Freethought & Rationalism Archive

John Kesler · 07-15-2007, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatsoff

Some say the Sadducees believed that when you died you simply ceased to exist, while others point out (erroneously? correctly?) that most Jews of Jesus' day believed in a sort of Heaven/Hell system. My question, therefore, is what do we know about their beliefs, and how do we know it?

Did you see this thread? Also, the NT Matthew 22:23 (Mark 12:18); Acts 23:8 and Josephus (see below) state that the Sadducees didn't belive in an afterlife, but unfortunately, to our knowledge the Sadducees left behind no writings. The second Josephus quote is interesting, because it states that the Saducees adhered to a Torah-only belief system, which explains the lack of belief in an afterlife.

Quote:

http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/t...phus/war2.html
But the Sadducees are those that compose the second order, and take away fate entirely, and suppose that God is not concerned in our doing or not doing what is evil; and they say, that to act what is good, or what is evil, is at men's own choice, and that the one or the other belongs so to every one, that they may act as they please. They also take away the belief of the immortal duration of the soul, and the punishments and rewards in Hades.

http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/t...hus/ant18.html
4. But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies; nor do they regard the observation of any thing besides what the law enjoins them...

Cheerful Charlie · 07-15-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hatsoff

Some say the Sadducees believed that when you died you simply ceased to exist, while others point out (erroneously? correctly?) that most Jews of Jesus' day believed in a sort of Heaven/Hell system. My question, therefore, is what do we know about their beliefs, and how do we know it?

I'm a newbie to this topic, so take it easy on me.

Thanks in advance, guys!

Some of this stuff comes from Josephus Flavius, the claims about the Saduccees above. Some from the OT. There really is very little about an after life in the early OT. Ideas of an afterlife are ancient in Egypt,butwe see very little Egyptian type ideas of an after life in the early OT. Most of what we see in the OT seems more based on Hellenistic ideas of Hades, a grey, bland sort of after life.

The idea of a heaven or hell was some what new about the time of Jesus.
The judgement day would see evil people sent to hell, but a new world would come where all the followers of Jesus would be bodily resurrected.
Not some paradise in the sky but a similar world as this but perfect.

CC

Roger Pearse · 07-16-2007, 02:20 AM

What did they believe about the afterlife? Well, they believed that lots of Romans should be encouraged to experience it...

stuart shepherd · 07-16-2007, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Kesler

the Sadducees didn't belive in an afterlife, but unfortunately, to our knowledge the Sadducees left behind no writings. The second Josephus quote is interesting, because it states that the Saducees adhered to a Torah-only belief system, which explains the lack of belief in an afterlife.

What I find interesting is that the Sadducees have disappeared from history.
But that is not surprising if they only believed in the Torah, the five books of Moses, and rejected the prophets and the writings.
If you only read the Torah, you wouldn't have any essense of an afterlife.
The Sadducees offered no hope for a life after death so they disappeared.
This should be an important lesson for those of us who are critics of religion especially Christianity. If religion were gone what hope for a life after death could we give to mankind? Even if its a lie, people want to believe that when they die they will go to a better place.
If we who are critics want to change the world by freeing people from the chains of Jesus and company we will need to provide some type of comfort for people to look forward to when they die.
That's just my opinion.

stuart shepherd

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07-16-2007, 02:20 AM	#13
Roger Pearse Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: N/A Posts: 4,370	What did they believe about the afterlife? Well, they believed that lots of Romans should be encouraged to experience it...

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