Life after death
Job
"He that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more." 7:7-9
Job says that humans perish at death like their own dung. Well, one might fault him for his choice of words, but the idea seems sound enough. 20:7
One of the reasons people cite for believing in God, for having faith in a deity, is the consideration of death. It is a comfort to many to think they may avoid death in some way, that there is an afterlife. To consider that when you die you're dead and that's it is too blunt and dark and without hope for some to continue life happily. They seem to need hope. Hope that this isn't all there is, that every moment doesn't matter quite so much and there may be more, and there may be forgiveness. And also, that the people they miss so much may still, in some way, shape or form be still there. It is a comfort to believe they may be waiting, somewhere.
"He that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more." 7:7-9
Job says that humans perish at death like their own dung. Well, one might fault him for his choice of words, but the idea seems sound enough. 20:7
One of the reasons people cite for believing in God, for having faith in a deity, is the consideration of death. It is a comfort to many to think they may avoid death in some way, that there is an afterlife. To consider that when you die you're dead and that's it is too blunt and dark and without hope for some to continue life happily. They seem to need hope. Hope that this isn't all there is, that every moment doesn't matter quite so much and there may be more, and there may be forgiveness. And also, that the people they miss so much may still, in some way, shape or form be still there. It is a comfort to believe they may be waiting, somewhere.
posted by Philipa at 12:52 PM
5 Comments:
On the rare occasions that I long to return to Catholicism, it is often because I feel I need some comfort and strength as I approach the great black wall.
One good thing about religion is that, properly done, it keeps us very humble and aware of our pitiable smallness against the vast infinity surrounding us, while also giving us something to clutch at on our exceedingly short trip through it.
Sort of a teddy bear for the mind.
Incidentally, I'm afraid that verse from Job doesn't really claim that, since it doesn't really talk about "the grave", but rather "Sheol", which is the Hebrew equivalent of Hades.
The second one, 20:7 isn't said by Job, but rather by one of the people Satan uses to tempt him, and while Satan has a better truth record than God, it means we don't have to believe what he says...
As for the first one Jack, isn't Hades = the underworld as in death ie. the grave?
And as for the 2nd, forgive my ignorance but... huh??
Metro - I like that: a "Sort of a teddy bear for the mind"
So, do you think you make your own heaven and hell? What I mean is.. if you believe in whatever God, does that make it real and the afterlife you expect then come to pass? If you don't believe in a deity do you just cease to exist? Are there such things as ghosts for those who don't know or can't make up their minds?
Hmn, teddy bear for the mind, I like that.
Hey Philipa, sorry for not replying sooner, I seem to have missed this thread!
1. Yes, Hades=Sheol=the grave, but I mean Job does not contradict the idea of life after death, as Hades and Sheol are sometimes thought to be a continuation of 'life', or at least existence. Unfortunately they are based much more on mythologies than theologies, and I'm not very well versed in them so I can't say much for sure...
2. 20:7 is found in the book of Job, but it's not Job who says those words, it's one of the friends who are present at Job's crisis of faith. Those friends are used to symbolise many things, but rarely positive ones, and the book is a clash of Job+God vs. friends+Satan. As such, we don't have to believe what the friends say as such, since they are supposed to be false teachers. In Mark 3:22 it says that Jesus is possessed by Beelzebul, the Prince of Demons. However, he is not possessed by Beelzebul, this is a mis-diagnosis by the authorities.
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