3 ms·

Yeah, New Testament is a fair bit nicer.

by jazoom 7y ago

eitland 7y ago
Much of the Old Testament can be read as a collection of stories about a small tribe becoming a nation and fighting for their survival over hundreds of years. The stories are interesting not always because they are nice but also often because they are not. Not everyone portrayed there is a hero. Then again, that is probably how it was and when I read the old viking stories they are equally - if not more violent. I have also enjoyed reading both the Viking age Håvamål as well as the ancient Proverbs (as well as a number of other sources).
nitrogen 7y ago
Though as I recall the old testament has more quotably poetic one-liners.
goto11 7y ago
That is kind of a myth. For example the concept of Hell and eternal punishment is from the NT.
- pbhjpbhj 7y ago
  Can you point out where it mentions eternal punishment? AIR from my reading I see absolute destruction vs living with God, but not Dante's inferno by a long shot.
  - Cthulhu_ 7y ago
    https://www.christianity.com/wiki/heaven-and-hell/what-is-hell-a-biblical-guide-of-its-existence.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/heaven-and-hell/what-is-he... has a good overview with references in the bible to how Hell is described; in short, it's dark, gnashing of teeth, fire, and separation from God.
  - acqq 7y ago
    The New Testament surely mentions that even Jesus "descended into hell" before his resurrection (practically spending some days there): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell Catholic church takes care explain that officially (1): http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122... Some people find that inconvenient. 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism
  - goto11 7y ago
    Well Dante is a completely different thing, but the NT describes eternal suffering in fire e.g. in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31...
- jazoom 7y ago
  It's not a myth. It's the opinion of most people who have read them (including me). However, many would say the entire compilation is a myth.

Yeah, New Testament is a fair bit nicer.

by jazoom 7y ago

Yeah, New Testament is a fair bit nicer.

Much of the Old Testament can be read as a collection of stories about a small tribe becoming a nation and fighting for their survival over hundreds of years. The stories are interesting not always because they are nice but also often because they are not. Not everyone portrayed there is a hero. Then again, that is probably how it was and when I read the old viking stories they are equally - if not more violent. I have also enjoyed reading both the Viking age Håvamål as well as the ancient Proverbs (as well as a number of other sources).

nitrogen 7y ago

Though as I recall the old testament has more quotably poetic one-liners.

goto11 7y ago

That is kind of a myth. For example the concept of Hell and eternal punishment is from the NT.

pbhjpbhj 7y ago
Can you point out where it mentions eternal punishment? AIR from my reading I see absolute destruction vs living with God, but not Dante's inferno by a long shot.
- Cthulhu_ 7y ago
  https://www.christianity.com/wiki/heaven-and-hell/what-is-hell-a-biblical-guide-of-its-existence.html https://www.christianity.com/wiki/heaven-and-hell/what-is-he... has a good overview with references in the bible to how Hell is described; in short, it's dark, gnashing of teeth, fire, and separation from God.
- acqq 7y ago
  The New Testament surely mentions that even Jesus "descended into hell" before his resurrection (practically spending some days there): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrowing_of_Hell Catholic church takes care explain that officially (1): http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a5p1.htm http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122... Some people find that inconvenient. 1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catechism
- goto11 7y ago
  Well Dante is a completely different thing, but the NT describes eternal suffering in fire e.g. in the story of Lazarus and the rich man. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31&version=NIV https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+16%3A19-31...
jazoom 7y ago
It's not a myth. It's the opinion of most people who have read them (including me). However, many would say the entire compilation is a myth.