Life After Death

[Atheist]

I'm just reading 'Homo Deus' by Yuval Noah Harari (having read his earlier book, 'Sapiens'). In chapter 1 he states that nowhere in the Old Testament is there any reference to life after death; god simply set out the rules of obedience to, and worship of, himself, if the people wished to to avoid plagues, famines etc. It made me think that Jesus came up with a good idea in postulating a world where the masses (slaves for the most part) would be able to look forward to something better, even though their life experience (plagues, famines etc) told them that life was rubbish. The Jews were subjugated to the Romans and didn't have much in the way of prospects, and so a fair number of them were attracted to Jesus' new outlook, where all the pain and injustice of this world would be set right by God.
I realise that the Egyptians had an idea of an afterlife, although I suspect that it was reserved for the aristos.
What do OT fans think of this idea?

[Zacs-Master]

I suppose if you believed that you were going upstairs, it was OK. If you thought your sins were many and you believed you were going to fry in an eternal Hell, it wasn't that comforting.

You could almost believe that the church authorities planted such thoughts into people's minds to control them

[Theland]

Ah yes indeed, control, and religion is a favourite vehicle for precisely that purpose.
Jesus promised freedom from religion, but so often His name is misused by religious authorities to reimpose it.

[Zacs-Master]

Power corrupts.

[naomi24]

Theland, //Jesus promised freedom from religion//

Where? Chapter and verse please.

[Theland]

Gal 5:1

[Zacs-Master]

So Paul promised it on behalf of Jesus. That was a bit presumptuous wasn't it?

[davebro]

Eventually conditions on earth will become such that life of any kind is unsustainable. Will humans have discovered and populated another planet by then? I don't think so. We are all doomed!

[naomi24]

Theland, apart from the fact that Paul is talking and not Jesus, you made that up. Read the rest. It says nothing of the sort.

[naomi24]

Dave, are you joking?

[davebro]

Joking? No.

[naomi24]

Dave, so if, as you say, we’re all doomed why worry about it? There’s nothing we can do except live life whilst we may.

[goodlife]

You know the Bible says you with little faith (Mat 6: 30) I say you have no faith so when the Bible was written it was written for people that long to have faith John 17 :3 says is all.

[naomi24]

Goodlife, this question is about the Old Testament.

[goodlife]

With true Christians there is no old or new, just Hebrew and Greek.

[Atheist]

Goodlife, in the OT there is no mention of Jesus, because he didn't exist then. He is only mentioned in the NT. Can you explain what you mean?

[naomi24]

Don't hold your breath.

[goodlife]

Here some homework for you,

There four primary lists of Christ’s line of descent, three of them beginning with Adam, and they appear in the Bible as follows: (1) Genesis and Ruth; (2) 1 Chronicles, chapters 1-3; (3) Matthew, chapter 1; and (4) Luke, chapter 3 (Luke actually runs back from Jesus to Adam). With one exception, they agree exactly from Adam to Solomon, the son of David. Then, parallel to Solomon, Luke lists Nathan, another son of David. To this point Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus from Heli, the father of Mary, the wife of Joseph, thereby proving Jesus’ natural right to the Messiahship as a son of David, for Jesus had no earthly father, being the foster son of Joseph, but the actual Son of God by a miracle.—Luke 1:34, 35 ( In identifying the Messiah)
But Like said the Bible was written for people that long to have true faith John 17 :3 says is all.

Then you have to pray for God, holy spirit to understand, also you have to have the right heart condition.

[mibn2cweus]

//Then you have to pray for God, holy spirit to understand, also you have to have the right heart condition.//

Having the 'right brain condition' could go along way towards 'understanding' as well.