Do you believe in Hell?

[flmagi]

Anyone want to discuss some deep issues?
Discuss, not argue.
Do you believe in Hell? What do you think Hell is?
Is there a grading system when you die, that decides whether you go to Heaven or Hell? And what if you fall short by just 1 point, is there a re-do exam?
Do you get a second chance after you go to Hell?
If all young children that die, go to Heaven, then doesn't abortion assure these babies a place in Heaven? Where as, if they were allowed to grow, live and die, certainly some of them would go to Hell?

[BaronMunchausen]

Mate, I hate to tell you but Flavius Josephus has been shown to have been corrupted by later translators with passages that were clearly added in or changed by the translator who had a bias and an agenda (providing alternate evidence of Christ outside the bible).
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On one level Cain and Abel are really templates for examples of the type of worship that is offered to God and what is considered acceptable and not acceptable.

Abel signifies Vanity, Cain Wrath and Selfishness. Abel finally makes a sincere sacrifice  which is why his is accepted.

However, the trial of Cain is very specific;

It is for GOD to pass judgement on people, not people to do so. This is why he punishes Cain yet marks him and states that anyone who kills him will face a punishment that is seven fold (the mark is actually a protection... and a warning).

The message here is clear; do not presume to interfere in areas of the law which are God's domain, EVEN IF OTHERS ARE BREAKING IT. that is between God and the individual.

[teko]

Well, the bible states that God created Adam and Eve first, How do we know he did not create others? Just a thought!

[addict3]

I would have to agree with outotown on the History channels interpretation of most topics  regarding the Bible, in my opinion it has been skewed to promote controversy, and is inaccurate.

There is a lot of thought on where the sons of Adam came to find wives. One thought that has not been mentioned here is the fallen angels......This could account for some inhabitants of the earth however, since Noah was the only pure bloodline left prior to the flood, there would seem to be another explanation.

One book that I personally have found to be helpful, and is used by some theologians and scalars is titled: "The complete works of Josephus".

Flavius Josephus (37-100 A.D.) was a historian and his writings shed some light on many things in the Old Testament and part of the New Testament. I have found it to be a hard read at times, but does give food for thought.

If God would put a tree on this earth that would give us enlightenment and one that would give us never ending life, should we not consider the possibility that the minds given us do not compare to his mind? This is one thought that is foremost in my mind as I try to understand some things in the Bible.

Additionally, consideration should be given to the Apocrypha, the ancient writings or books that some believe were not included in the translation of the Bible. There could be answers to many questions we have in these books.

I do believe everything in the Bible, I just don’t know that I am able to interpret it all correctly.

[Burrpatch]

  It has been calculated, by conservative estimates, that the population of the
earth by the time Cain died could have been as many as a 120,000.  As stated above, Cain probably married his sister, or the daughter of his brother Seth. (his niece)  “Wait a minute,” you say!  “That means that God condoned incest, right?”  

No.  Cain or Seth married his sister.  Incest is sex between close relatives outside of
marriage.  Now it is true that later, under the Mosaic Law, marriage between close relatives was forbidden because of increasing genetic problems.  But in the beginning this was not a problem.  So the fact that Cain married his sister or niece, and Seth did the same, doesn’t mean that God condoned incest.  Incest has always been a sin.  This was not incest, this was marriage.

As for your second "Question", There is NO such mention of Lillith being the first or any other wife of Adam in the Bible. Have you read Isaiah 34:14 ? There isn't even a mention in my Bible (K.J.V.) of a Lillith in Isaiah 34:14.  Although I've read the name was referenced in other translations and refer her as a demon of the night and a killer of children. "The History Channel" is not the word of God. Although lately it seems they think they are. lol !!

I am well aware of the "Jewish Folklore" that this legend came from. It is called  "The Alphabet of Ben Sirah". Since I do not wish to write a paper on the various texts and fables that this writing was drawn from, I would also recommend that you go here for more info : http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1513/whats-the-story-on-lilith-adams-first-wife      -----   Or Goggle the subject yourself and pick your poison.

~ Burr

[outotown]

I have watched some of the shows of the bible on the history channle, DONT DO IT, they are completely wacked. If your read thur the Old testament marrying having  brothers, children was very common, so why is it wrong now, would you want to marry your nephew or frist cousin and have the chance of the baby being born with birth defects. Back then the blood line had not been screwed up with some of the things that it is with now.
DONT WATCH HISTORY CHANNLE SHOW ON THE BIBLE.

[joycekatherine]

In order to marry a niece, a sister would have had to given birth to a girl by a union with a brother...otherwise where did this niece come from??  God must have intended this to happen, so why is it now looked upon as incest??  Watched a show recently on the history channel and it was said that Adam originally had a wife named Lillith, whom God made of the same dust as Adam, as an equal, Adam being a dominant male would not accept the fact that Lilith (perhaps the first feminist on earth) was his equal and she refused to be anything less, supposedly she left the garden and God sent three angels to make her return to Adam, she refused...because Adam was not pleased with her, God then made Eve from the rib of Adam, so that she could not claim equality!  (sounds like a typical male fantasy doesn't it) And women have been fighting for equality ever since...
my questions...
1) was incest condoned by God?
2) did Adam have a mate named Lilith before Eve
3) why would God make another mate for Adam, thereby, condoning male dominance,
    when we are all supposed to be God's children created and loved equally??

I do believe in God, but, I'm not so sure I believe in everything the bible says...after all, the bible was written by men and men have notoriously been known to slant things
to the male perspective...did you ever wonder why nothing from the bible was written by women??  Not even Mary??  Or Mary Magdalene, said to be Jesus' most devoted disciple,  both very important women in Jesus' life and some have said that MM and Jesus may have even been married or at the very least lovers...

Would love to hear any thoughts about all of this...check Isaiah 34:14 for a reference about Lilith