Ping: CatcherintheRye

Sorry, I haven't been to GC in quite awhile, so I just found your question.

Ultimately, if you step back and look at the bigger picture, wouldn't you feel more sorry for the one that is spending eternity in a horrible place, over the one who just went through a temporary traumatic ordeal, and spends eternity in a place of their dreams?

This was, in fact, the question that led to my dismissing Christianity, and eventually led me to agnosticism proper. I asked myself this: is there anything we could do in this life that would warrant eternal damnation? I can think of nothing. Even the most horrible human beings in the world, who spend their lives committing awful crimes, could not possibly deserve an eternity of suffering in comparison to their offenses. The point of punishment should be redemption. Otherwise it is merely revenge, something a loving God could never be guilty of. It would be petty. There is no redemption from Hell, therefore no reason for it other than cruelty. The entire argument for its existence breaks down when you face this reality.