18 December 2012
I think I'll be ready to start the new testament in time for Xmas, how apt.
Here's some more ponderings on the old testament..
Despite the whole heaven and hell malarkey, I don't recall reading anything about hell in the old testament, and almost zero about heaven, in particular in reference to man joining god up there.
It would appear the god of the old testament was more than happy to just punish everybody while they were on earth without having to set up a hell for them as well. From my reading of the old testament it also appears god wasn't too keen on having dead people clogging up his clouds and rather than reward them with paradise, rewarded them with longer life. Is it coincidence that the opinion of the day was that death was akin to sleep and was the end of the line, in other words, were the authors yet again writing from their perspective rather than from the word of god?
Old testament afterlife was more zombiesque, with god giving life to the dead and 'the earth will give birth to her dead'.
It's not until Jesus comes about that this view is altered to encompass an afterlife in the company of god.. So did god change or did society change? Or had he forgot to mention it first time around?
Satan is also peculiar in his absence, his one starring moment is when he tortures Job (with the permission of god). Again it would appear he gets a larger role in the sequel.. Albeit he has to make do with roaming the earth until Dante invents a toasty little basement flat for him to dwell in.
Hell's Bells • Opuss № I