Skeets, I will use my "rape her"-like mind to attempt to answer these questions: 1. Hence the song, "dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones." The Old Testament has very vague ideas about an after-life and the concept is not a major tenet of Judaism.
2. There are hints of Jesus talking about others ascending to Heaven in The New Testament (telling the thief on the cross that he will be with him in Heaven), but most scholars agree that these were later additions after Paul turned Jesus into God. In the early oral tradition of The Q Source, Jesus mostly talked about rewards on Earth, though not necessarily in one's current life, but after the establishment of The Kingdom of God. He did mention "rewards in heaven," but did not define them. It sounded to me more like building up a credit balance with God rather than going to heaven.
3. Satan seems to be referred to more often as the Lord of this Earth, not the Poobah of Hell. Hell is a very late concept and is derived from Sheol, a burial place. Somehow, Sheol and Hades got mixed up when Alexander The Grape's gang took over Palestine. However, the Greek Hades was more of a boring place than a place of punishment.
4. "Burn my belly with napalm jelly
And cleanse my village with a torch full of fire.
Diddy Wop. Diddy Wop." The Fugs. I think the Church invented Hell to keep the peasants in line. "Gimme your money or I'll excommunicate you and you will burn forever." Those who are unreconciled to God just seem to cease to exist on death and there is even hope for them.
Hell is a great concept for scaring people, sort of like Bush's Terrorist Threats, but on steroids. But, as Blood, Sweat and Tears sang: "I don't believe in Heaven and I pray there is no Hell." |
