Many people, including myself, have or have had trouble with the
> >doctrine of Hell.  They just can't bend the knee to a God that cruel.
> >Is is possible that Hell is, and God is loving and just, anyway?

I love thought experiments, but couldn't really think of anything
appropriate for the first one you posed. Could be whole shelves written on
that somewhere in the Vatican library or the like.

This second one you pose sounds very close to, but not exactly, like
theodicy, something that has probably filled many many shelves.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodicy

It's funny you (David) bring up the doctrine of hell, because I was watching
the Zeitgeist movie, in which they made an animation to go with that
(in?)famous bit from Carlin in which he ends it by saying...but he LOVES
you! I really do think comedians are our modern-day philosophers - at least
for the common man. 

> >Could God be warning us about Hell, not threatening us with Hell?
> >  
> There isn't really too much talk about hell in the Bible.  Ironically, 
> most of it comes from the New Testament, whereas the God of the Old 
> Testament is very much more concerned with punishment in "real-time."

Heh, for some reason, I always thought most/all Jews don't believe in Hell,
but I did a quick google, and that may not be so, from some of the hits I
grazed through. The Judaism entry does indicate it's not eternal. Learn
something every day.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hell

Of all places, I think I heard Kyle on South Park say Jews don't believe in
hell...but I'm not sure a cartoon is a good source for religious studies. ;)

I thought a lot of the ideas from Paradise Lost have snuck their way into
common conceptions about the Bible's take on a lot of things, including
Hell. I bet Dante had an impact, too. 

> >I walked alone for several lonely and trouble-filled years before
> >returning my focus to my God and my Jesus.  One of the primary reasons
> >that I stopped "being Christian" was that "If Tom's going to Hell, for
> >the lack of belief, then I can't worship God."  My friend Tom was and is
> >one of my most admired friends, and was and is, a total atheist,
> >entirely apathetic to God, and annoyed by most forms of religion.

I've had some friends show similar consternation when I was a confirmed
atheist. At the time, all I could do was shrug. I usually don't let others
(un)beliefs bother me, until they are taken action on in a way I think is
antisocial, etc., so that concern for my unbelief never did compute for me.
Could be my genes, neurotype, imprinting, etc., though.
 
> For example, is it right or wrong to stone a woman who was caught in 
> adultery?  The God of the Old Testament prescribed this measure.  Then 
> Jesus changed our thinking about this.  

I think I've mentioned this before, but I think that's commonly thought of
as a forgery. And Jesus did have that quote that I think Jed put in here
about not coming to change the law. It becomes a sticky wicket as the Brits
say, then. As you say later, though most people pick the choice Jesus made,
even if that part is a forgery, and even if they aren't Christians.
 

-- 
Sean LeBlanc:seanleblanc at comcast.net  
http://sean-leblanc.blogspot.com/
Maybe part of loving is learning to let go. 
-Fred Savage, "The Wonder Years"