Ask a Christian

[Homie]

True, but you cant deny many elements of christianity come from pagan beliefs.

Heres one:

Hell comes from the greek underworld called tartarus. Tartarus is identical to hell in everyway. It is a place for evil doers after they die.

The word Hades yes. But the word Gehenna (also translated into Hell in the English Bible) was the garbage dump outside Israel and was used as a synonym for hell. The English language isn't rich enough to fully translate the Bible.

And I wouldn't say that the Greek underworld is identical to the Christians idea of hell. And Christianity is very different from pagan beliefs. I would not say it was built on it.

 

[Mirc]

Really? We nowadays call the place where you throw your garbage Ghena, if you live in a block of flats, and I thought it had no connection with the word Gehenna, I used to joke on this matter actually! I thought it was just a coincidence!

 

[Gogf]

Why do you believe in God? What makes you think the bible is true?

 

[GenMarshall]

True, but you cant deny many elements of christianity come from pagan beliefs.

Heres one:

Hell comes from the greek underworld called tartarus. Tartarus is identical to hell in everyway. It is a place for evil doers after they die.

Incorrect, the concept of hell that I am more familiar with is the eternal separation of God. Not a litteral underground volcano and liquid magma all over the place. Plus the concept of this hell which is a fiery punishment can be traced back to Judaism's version of hell (Gehenna) where in Gehenna is a fiery place where the wicked are punished after they die or on Judgment Day. As for the concept of eternal separation can be traced to Judaism's Sheol which is the place for the dead. People who are eternaly separated from God are said to be spiritualy dead in the afterlife.

 

[Xanikk999]

Incorrect, the concept of hell that I am more familiar with is the eternal separation of God. Not a litteral underground volcano and liquid magma all over the place. Plus the concept of this hell which is a fiery punishment can be traced back to Judaism's version of hell (Gehenna) where in Gehenna is a fiery place where the wicked are punished after they die or on Judgment Day. As for the concept of eternal separation can be traced to Judaism's Sheol which is the place for the dead. People who are eternaly separated from God are said to be spiritualy dead in the afterlife.

Am i to beileve that a fiery hell arose simueltaneously between the greeks and jews?

Besides greek mythology is older then most of judaism. This stuff was around during the myceanean times.

If anything the jews got it from the greeks.

 

[Gogf]

Am i to beileve that a fiery hell arose simueltaneously between the greeks and jews?

Besides greek mythology is older then most of judaism. This stuff was around during the myceanean times.

If anything the jews got it from the greeks.

That's somewhat of a pointless argument. If Christians believe in heaven and hell, then they believe that they "got it" from God, not the Greeks.

 

[Xanikk999]

That's somewhat of a pointless argument. If Christians believe in heaven and hell, then they believe that they "got it" from God, not the Greeks.

Ironically yes it would be to them, but that is not the case in reality.

If i cant prove that fine, but i can prove many other things.

They did get the name for "hell" from the norse godess hel. She rulled over the icey underworld of ygdrassil in norse mythology.

Dont beileve me? Look it up because i am 100% positive of this because i know my mythology.

 

[Atlas14]

Why is anabaptism not accepted universally throughout all Christian religious practices? It only makes sense to baptize children when they are old enough to want to be baptized willingly and with complete understanding of what is happening.

 

[Gilder]

The Vikings also had thier own Hell, except it's spelled Hel.

 

[Xanikk999]

The Vikings also had thier own Hell, except it's spelled Hel.

Almost the point i made.

I remember what it was called now. Niflheim is the name for the norse hell.

And is ive said Hel is the goddess who rules over niflheim.

 

[Quinzy]

Why is anabaptism not accepted universally throughout all Christian religious practices? It only makes sense to baptize children when they are old enough to want to be baptized willingly and with complete understanding of what is happening.

thats what confirmation is. the first baptism is your god-parents speaking on your behalf, then you get confirmed.

 

[Atlas14]

thats what confirmation is. the first baptism is your god-parents speaking on your behalf, then you get confirmed.

That seems very odd to me. The kid that has been baptized as a baby will be more prone to accept confirmation purely due to pressure from parents/religious elders and out of being bombarded by the religious teachings instilled in the kid. It is like they are trying to make it look like they are going to give the child an unbiased decision to confirm his/her faith, but it is anything but that.

 

[Quinzy]

That seems very odd to me. The kid that has been baptized as a baby will be more prone to accept confirmation purely due to pressure from parents/religious elders and out of being bombarded by the religious teachings instilled in the kid. It is like they are trying to make it look like they are going to give the child an unbiased decision to confirm his/her faith, but it is anything but that.

i agree. i was bribed into Confirmation with tales of money (got it too) but i dont count it any more.

 

[Homie]

Really? We nowadays call the place where you throw your garbage Ghena, if you live in a block of flats, and I thought it had no connection with the word Gehenna, I used to joke on this matter actually! I thought it was just a coincidence!

Few things in linguistics are coincidents my friend

Edit: I meant Gehenna was the garbage dump outside of Jerusalem, not Israel.

 

[Homie]

That seems very odd to me. The kid that has been baptized as a baby will be more prone to accept confirmation purely due to pressure from parents/religious elders and out of being bombarded by the religious teachings instilled in the kid. It is like they are trying to make it look like they are going to give the child an unbiased decision to confirm his/her faith, but it is anything but that.

And your point? Of course I want my child to be a Christian, I don't care about it being an "unbiased" decision, whatever that means, like any decision we make is completely without influence. A hippy will want her child to be a left-winger like herself, we all want to shape our children in our image, its just the way it is, why should religion be any different? The important thing is to not force the child or young adult to make a false profession of faith, that benefits no one. And yes, in Norway at least, most confirmations are false professions of faith, not because they are force to do it, but because they get lots of money and gifts upon confirmation. It has become a tradition, and a bad one, it has gone way too far and confirmation has lost its original meaning.

 

[Katheryn]

Please describe the sensation you feel when you feel that God is answering one of your prayers.

It depends upon where I am.

#1 If I am in an active state of rebellion, then the answer is always to go back where I was and do it right. It's pretty quiet during that time, with the exception of reminders that cross my path in conspicuous ways. They start quiet, and get louder and louder and louder, until my attention is drawn.

#2 If I know I have nothing in the way, then I am in the middle of a long term conversation and my Bible devotionals lead the way, accompanied by conversations with others I respect, signs of the road being cleared in a conspicuous way, or obstacles appearing in a conspicuous way.

#3 If I am in need, the answer is usually "wait". Then it is fixed at the last possible moment, again, in a very conspicuous way.

#4 If I am being told to do something, my answer is usually, "wait" or "no way", which of course, I always regret, and results in #1.

#5 A prayer life is always full of valleys and mountains, where you have a high and a low point. You learn to trust when down and share joy when high.

#6 It is always better to be in a long term conversation, because when you get yourself in trouble, the consequences of a mistake can last a very long time compared with the fun of doing stupid stuff.

A fundamentalist Christian would call the long term conversation a "Walk with the Lord". It comes from Micah: "He has shown thee, O Man, what is good and what the Lord requires of thee. To do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God."

 

[Atlas14]

And your point? Of course I want my child to be a Christian, I don't care about it being an "unbiased" decision, whatever that means, like any decision we make is completely without influence. A hippy will want her child to be a left-winger like herself, we all want to shape our children in our image, its just the way it is, why should religion be any different? The important thing is to not force the child or young adult to make a false profession of faith, that benefits no one. And yes, in Norway at least, most confirmations are false professions of faith, not because they are force to do it, but because they get lots of money and gifts upon confirmation. It has become a tradition, and a bad one, it has gone way too far and confirmation has lost its original meaning.

My point is that true faith is something acquired, not taught nor forced upon someone. It would be less biased of a decision if the kid were not pre-baptized, which establishes an expectation of continuing the baptizing process at an older age.

 

[Gilder]

No, I highly doubt that God would allow drunkenness in heaven.

Then heaven sounds boring, and unappealing.

I remember what it was called now. Niflheim is the name for the norse hell.

And is ive said Hel is the goddess who rules over niflheim.

Actually, Hel just a big room. Like a mead hall, without the mead. Niflheim is actually an entire underworld, with Hel being one level. In Norse Mythology, this is also where Yggdrasil sprouts and Nidhogg gnaws at its roots. There are also other levels, one designed for heroes, others designed for the rest, and Hel designed for baddoers.

In short, Niflheim is where the dead go, but Hel is where the bad dead go.

 

[Perfection]

She is just a saint and one of Jesus's folowers. I dont believe in the Da Vinci Code crap, Mary Magdalene never had relations with Jesus nor did she had children.

How can you be so sure?

 

[Xanikk999]

Then heaven sounds boring, and unappealing.



Actually, Hel just a big room. Like a mead hall, without the mead. Niflheim is actually an entire underworld, with Hel being one level. In Norse Mythology, this is also where Yggdrasil sprouts and Nidhogg gnaws at its roots. There are also other levels, one designed for heroes, others designed for the rest, and Hel designed for baddoers.

In short, Niflheim is where the dead go, but Hel is where the bad dead go.

So are you denying hel rules over niflheim? Hel is the daughter of Loki and was thrown down in niflheim by the gods because of her grotesqness.

And heroes dont go to niflhiem. Anyone whos read about norse mythology knows about the halls of valhalla. Heroes are brought to valhalla by valkyries and there they fight and kill eachother in battle but are revived at the end of the day.