The Question No One Can Answer

[jfrog]

Originally Posted by ILG

You make some really good points, but still, some things are provable. The afterlife is not one of them. That's what NFS is trying to say.

Well if course it's not. But you have to realize that in the context that most everyday truths we take for granted are not provable either.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by jfrog

Well if course it's not. But you have to realize that in the context that most everyday truths we take for granted are not provable either.

I think the difference is that we have been told repeatedly that you are going to hell if you do this and heaven if you do that when no one even knows for sure there is a heaven, particularly, as NFS says, the Jews didn't even make the afterlife a focal point. My issue is not the afterlife so much, but I see what NFS is trying to say. End of story is that people shouldn't hold heaven/hell over people's heads and use it as a beating stick. I have seen that a lot in my life. Way too much, in fact.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by ILG

I think the difference is that we have been told repeatedly that you are going to hell if you do this and heaven if you do that when no one even knows for sure there is a heaven, particularly, as NFS says, the Jews didn't even make the afterlife a focal point. My issue is not the afterlife so much, but I see what NFS is trying to say. End of story is that people shouldn't hold heaven/hell over people's heads and use it as a beating stick. I have seen that a lot in my life. Way too much, in fact.

We know that the Jews believed in an extensive afterlife doctrine by studying the Midrash, the Mishnah, the Zohar, and other rabbinical writings. Their commentary on Gilgul Ha Neshamot (transmigration/reincarnation) is just one example.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by Aquila

We know that the Jews believed in an extensive afterlife doctrine by studying the Midrash, the Mishnah, the Zohar, and other rabbinical writings. Their commentary on Gilgul Ha Neshamot (transmigration/reincarnation) is just one example.

Well, I'll let NSF argue his own points on that. The bottom line is the afterlife is a belief, not a fact.

[NotforSale]

Originally Posted by Aquila

We know that the Jews believed in an extensive afterlife doctrine by studying the Midrash, the Mishnah, the Zohar, and other rabbinical writings. Their commentary on Gilgul Ha Neshamot (transmigration/reincarnation) is just one example.

Aquila, but you know as well as I do, the Afterlife is not an Old Testament Doctrine like today. They talked about it, mention it, debate it, (outside of Scripture and the Torah) but no where can you find Eternal Damnation/Torture in any Jewish teachings, and Gehenna was considered a 12 month punishment for evildoers, (for the Jews who believe in an Afterlife), not burning in fire and brimstone forever.

You also cannot find Heaven as a place of streets of gold, walls of jasper, mansions, etc. These are New Testament teachings that the Jews do not uphold, and we all know, the Jews do not accept the New Testament as sacred or holy Doctrine.

The continuity of the New and Old Testaments is very poor, and are clearly worlds apart from modern Christianity and the teachings we deem as truth. Men put them together, not G-d, and we must see the difference if we are to make honest conclusions about our Religion/Faith, especially regarding the Afterlife.