I have not read this whole thread, but I want to take a stab at answering these questions.
- I cannot imagine a person would deserve eternal suffering. And when I try to conjure such a person up in my mind, much of their badness results from factors outside of their control, such as a poor upbringing or natural temperament. If a lack of faith is the problem, it probably never occurs to a vast number of people to be faithful. If a lack of works is the problem, it probably never occurs to a vast number of people that they ought to do good works. And there are a vast number of people who are neither faithful nor particularly charitable but otherwise not rotten.
Among the factors that mitigate or aggravate an offense is who is the object of the offense. This principle is recognized in religion as it is in the law. So let’s say that, unprovoked, you punch somebody in the nose. You could expect to face a lot more jail time if that person is, say, a cop or a judge or the governor than if he is an ordinary Joe off the street.
Now if we apply that principle to offenses against God – and every sin is an offense against God – then it becomes clear that every offense against God (or at least every grave offense) cries out for eternal punishment. Why? Because God is infinite and eternal. There is no one greater, and therefore nothing could be worse than an offense against Him.
You may be sure, incidentally, that God, who sees everything and knows everything, takes into account any and all mitigating factors.
- If, in heaven, I will know that others are in hell, won’t I be sad as long as they are suffering, which is apparently eternally? How can we feast in heaven knowing that others are in such a miserable situation?
Because in heaven, we will see things from God’s point of view, and will understand fully there what we do not and cannot understand here on earth. We will see very clearly how and why the damned are enemies of God: all the graces they rejected on earth, and all the times they said no to God, and all the times they chose to do their own will instead of His. And since we will love God above all else, and have wills completely in conformity with His, we will be content to see His enemies suffer the punishment they have earned – even if they are people we loved on earth.
- Would it not be better for, say, those who reject God to be put in purgatory forever, with the option of coming up to heaven? Such a situation is roughly imagined in C.S. Lewis’ The Great Divorce. In that situation, human choice would remain.
I would really hesitate to say that, with my limited vision and understanding, I nevertheless know better than God what would be best in any situation. We can be certain that whatever He wills
is the best thing, even when we don’t understand it.
- For some reason, I am having particular trouble at the idea that praying for souls in hell would be useless. I suppose this is a reaction at the utter hopelessness of such a disposition?
Yes, praying for the souls of the damned is useless as far as the damned are concerned; but since we do not know who is in hell, no prayer for the dead goes to waste. We are certain that canonized saints are in heaven; but there is no parallel canon of damned souls. Not even the damnation of Judas Iscariot is a defined doctrine (although, since Jesus Himself said it would have been better for the Iscariot never to have been born, it must be granted that his outlook is pretty poor). Since, other than the canonized saints, we do not know the eternal fate of those who have died, it is perfectly appropriate to pray for their souls. Whether they are in heaven and have no need of prayer, or in hell and cannot benefit from prayer, the prayers that are offered up for them will benefit some other souls.
Hope that helps.
