“Just dying” would be a reward, if you think about it. Hell is the eternal separation from God. **There could be no greater torment than this. **It is not something God punishes us with, but rather something that we choose by rejecting Him upon judgement. We are taught by our Catholic faith to believe that Hell exists. We are not required, however, to believe that a single soul occupies it.
Whenever I hear of someone who thinks Hell does not exist, I get a shiver down my spine. I worry for this attitude, to be very honest. I think of the Screwtape Letters, where one demon is training in a younger demon, and explains that the best way to win this battle is to convince man that demons and Hell simply do not exist. It’s a pretty effective tool. Of course, C.S. Lewis was writing fiction, but he spoke very succinctly on this theological phenomena–that is, the ability to believe in Heaven but to shun the idea of Hell. It would be like believing there is light, but denying there is darkness. How possibly can light be light if there is no darkness to contrast it to?
There is a constant warfare going on around you, around me, around everybody. The destruction and ruin of our souls is sought after by the Enemy. Christ came in order to conquer death! Conquer it! Even in the gospels, Christ descended to Hell for three days prior to his Resurrection. If anything our Church teaches is true–and I believe everything she teaches is true–then Hell is absolutely, definitely real.
Love and peace be with you, my friend!!
