Transplanar

In a debate on another forum, I came across the name "Gehenna" as a Jewish belief of hell. A hell where sinners can atone for their sins after their death. I decided to research it myself.

Aparently, Gehenna is not a conception of hell, but an actual place. According to this article, and a few others I've seen, the common conception of a hell of hellfire and suffering isn't real-- it's just a misinterpretation of scripture.

What I wonder, though: if the hellfire hell is indeed untrue, what is it then that awaits non-believers/sinners/etc. on Judgement Day? Is it merely Outer Darkness (essentially oblivion), or is it something else?

Agemegos

Nothing. None of these myths are true. There isn't going to be any Judgement Day.

As for the question "What does the Bible say or imply awaits non-believers/sinners/etc. on Judgement Day?", the answer is "Different things according to different parts amd interpretations of that heterogeneous farrago of supposition and nonsense."

HereticChick

Gehenna' is a word tracing to Greek, ultimately from Hebrew Gai-Ben-Hinnom meaning Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and is still called Gai Ben Hinnom in Modern Hebrew (×’×™×? בן ×”×™×*ו×?), though this is sometimes shortened to Gai-Hinnom in rabbinical texts. An alternate way to transliterate this word is Gehinnom. Originally it referred to a garbage dump in a deep narrow valley right outside the walls of Jerusalem (in modern-day Israel) where fires were kept burning to consume the refuse and keep down the stench. It is also the location where bodies of executed criminals, or individuals denied a proper burial, would be dumped. Today, "Gehenna" is often used as a synonym for Hell. (source Wikipedia)

I saw that too one day and found it quite fascinating

judge

IMHO if one leaves this life self obsessed, attached to earthly desires then one will be in that state after death.
Eastern "religions" seem to understand this well. Hell is a tormented state we exist in, self imposed.

judge

As I understand it is actually an Aramaic word not greek.

from here

Roland

Hell, damnation, Judgment Day, even an afterlife are all concepts foreign to early Judaism.

The Jews adopted them - to some extent - after the Persians conquered Babylon, bringing Zoroastrianism with them. Not many Christians realize that a large number of their core beliefs come from that pagan religion.

Transplanar

Hmmm... interesting.

And the question I posed was directed towards Christian theists. I've been meaning to dig around in the Book of Revelations to see what it says about it, but was hoping to be saved the trouble.

I ask because if this is an actual, rooted belief in the Judeo-Christian doctrine (which it sounds like it isn't), then if it turns out all us atheists are wrong, our afterlife may not be that bad anyway.

Amaleq13

Here is an earlier (and long) thread on the subject that goes into some depth:

Hell: Merely a Temporary Annihilation?

CJD

Well, this is a tad bit overstated. A day of judgment, when YHWH would vindicate his people in the face of his enemies, was certainly assumed by the Judaisms of the second-temple period. The eternal, resurrected life was also assumed by the majority. Being "cut off from the camp" or "cast out into outer darkness" as a covenant breaker was equally a given.

No doubt, the ethereal "after life" concepts, which unfortunately many Christians assume — but many others haven't — are foreign, not only to the Judaisms of the first century but to the early Christians too.

CJD

dbarmstrong

As I understand it Christianity does not hold to the dualistic tenets of Zorastrianism, but rather Early Judaic philosophy was influenced by the Persian Empire. However the idea of Hades and Hell, there is a difference was extent far before the Persian domination of Israel. For in Isaiah chapter 66 there is mention of the concept of eternal punishment where the fire will not be exstinguished and the worms will not die, while this is an obvious reference to the refuse pile outside the city it is imagery which would not have been lost on its hearers.
Oh and by the way it is the book of Revelation singular not revelations. Revelation speaks of hell, not hades in chapter 14 verse 10 and 11 are enlightening one which make reference to the idea from Isaiah.