HELL'S BELLS

Steve Heller [what an appropriate surname for the topic at hand] makes a good point in the comment section of Bell's Hell - indeed I did not include the final verse [46] "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." However, I also did not include the opening verse [32] "All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats."

This was intentional. The interpretation of the text that I quoted is fairly straightforward - if we see people in need, we should help. Now the interpretation of verses 32 and 46 are not quite as simple. What does it mean that 'all of the nations will be gathered?" I had at least one conservative fundamentalist tell me that these verses don't talk about how individuals should act [thus excusing himself] but rather are speaking of the judgment of nations. [Interestingly, I have yet to meet at conservative, fundamentalist Xian who was not certain about how each passage of the bible should be understood - indeed, folks like Ken Ham preach a my-way-or-the-highway version of Christianity, somehow claiming correct interpretation of each and every passage.] But, what do some scholars say about verse 32? Here is a commentary from Vincent's Word Studies

All the nations (πάντα τὰ ἔθνη)
The whole human race; though the word is generally employed in the New Testament to denote Gentiles as distinguished from Jews.

Separate them (αὐτοὺς)
Masculine, while the word nations is neuter. Nations are regarded as gathered collectively; but in contemplating the act of separation the Lord regards the individuals.

The sheep from the goats (or kids)

"The bald division of men into sheep and goats is, in one sense, so easy as not to be worth performing; and in another sense it is so hard as only to be possible for something with supernatural insight" (John Morley, "Voltaire"). Goats are an appropriate figure, because the goat was regarded as a comparatively worthless animal.

But what to make of verse 46, and also the previous mention of eternal damnation? Here are some excerpts from a very long commentary on Matthew 25:46 byy Gary Amirault entitled: Does Eternal Punishment Have To Be As Long As Eternal Life Because The Adjective “aionios” Is Used To Describe Both Punishment And Life?
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The “everlasting punishment” in Matthew 25:46 is a mistranslation in many of the current leading selling English Bible translations including the King James Version, New International Standard Version, New American Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, the Amplified Bible, The Net Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation, International Standard Version, English Standard Version as well as many others. There are several translations which do not make this mistake. This correction is crucial in regards to having a proper understanding of the nature and character of God and His role as judge. Just because “aionios” is used to describe life and punishment, does not mean they have to be of the same length and quality any more than a “small” house has to be the same size as a “small” ring because the same adjective is used to describe both. Often adjectives take on some of the value of the word they describe. Therefore, “kolasin aionion” (mistranslated “everlasting punishment”) does not have to be the same length as “zoen aionion” (mistranslated “eternal life”). Aionion should not have been translated “everlasting” because aion and its adjective are clearly time words that have beginnings and endings. And “punishment” for the Greek “kolasin” is too strong a word. Kolasin means “to prune a tree to make it more fruitful.” There is nothing fruitful about eternal damnation in burning flames. If Jesus wanted to imply vindictive punishment, the author of Matthew could have chosen the Greek word “timoria,” but he didn’t – he used a much softer word.

Too frequently Bible teachers and students take a small portion of Scripture out of context and build an entire doctrine on it. This is the case with Matthew 25:46. In the entire Greek New Testament we find the Greek words “kolasin aionion” occurring only a single time. This phrase has been translated “everlasting punishment” by most of the leading selling English Bible translations. The very foundation of most of modern Christianity is built upon salvation FROM eternal punishment in a place called Hell through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet the truth of the matter is that the concept of salvation being deliverance from “eternal punishment” is utterly false. The concept of “everlasting punishment” does NOT exist in either the Hebrew nor the Greek languages of the Christian Scriptures. Yes, it does exist in “some” leading selling English Bible translations, but not in the original languages of the Bible.
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I find it quite interesting/amazing that entire belief systems, doctrines and dogmas can be built upon incorrect/incomplete understandings of the written word.  Humility, not hubris, should guide one's understanding of ancient texts.

BELL'S HELL


Bell Questions the Existence of Such a Place

It seems as though everybody and their sibling is commenting about Rob Bell's book "Love Wins,"  from Time Magazine to the Church of Christ Gadfly to the NY Times to the Young Anabaptist Radicals to Brian McLaren to Al Mohler to [indirectly] Why Evolution is True.  I am not going to join in because any one interested in such things can find Bell and his message most everywhere.  However, I do want to quote words attributed to Jesus regarding how folks will be held accountable:

All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

It would appear as though judgement doesn't have anything to do with dogma and doctrine and a lot to do with how one treats the other.

ERIC WHITACRE'S VIRTUAL CHOIR 2.O "SLEEP"

Another amazing musical accomplishment.



Embedding sends you to YouTube - click above or below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WhWDCw3Mng&feature=player_embedded

The evening hangs beneath the moon
A silver thread on darkened dune
With closing eyes and resting head
I know that sleep is coming soon
Upon my pillow, safe in bed
A thousand pictures fill my head
I cannot sleep my minds a flight
And yet my limbs seem made of lead
If there are noises in the night
A frighting shadow, flickering light
Then I surrender unto sleep
Where clouds of dreams give second sight
What dreams may come both dark and deep
Of flying wings and soaring leap
As I surrender unto sleep
As I surrender unto sleep

IT'S ALWAYS 4-20 IN BOULDER

Thankfully, the title is a metaphorical statement rather than a literal one.  However, yesterday, April 20, we did not think too much about returning to Boulder from Denver at about 4:00 pm.  Shoulda known.  The traffic was backed up on US 36 at the Baseline exit, which only happens on football game days.  Then we remembered - the Great Marijuana Smokeout at 4:20 on 4/20 at the CU campus.  We quickly pulled in to Beaujo's Pizza because we knew that it would not be crowded - all of the stoners, er, medical marijuana users, would be over at the Norlin Quad to light up with 10,000 others at 4:20.



Obviously for the pain of a left arm disorder

There is some confusion about the origin of 4-20, but apparently it goes back to a group of teenagers in San Raphael, California, and not to the fictitious 4-20 police code.

2010 CU 4-20 "Event"

THE LATEST BECK CONSPIRACY



PISTOL PETE

It has been quite a while since I have thought about Pete Maravich - probably the last time was when I looked at my old basketball cards.



However, I was recently reminded of Maravich by an unlikely source - Bob Dylan.  KenBob loaned me his copy of Bob Dylan Chronicles - Volume One and on page 168, I read this:

"My aunt was in the kitchen and I sat down with her to talk and drink coffee.  The radio was playing and the morning news was on.  I was startled to hear that Pete Maravich, the basketball player, had collapsed on a court in Pasadena, just fell over and never got up.  I'd seen Maravich play in New Orleans once, when the Utah Jazz were the New Orleans Jazz.  He was something to see - mop of brown hair, floppy socks - the holy terror of the basketball world - high flyin' - magician of the court.  The night I saw him he dribbled the ball with his head, scored a behind the back, no look basket - dribbled the length of the court, threw the ball up off the glass and caught his own pass.  He was fantastic.  Scored something like thirty-eight points.  He could have played blind.  Pistol Pete hadn't played professionally for a while, and he was thought of as forgotten.  I hadn't forgotten him though, though.  Some people fade away but when the are truly gone, it's like they didn't fade away at all." 

Well said.  Dylan's book is a most interesting read, with insights and little-know information.  More than the hundreds of songs that he has written, the book confirms that Dylan is a genius.