Some questions about Hell

[Ioana]

Hi. This is in the context of coming across and watching the trailer for a deplorable horror movie that made me lightheaded and want to vomit (lesson learned, never watch trailers like that, not even out of curiosity). I’m a very sensitive person in general so I’m still shaken a bit. I mean I guess I’m just having a very emotional week in general since it was the first time I cried whilst saying a rosary and a bunch of stuff has happened in general. Anyhow so due to my general feeling of horror today I came out with the following questions which I couldn’t exactly answer myself. Apologies if the answers already exist on the net. These questions are the result of crybaby me being me but maybe I’ll get something useful out of them

1. I heard there’s physical and mental suffering in Hell so to put it. Does the physical one last forever?
2. What is the physical pain like exactly? Is it the same for everybody?
3. What is Purgatory like?
4. How “creative” are the tortures in Hell? I mean is it anything comparable to a twisted Saw-like “game”?
5. Which is worse and by how far, the separation from God or the physical pain?
6. Are there different levels of joy in Heaven?
7. How does this all change after the Final Judgment?

Sorry for the backstory. Many thanks for any answers

 

[joeybaggz]

According to traditional teaching, Hell is the abode of Satan, “the father of lies” as Christ called him. Hell is depicted both in Scripture and in private revelations as a lake of fire. Jesus himself said that hell is never ending.
The more contemporary teaching is that hell is the permanent separation of a soul from union with God in that state we call the Beatific vision. Knowledge of God and his wonders and then the realization of eternal separation from Him would be a pain only comparable to the sensation of a painful infliction such as we realize when suffering a burn. Burning as in fire, may possibly be allegorical.
To my knowledge, no one has ever returned from hell to tell us what it is like. There really are no definitive answers to your questions as we only know what we have been taught by Christ. Is the “fire” of hell allegorical or is it real? No one knows first hand. Yes Mary showed three children at Fatima a vision of hell, but that is private revelation. The RCC has never said anyone is in hell; though the Church has proclaimed many in heaven. So, outside of revelation, both Scriptural on private we have a picture of hell.
My suggestion might be to understand that the human soul is that portion of you that is made in the image and likeness of God. You are made to share with God an appreciation of life, love, beauty, hope, trust, respect, and an innate dignity of yourself and all others. Rather that dragging yourself down worrying about hell, choose the path of love, charity, goodness, and faith that Jesus taught, and concentrate more on the beauty of life and of your eventual union with your creator and Lord and all those who have lived justly and will share unending joy, beauty, and love in that realm we call heaven.
Shalom.

 

[Kei]

1. What we do know is that Hell is forever. The punishment lasts forever.
2. I don’t think we precisely know, but I’d imagine it’s somewhat different for others. I think of it like, the devils you were enslaved to in life still have you as their slave in death
3. Purgatory is where those souls judged for Heaven go if they still have penance to pay. I have heard that the fires of purgatory are the same flames of Hell, but no teaching on purgatory is binding on the Church of believers, I don’t think. It is sorrowful for you are aware of Heaven and God, but just wait to be with Him. I have heard when St Padre Pio was asked to pray for a soul, his waiting just half a day or so (forgive if my memory is bad) was called cruel.
4. I don’t think we know. Much of our common ideas come from Inferno by Dante, part of his Divine Comedy
5. The separation from God by far. The saints have said this completely overtakes any physical pain.
6. I believe so, there are different rewards for those in Heaven.
7. The personal judgement is to just a taste of our eternity, until the Final Jusgement, which is a general judgement. Then it is eternity with each respective destination.

I can be wrong in any of the above, and by reading this you agree that I am in no way responsible if believing the truth of my post is responsible for Divine Punishment or Judgement to Hell or an extended stay in Purgatory.

 

[2towers]

Hi Ioana,

Many good questions, some of which carry long answers. Sorry to hear the movie trailer bothered you so, those type movies are best left to hardened individuals. I think the best thing you can do is to ask for reading recommendations that will answer all these questions in turn.

I have to get ready for work at my part time job, but one question you asked does have a quick answer, far and away the worst punishment of hell is the separation from God. The torments of hell are indeed awful, and we should keep our head out of the sand about them, they do exist. Learn about these good questions, but do not obsess about them after that. God does not want us living in fear.

Blessings.

 

[TK421]

Hell is a state of eternal separation from God.

Based on mystical experiences, Hell (as you would already expect through reason alone) embodies all of the opposites of the virtues. Wrath, avarice, envy, sloth, vanity, pride, lust, and to a radical degree, a “radical evil”.

The torments are physical, psychological, and spiritual. Denizens of hell are radically deranged in every way. The universal and primary punishment of Hell is separation from God. There are also unique tortures.

St Padre Pio explained good and evil as being like a tapestry. On the correct side of a tapestry, everything is in proper order. On the reverse side, everything is distorted.

 

[Vico]

…
2. What is the physical pain like exactly? Is it the same for everybody?
5. Which is worse and by how far, the separation from God or the physical pain?
6. Are there different levels of joy in Heaven?
…

The chief suffering of Hell is separation from God, per the Catechism.
Per the dogma approved by ecumenical council, there are varying levels of suffering in hell and of glory in heaven (per merit). There could even be a state of natural peace in hell, for some, because hell means lack of the Beatific Vision.

 

[AngelusDomini]

I heard there’s physical and mental suffering in Hell so to put it. Does the physical one last forever?
What is the physical pain like exactly? Is it the same for everybody?
What is Purgatory like?
How “creative” are the tortures in Hell? I mean is it anything comparable to a twisted Saw-like “game”?
Which is worse and by how far, the separation from God or the physical pain?
Are there different levels of joy in Heaven?
How does this all change after the Final Judgment?

Sorry for the backstory. Many thanks for any answers

Purgatory is a place of preparation for heaven; we have nothing to fear about that as we will one day see God in paradise. (Even though we may fear the process, I am sure that the expectation outweighs any suffering which we deserve)
There are no different levels of joy in heaven as all are part of the heavenly court - no class system exists there - how could there be in the place where God is?).
No one can say what the pain of Hell is like - and surely to be separated from God Himself would be the greatest pain of all.
The only answer we have to how things will be after the final judgement are in the Revelation of St John.

This is only my personal view.