Demons and function in hell

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Ok, I had a thought that I don’t know if it is right or not and I want some help with the issue.

We know that demons continually try to attack people because we are made in the image of God and they want us to fall into hell.

Many saints have had visions of hell where reprobate are being tortured. And, in many cases, it is the demons doing the torturing.

So, I see it as humans getting tortured but the demons getting what they want. So they are not punished, or at least get to enjoy what they like doing? That makes no sense to me?

Help me try to understand!
 
Demons are not “staff” in hell.

Satan and a portion of the angels rebelled against God. They were cast out of heaven.

At the end of time they will be put in hell.

People who reject God of their own free will (“The devil made me do it” is a comedy line, it does not impact the culpability for sin) are sent to hell when they die.

We do not know the specifics of hell. Yes, there are private revelations but those are not doctrinal beliefs. Scripture describes a place of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and of utter darkness.

The greatest torture of hell will be eternal separation from God.

All of these pains of hell will be pains to the humans and the angels in hell.

The idea that Satan is the boss in hell and the demons work for him is simply a story.
 
Demons may torture others in Hell, but that does not mean they enjoy being there. They hate those in Hell, and as we know, hate does not breed peace and thus would be a form of torture.

The main torture of both demons and humans in Hell would be the separation from God and loss of hope. Those torments are worse than we can possibly imagine.
 
OH 😀 THEY are being punished

The LOSS of ter Beatific Vision [NOT-seeing GOD] forever is the GREATEST possible suffering bar none.

And the pains of hell and purgatory are for the MOST part self inflicted by one’s life-choices.
 
AHapka said:
Ok, I had a thought that I don’t know if it is right or not and I want some help with the issue.

We know that demons continually try to attack people because we are made in the image of God and they want us to fall into hell.

Many saints have had visions of hell where reprobate are being tortured. And, in many cases, it is the demons doing the torturing.

So, I see it as humans getting tortured but the demons getting what they want. So they are not punished, or at least get to enjoy what they like doing? That makes no sense to me?

Help me try to understand!
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The words of Jesus in the parable of the sheep and goats:
“Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire which was prepared for the devils and his angels.” To be plunged into everlasting fire is torture. That torture was prepared for “the devil and his angels”–Satan and the wicked angels who followed Satan. They are in torment in Hell.
The fact that they may torture human souls does not change the fact that they are themselves in torment.
 
Hell is like a prison, and the devils there are fellow prisoners, not guards or wardens. The sufferings of Hell are just and merciful punishments measured out by God, not by devils. No fallen angel could punish mercifully or even justly. But having devils as fellow prisoners is part of the suffering of the damned in Hell, just as having holy angels as fellow residents of Heaven is part of the joy of the blessed in Heaven.
 
AHapka said:
Ok, I had a thought that I don’t know if it is right or not and I want some help with the issue.

We know that demons continually try to attack people because we are made in the image of God and they want us to fall into hell.

Many saints have had visions of hell where reprobate are being tortured. And, in many cases, it is the demons doing the torturing.

So, I see it as humans getting tortured but the demons getting what they want. So they are not punished, or at least get to enjoy what they like doing? That makes no sense to me?

Help me try to understand!
Click to expand...
From what i understand…there is a hierarchy of the demonic just as there is a hierarchy of Angels of God.

I do believe demons take great satisfaction in doing evil upon humanity either directly or indirectly by working thru other ppl.

I would go so far as to say that yes…watching Gods creatures suffer brings them a perverse counterfeit of what we would call joy.

I think they are punished by each other as well. We cant pity them because they are infinitely more intelligent than ppl and rebelled against God in full knowledge of all consequences and with full will.
 
Zaccheus said:
The fact that they may torture human souls does not change the fact that they are themselves in torment.
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Correct. Demons due torture people in hell, but they hate and suffer themselves. Just like angels, demons are among us in the world, even though they are still suffering due separation from God. No one knows the specifics, but they are around us, which is why we are called to pray and partake of the sacraments often.
 
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2towers said:
Correct. Demons due torture people in hell…
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False. Hell is the just and merciful punishment of God. Demons cannot measure out just or merciful punishment. The devils in Hell are fellow prisoners, also being punished by God. They are not in charge of punishing human souls.
 
Yes demons are being punished, and they do torment people in hell. Read Saint Thomas, read almost anybody.
 
The “mercy” of hell and God’s just punishments comes when God sees that a person will not change, and will only get worse. In his mercy, he will go ahead and take that person, so their eternal suffering will be less harsh.
 
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