Sunday, January 26, 2025

Questions About Heaven, Hell and... the Rapture

Ask NT Wright Anything Tom Wright dives into heaven, the rapture, and the nature of hell through the lens of Christian eschatology in this thought-provoking episode.

They address the dangers of sensationalism in interpreting scripture and emphasize the importance of viewing these topics within the broader narrative of God's new creation.

Posted by Corky at 12:11 PM | 15 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

"The conversation also unpacks:

The restrained New Testament view of hell as tragic loss, not eternal torment.

Comfort from biblical texts like Romans and Isaiah for those struggling with faith or anxiety.
The enduring connection between heaven and earth in biblical theology."

(Transcript at the link under 'more')

Where we learn that much of what Jesus described was the coming destruction of the Temple in AD 70, not the "Hell" of Epicureanism nor the "soul" of Platonism.

Also that, as the song says, "Heaven is a place on Earth".

#1 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-26 12:15 PM

Thanks to Corky for today's sermon topic! We should all take at least a moment of our time each week and consider our mortality.

Memento Mori!

But.

Discussions of heaven and hell always make me think of fan fiction when fans ask questions about fantasy worlds that were made up by authors of fantasy or sci fi. And authors have complex answers and reasons why things happen or don't happen in the fantasy world they made up.

These authors can create entire galaxies filled with planets nations and cities filled with people with complex life stories.

Heaven and Hell are obviously made up stories. Stories that try to explain things that we have no words for and no evidence of whatsoever but are part of the overall religious dogma of most religions. Because Before Life and After Death is the great known unknown and people still try to talk about it anyway.

Because their particular mythology creates an anxiety for something that no one on earth really has any clue about.

I love hearing the variety of answers one gets if you ask what will happen after you die.

#2 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-01-26 01:09 PM

- the great known unknown

May be the greatest fantasy.

Brian Cox and a Map of the Universe

www.youtube.com

Some accident, eh?

#3 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-26 02:13 PM

Rapture you say?

#4 | Posted by Angrydad at 2025-01-27 07:20 PM

Everything I care to know about the rapture comes from those great theologians at Chick Publications.

#5 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2025-01-27 08:20 PM

Classic American Literature.

#6 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-01-27 08:42 PM

Some accident, eh?

#3 | POSTED BY CORKY

Impossible to say.

#7 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-01-28 11:39 AM

Memory of Alpha?

Shampoo. Rinse. Repeat as needed.

#8 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2025-01-28 01:13 PM

The Raptors? Just not the same team since Kawai left.

#9 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2025-01-28 07:09 PM

Corky,

I listened to some of this video and agree with his emphasis on compulsive obsessions and fear.

Frankly, I am a little concerned that we humans are becoming the mice in BF Skinner's experiments using reinforcement schedules.

The secular world uses random reinforcement schedules to keep us hooked and so do many churches.

For example, a person who gives money to his church and one particular week he gave a larger amount and then happened to strike an oil well that same week might become just as obssessed with giving to his church as someone who buys lottery tickets and randomly wins.

Personally, I am concerrned about being addicted to things...both secular and religious POV.

The money example I gave is what Western Christianity (especially churches that emphasise the prosperity doctrine) has intertwined money, faith, and divine rewards for unfortunately much of the Christian world.

In both cases (tithing and lottery tickets) a person may develope obsessions because of a random reinforcement schedule.

Corky....but my question is directed at you.

why did this video matter to you? What made you want to share it?

Speak for yourself what this means to you and not just Pete and repete other people.

What point are you making with this thread?

I won't have time to respond to you tonight but feel free to answer me if you wish.

#10 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-01-28 08:31 PM

The thread is self-explanatory; the video is expert commentary on the subjects in the title, and in the first post, which touch on several facts in the presentation that make clear that much of what the Western church in this country believes about the topics in the title are flat wrong, and not in the bible at all.

Of course, all that may have eluded you. I find that's often the case with Trumpers on an amazing number of subjects.

#11 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-28 08:45 PM

Corky,

Very disappointing answer.

Turning this topic into a political hit job shows me you have Trump Derangement Syndrome.

I tried to talk to you. I won't again.

#12 | Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-01-28 09:02 PM

Corky,

Very disappointing answer.

Turning this topic into a political hit job shows me you have Trump Derangement Syndrome.

I tried to talk to you. I won't again.

Posted by BillJohnson at 2025-01-28 09:02 PM | Reply

Want a hanky for your tears??

#13 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-01-28 09:04 PM

#12 |

Promise? I won the Lottery!

I'm not sure how you could possibly be as vapid in real life as you are here, but I guess it's possible.

#14 | Posted by Corky at 2025-01-28 09:27 PM

Hell is real and we are all living it

#15 | Posted by hamburglar at 2025-01-28 10:35 PM

Drudge Retort Headlines

The Putinization of America (121 comments)

Trump's 'disaster' Zelensky Meeting Stuns GOP Hawks (38 comments)

Social Security Could Cut Up to 50% of Its Workforce (31 comments)

Fed Predicts Negative 1.5% GDP Growth in First Quarter (24 comments)

Trump says he Will Pardon Pete Rose (23 comments)

This Farmer Gets It (Take 9-minutes to Listen to Reason) (20 comments)

Europe's Nightmare Is Here (14 comments)

She Hoped Trump's Victory Would Change Her Life, but Not Like This (13 comments)

GOP Wants $4 Trillion Tax Cut to Look Like Nothing (10 comments)

Trump Tests the Limits of Pres Power and the US Democracy (9 comments)