Regarding the last few lines of the Bible, please see this post. I’d love to continue this thread over there.
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Yeah, I really wish I knew that also For the statement “Some scholars believe that this parable reflects the intertestamental Jewish view of hades (or sheol) as containing separate divisions for the wicked and righteous.”, the wiki article cites the New Bible Dictionary articles “sheol” and “hell”. I don’t have that, but I imagine those articles would have further citations, or could be attributed to whatever editors or authors wrote the articles.

New Bible Dictionary 3rd edition, IVP Leicester 1996. “Sheol”.
New Bible Dictionary 3rd edition, IVP Leicester 1996. “Hell”.

In addition, the most famous scholar who pointed out that the Greed word Hades refers to a place of all departed souls, not just the wicked, was Frederic W. Farrar, in his book Eternal Hope (1892), xxxvi-xlii.

I hope this helps in your search. If you find out more, definitely come back and post the info; I’d be interested to hear. Thanks for your comment.

As a Christian looking into the LDS faith (seriously) I have been amazed that my belief about outer darkness is something you people also believe. I am either dead wrong or we are both right

Anyone who can shed light on these ’scholars’ so that I can carry out further research? Much appreciated!

Paul (UK)

I’m assuming the text you’re referring to is the following, from the Wikipedia article “Hell in Christian Beliefs”:

“The New Testament also uses the Greek word hades, usually to refer to the temporary abode of the dead (eg. Acts 2:31; Revelation 20:13).[7] Only one passage describes hades as a place of torment, the parable of Lazarus and Dives (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus here depicts a wicked man suffering fiery torment in hades, which is contrasted with the bosom of Abraham, and explains that it is impossible to cross over from one location to the other. Some scholars believe that this parable reflects the intertestamental Jewish view of hades (or sheol) as containing separate divisions for the wicked and righteous.[12][7] In Revelation 20:13-14 hades is itself thrown into the “lake of fire” after being emptied of the dead.”

I think it’s clear why the word “hell” in the New Testament refers to a temporary abode of all the dead, not an everlasting abode of the wicked. It’s because that’s what the Greek word meant. The Lazarus passage is unique because it’s the only reference to hell as a place of torment. As the article states, scholars read this passage and conclude not that torment is the only thing in “hell”, but that the abode of departed spirits may be divided into two different places that cannot be bridged.

I’m not sure where the misunderstanding is, or why this is “taking it apart” and “making it what I want it to be.” It’s what the text says. Mormons didn’t write it; we just like it because it sort of reinforces what we already believed. So you may be right about the Luke passage, but if you are, you have a lot of bible scholars and linguists to convince.

Mike, thanks for your story! It strengthens my faith. Really, I hope you tell it wherever and whenever you get the chance.

Also, I wanted to say that I agree with Thaddeus about the paragraphs. Not to make a big deal of it, but I don’t think he was off the mark there.

Kristi, I also want to assure you that we are very much searching the scriptures ourselves for answers. I think Candiss’s comment shows a deep reflection on the scriptures and their import in her life personally (thanks, Candiss).

to Lesa, I am sorry for your angst against the LDS church and our beliefs, and the beliefs of your husband. I simply ask you to put yourself in the mind of God. If he is our Father, then would he not love us all? If he is a just God, then would he not give everyone a chance?

I know when I think about these things I have strong emotions about being a parent, even to the 3 children I have, the love for them creates such joy it is overwhelming. To love all the children he has on this earth, both past and present must be an unimaginable amount of love and joy. Why then, would he punish those who have not had a chance to know him? For me, it seems like punishing a child who had just been burnt by a hot iron. Not only is the child in a terrible amount of pain for reasons they know not, but now, their parent is punishing them? That is not love, that is not hope and that is not charity. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. This sounds to me like God doesn’t want to loose any of his children. Would it not then, make sense for him to give us all a way back to Him? If I had children who where lost in the world, I would do everything in my power to 1) give them their freedom of choice, and 2) get them home to me safely so that I may throw them a feast.

To believe in Christ is not to just say you believe, but it is to do all the things which he preached. You cannot say you believe in Christ yet choose to do only a few of the things he commanded because they are convenient. “..shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.” James 2:18 “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Issac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” James 2:20-22.

So in this, we are all condemed? Not one of us, save for Christ, is perfect in this. Our belief that not all sinners are condemed to burn in hell for eternity is more of a Christ-like expression than letting our brethern and sisters suffer unbelievable anguish forever. Would Christ not want to help those who suffer? Did Christ not help those who did suffer? Whether the suffering be in this life or the next, to me it is no different.

Those who are in “hell” after this life, or “condemnation” are only there because they have stopped progressing. And they are only there as long as they have no progress. If a man says there is no need to search for more truth because they have found it, in them there is damnation. Damnation is a blockage, a stopping of progression. If you think you have come to the end, or simply refuse to look further, then you have condemned yourself. As soon as you repent of your folly, then your progression begins again. It will be the same in the afterlife as it is here, only on a different level of realization.

I am sorry, I ramble on and on. It is hard not to when all the words of the gospel are so interconnected. It is impossible to truely do one without the others.

Thank you for your time. I apologize for the length.