Judas Iscariot

I have a serious question for Christians and non-Christians alike. I am currently in a production of Godspell, and am playing Judas. After performing this role, I have come to realize that I do not believe that judas was evil or that he is in hell. What do you all think?

May the Force be with you, in this life and the next.

If Judas was evil why did he feel unable to live with himself and choose to take his own life when he realised what he had done?

Both of you had interesting points. The way that I understand it is that judas had a role to play in this, forseen by god almighty, to bear this titanic burden through time as the betrayer. God saw that one must play this role for the passion to occur, so for reasons known only to god, choose judas to do so. Remember also that jesus forgave judas (in advance if I remember correctly), absolving him personally of any sin.

Also, I was in a band called pisces iscariot in the high school timeframe. I always found judas to be an intriguing character.

In christianity, salvation is based on the belief that Jesus' execution serves as absolution for our sins. His blood payed the 'wages of sin' for all of us for all time to come until the second coming ...

Had Judas be 'evil', he would not have set in motion the events leading up to the crucifixion and no one could go to Heaven.

We only have four évangiles left out of quite a number. In some of the ones they have found, it is said that Jesus and Judas were rather close. Either Judas wasn't so 'evil', or Jesus was a just horrible judge of character ...

I'm going with the former.

Judas played his part in a greater plan.

He may not have been "evil" (we use that word far too lightly), but he was initially greedy. He sold out his Master for a sack full of coin, and when he realized he was caught--or what he had truly done, depending on your viewpoint--he attempted to give it back, showing a repentance.

Some Christian groups will say he's in hell because he sold out the Messiah. Some will say he's in hell because he killed himself.

I don't know enough to guess.

Jesus wasn't betrayed by Judas. Jesus was crucified because the Jews wanted it. They later blamed Judas and "lost" the book that showed Jesus told Judas to tell the Romans to come and get him.

We found the "lost" book...

V-Tog wrote: If Judas was evil why did he feel unable to live with himself and choose to take his own life when he realised what he had done?

Judas was stoned by Jesus' disciples

Wait now, I thought he hung himself? Someone with a bible, go!

Matthew 27:5
Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.

Acts 1:18
Now this man purchased a field with the wages of iniquity; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his entrails gushed out.

Why so graphic, Bible?
Online bibles count, right???