If hell is a pagan concept why do Christian still hold on to this false doctrine?

If Hell is real, why are its roots in paganism, rather than the Bible? Many nations surrounding Israel in the Old Testament believed in Hell-like punishment in the afterlife, for they served bloodthirsty and evil ';gods,'; while Israel simply taught the grave (sheol) and a hope of a resurrection. If Hell is real, why was the revelation of it first given to pagan nations, instead of God's covenant people? Did God expect Israel to learn about the afterlife from the Pagan Gentiles? If so, why did He repeatedly warn Israel to not learn of their ways?If hell is a pagan concept why do Christian still hold on to this false doctrine?
Hades is indeed from the Greek myths. So is Tartarus.





Though the words were borrowed by the Bible writers, the meaning is quite different.





For example: Job (14:13) prayed to be hidden in hell. Why?





In the Old Testament the Hebrew word ';sheol'; (generally translated ';hell';) is described as an unconscious sleep-like state:





Job 14:10-13


Psalm 6:5


Psalm 13:3


Psalm 115:17


Psalm 146:4


Ecclesiastes 3:19,20


Ecclesiastes 9:5-10


Isaiah 38:17-19


Daniel 13:13





In the New Testament the Greek word ';hades'; (also generally translated ';hell';) is also described as an unconscious sleep-like state:





John 11:11-14


Acts 2:29


Acts 2:34


Acts 7:60


Acts 13:36


1 Corinthians 7:39 [Greek]


1 Corinthians 15:6


1 Corinthians 15:51


1 Thessalonians 4:13-14





Moreover, the idea of torment in the New Testament is the result of people being unfamiliarity with the Old Testament.





For example where Jesus describes ';Gehenna'; (generally translated ';hellfire';) at Mark 9:47-48, both his original audience and the early readers of the New Testament would have recognized the reference Jesus was making.





They were familiar with this quote from the last verse in Isaiah. They knew what it talked about; not people being tormented; but rather about dead carcasses being consumed by fires.





A burning Hell of torture, along with Pergatory, are part of Catholic Mythology. Which some Protestant groups embrased as well.If hell is a pagan concept why do Christian still hold on to this false doctrine?
Yes, the concept of hell did exist in various Pagan


religions, although not always exactly as defined by


Christians. The reason they retained it is simple.





The basic premise of organized Christianity is to


obtain power and wealth for a select few. Anything


which contributes to that goal was made use of.


At the time Christianity was organized, Mithrianism


was very popular, and featured the concept of an


underground world which demons were said to


emerge from. In order to capitolize on that, it was


adopted and worked into Christian beliefs. Once


that was done, it became offical dogma, and is


now hard to get rid of.





By the way, the Christians named all the demons


after former Pagan deities, as a way of insulting


and isolating them. Even the word ';sin'; is actually


the name of the Akkadian moon god, worshipped


in the city of Ur since early times.





So, I do agree that the concept of hell is baloney...


but it sure served a profitable purpose, didn't it ?
I don't really understand where anyone got the idea that ';Hell'; is a concept derived from paganism. It isn't. I don't know one pagan who believes in it's existence, nor that of a being called ';Satan';, or ';Lucifer'; or whatever else one wants to call it. Some pagans believe in reincarnation, some are atheist, some agnostic, etc.





I am personally one of those that believe in karma, reincarnation. So do the Buddhists - but that doesn't make me one.
Religous concepts were shared by lots of religions. That does not make them all bad simply because they may share similar ideas. The story of the flood is a worldwide story as well across many cultures that did not have contact at the time of the inception of the story. How can we suggest that God was not trying to reach mankind before the Bible and with other people besides the Jews?
Because eternal damnation is a very frightening concept, theres no better way to force people to live by the bible than with fear of torture in the afterlife.
The book of Revelation mentions a lake of fire. If you are really interested, get the gnostic gospels and read the gospel of Nicodemus.
Hell,the ';Everlasting Fire';, is big in the New testament,including in stories and sayings of Jesus
Hell is a Judeo Christian creation. Most Pagans believe in karma and reincarnation.
Because Hell is not a pagan only belief. Jesus himself spoke more about Hell then Heaven.
Please explain to me the Pagan origins of ';hell.';
Not true. True Christians do not accept pagan beliefs. A literal fiery hell is not even mentioned in Scripture. It is based on paganism. The Bible does mention a Lake of Fire (not hell), but it is not a literal thing. It is symbolic of total destruction.





What does the Bible say about hell. The word “hell” is found in many Bible translations. In the same verses other translations read “the grave,” “the world of the dead,” and so forth. Other Bibles simply transliterate the original-language words that are sometimes rendered “hell”; that is, they express them with the letters of our alphabet but leave the words untranslated. What are those words? The Hebrew she’ohl′ and its Greek equivalent hai′des, which refer, not to an individual burial place, but to the common grave of dead mankind.





The Bible hell is nothing more than the grave.