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Presta and UKUSA
i am quire motivated by your questions and will try to tackle these in my today's post.Thanks to you both. 
posted by
anib
on November 8, 2016 at 8:56 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Aba
Yes, I knew that about Marlowe. :) The Elizabethan era excluded Catholicism. I think that was where I was going with my comment... Just ignore me.
posted by
Sea_Gypsy
on November 8, 2016 at 7:37 PM
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Anibanerji, I wish to add: That until death tears us away, repenting can be
efficient for saving/salvation of one's soul, and denial of that soul for Satan's hell. The only thing DENIAL of repentance at the last hour/second, if I recall all those seminary courses, is if the LORD JESUS returns before unrepentant sinners die. So, the LORD'S delay in returning is a boon to hardened-hearted folks! When he is seen in the clouds, He has come for the SAVED, and it is too late for those who doubted Him. Writers and literature do teach lost of lessons, but the Gospel Truth is in the WORD of God. Sorry I broke silence to say this: it is important to pastor-evangelists like me 2 share. OM
posted by
NocrossJustchristmas
on November 8, 2016 at 5:55 PM
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Re: Re: Re: Aba
The Calvinists, a major branch of Protestantism, are those of a reformed faith, followers of John Calvin. Marlowe was of the belief that religion was sans science and that there was nothing substantial to be gained from hollow beliefs. Science, along with its newer discoveries gripped his imagination, and therefore also one that religion should be challenged. But the era was Elizabethan, and anything anti-Christian would not go down well with people of the time . So he had to make an amalgamating mix of the two - his reformative faith contrasted with the Christian faith. So, Dr Faustus was a projection of his own personality. This, therefore, would be inclusive of all the other sects you mention. Your going on so much gives me foody substance for my next article. So pls go on. 
Many thanks, too.
posted by
anib
on November 8, 2016 at 12:23 AM
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Re: Re: Aba
Oh, good, and how interesting! I may have an obsolete meaning for the word 'Christian." To me, and forgive me if this is contrary to contemporary thinking, but it is what I learned, a Christian is anyone who follows the teachings of Christ and adopts them as their religion, in one way or another. The root word being 'Christ.' For me, that would include Catholics, Protestants, Born Agains, any other variations. So, when I commented about Catholics as opposed to Calvinists, I referred to the differences in the philosophy at the time, regarding forgiveness vs. predestination. Whew! Sorry to go on so much.
posted by
Sea_Gypsy
on November 7, 2016 at 11:31 PM
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Re: Aba
Thank you dear Presta. i see that it has raised questions in your mind. Good. Now, it is my turn to give it a thought 'had Cristianism been the religion of the time, how would Marlowe have written it'? 
I may try a hand at giving a detailed write-up on your question. 
posted by
anib
on November 7, 2016 at 8:34 PM
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Aba
Very good job, dear Aba! I tend to think of Marlowe writing to a perceived Calvinist audience, as though Faustus never had a chance at redemption. His 'what will be, will be' attitude. In a way, is Marlowe saying, "What matter of redemption does anyone have, he who has pride first, and, does it even matter? Hell is here, hell is now, hell is, but hell isn't..." Yet, fatalistic thinking in the play appears contrary to contemporary thoughts on redemption. One may be taught that, even at the last minute of the last hour, salvation allows redemption for the sincere who repent. Just my take on it... I wonder how Marlowe would have written it had Catholicism been the religion of choice at the time?
posted by
Sea_Gypsy
on November 7, 2016 at 8:21 PM
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I believe hell is any where and anytime where we separate ourselves from God.
I used to love the books of illustrations when I was at Boarding school. Gory horrible tortures and fabulous illustrations of medieval hell. I didn't believe in a God who could create such agony but I did and do believe in humanity that is capable of the crudest most evil inflict-ors of the worst tortures and pain that those pictures showed.
posted by
Kabu
on November 7, 2016 at 10:30 AM
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A hardening of the heart does often seem to lead to bad things happening.
posted by
FormerStudentIntern
on November 7, 2016 at 5:37 AM
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It does take pride to avoid repentance and the secret of a sinful heart is one that does not repent. Hell is the only place where God does not reside. We always wonder where hell would be and how it would be like there. Recently I read of a Catholic priest who survived a fatal accident and his account of what purgatory, hell and heaven looked like while he was in a comatic stage and in a miraculous manner he regained consciousness after visiting those places. One can only wonder at these things.
posted by
shobana
on November 7, 2016 at 4:45 AM
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