What is Hell like?

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Since Jesus and the saints say that many go to Hell… (St Mt 7:13-21, St Lk 13:24, etc) it would be good to know what Hell is like so that more will be inclined to want to avoid it. I think some people who have never been taught any better… or whatever, tend to think that Hell is just a place where sinners go and continue their “partying.” And they don’t have to be bothered w/ all those good-2-shoes Christians anymore. I’ve actually heard people say such things, usually very young, immature people…

I think St Faustina has the most detailed account of what Hell is like… but i haven’t read all the saints (?):

Diary 741:

" Today, I was led by an Angel to the chasms of Hell. It is a place of great torture; how awesomely large and extensive it is! The kinds of tortures I saw: the first torture that constitutes hell is the loss of God; the second is perpetual remorse of conscience; the third is that one’s condition will never change; the fourth is the fire that will penetrate the soul without destroying it, a terrible suffering, since it is a purely spiritual fire, lit by God’s anger; the fifth torture is conditional darkness and a terrible suffocating smell, and despite the darkness, the devils and the souls of the damned see each other and all the evil, both of others and their own; the sixth torture is the constant company of satan, the seventh torture is horrible despair, hatred of God, vile words, curses and blasphemies. These are the tortures suffered by all the damned together, but that is not the end of the sufferings. There are special tortures destined for particular souls. These are the torments of the senses. Each soul undergoes terrible and indescribable sufferings, related to the manner in which it has sinned. There are caverns and pits of torture where one form of agony differs from another. I would have died at the very sight of these tortures if the omnipotence of God had not supported me. Let the sinner know that he will be tortured throughout all eternity, in those senses which he made use of to sin. I am writing this at the command of God, so that no soul may find an excuse by saying there is no Hell, or that nobody has ever been there, and so no one can say what it is like. I, sister Faustina, by the order of God, have visited the abysses of Hell so that I might tell souls about it and testify to its existence. I cannot speak about it now; but I have received a command from God to leave it in writing. The devils were full of hatred for me, but they had to obey me at the command of God. What I have written is but a pale shadow of the things I saw. But I noticed one thing: that most of the souls there are those who disbelieved that there is a Hell [or that they would go there? or that it would be terrible??] . When I came to, I could hardly recover from the fright. How terribly souls suffer there! Consequently, I pray even more fervently for the conversion of sinners. I incessantly plead God’s mercy upon them. O my Jesus, I would rather be in agony until the end of the world, amidst the greatest sufferings, then offend You by the least sin. (Diary 741).
 
hmmm… no one is going to argue with St Faustina? 😃

not even you protestants???
 
We can conclude, by logic, that if “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has created for those who love Him” we can say the same, in a negative sense, “for those who do NOT love Him.” In other words, we cannot even imagine the horror of hell. Our imaginations won’t go that far.

I seem to recall someone somewhere saying that they had been given a vision of hell (one of the children from Fatima?) and one of the things that struck them was the complete hatred of everything and everyone. It was palpable.
 
We can conclude, by logic, that if “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has created for those who love Him” we can say the same, in a negative sense, “for those who do NOT love Him.” In other words, we cannot even imagine the horror of hell. Our imaginations won’t go that far.

I seem to recall someone somewhere saying that they had been given a vision of hell (one of the children from Fatima?) and one of the things that struck them was the complete hatred of everything and everyone. It was palpable.
I have felt palpable hatred… i feel it quite a lot, actually… when i am around unChristian people… who live for this world alone…

Anne Catherine Emmerich (is she a saint yet??) said that in the last days all the demons will be unleashed from Hell… :hypno:

the way things are these days… so much rudeness… downright hatred toward others… i sometiems wonder if this hasn’t already happened?

but then again, i think she said that people would actually DIE from seeing the demons… Strange, huh???

she said that when the days are darkened… there will be 3 days of darkness… we are to go into our homes, shut all doors & windows and don’t look outside… cuz those who look will die… Yikes… :eek: (so we need 3 days supply of food & water… ) she said 1/3 of man will be killed off, mostly the ungodly

The Passion movie was based on a vision she had of what all Jesus went thro when he was crucified… (and right b4 the crucifixion), which was far more awful than most people realize… 😦
 
it seems kinda… odd that God would allow poeple to go to Hell who don’t fully understand what Hell is…who think its just some kinda big party for nonChrstians or soemthing… I don’t know, mabye they don’t really beleive such a thing but are just being… young people…🤷

i do know God takes ignorance into account… as the Word tells us… those who know the will of God but dont do it will get a more severe “beating” (Purgatory and/or Hell) than those who dont know… The ones who didn’t know the will of the Father will be beaten only lightly… but they will still be beaten (Purg)… despite their ignorance. Sin has to be purged off the soul…

can’t recall where that’s at (?)

here it is: St Lk 12:48: "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." - King James Version

anyhow… just seems there are a lot of ignorant people around… but then, God knows who is truly ignorant and who is not… not i…
 
it seems kinda… odd that God would allow poeple to go to Hell who don’t fully understand what Hell is…who think its just some kinda big party for nonChrstians or soemthing… I don’t know, mabye they don’t really beleive such a thing but are just being… young people…🤷

i do know God takes ignorance into account… as the Word tells us… those who know the will of God but dont do it will get a more severe “beating” (Purgatory and/or Hell) than those who dont know… The ones who didn’t know the will of the Father will be beaten only lightly… but they will still be beaten (Purg)… despite their ignorance. Sin has to be purged off the soul…

can’t recall where that’s at (?)

here it is: St Lk 12:48: "But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." - King James Version

anyhow… just seems there are a lot of ignorant people around… but then, God knows who is truly ignorant and who is not… not i…
God will judge each man’s heart accordingly, not to worry! 🙂

There are two types if ignorance, though. One is invincible ignorance, where someone did not know Jesus Christ, etc., through no fault of their own. They literally really never had a chance because of the circumstances of their life to know Jesus and follow Him.

Then, there is culpable ignorance, where a person had a chance, usually many chances, and chose as an act of their will, not to follow Jesus. These will be held accountable not just for what they knew, but for what they should have known!
 
those who go to hell go there because they do not love God and do not want to be with Him, they choose it, and if God were to force them into heaven, that to would be hell for them, because they do not want to love God or be with Him.
we have a free will, and as such cannot love God unless we will it…God will not force us…

i have some really interesting stories on hell here on my forum if you want to check them out, the “Letter from a soul in hell” is particularly informative…and disturbing e_e…gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=14178473
 
Didn’t Jesus say those that love Him keep His commandments? Isn’t salvation impossible for humans, but only possible for God? Just trying to wrap my mind around this. Thanks.
 
The simple fact is that hell cannot be described to anyone who is not willing to seriously consider it.
The people you mention as seeing it as a place to continue partying, are just reacting to something they’ve seen on TV or in a movie etc.
It’s the same sort of lie as the equally general consensus among those who are nost serious about spiritual matters that most everyone will go to heaven.

In this “Sound bite”, “Music video” society it can even be difficult to get anyones attention long enough to try to explain, and then the question is whether they have the desire and the intelligence to begin really considering what is necessary for attaining one and avoiding the other.

The Short answer to your title question is this. Hell is the absolute absence of Love. Now whether those who you wish to reach can understand this or not…🤷
It’s up to the holy Spirit.

Peace
James
 
God will judge each man’s heart accordingly, not to worry! 🙂

There are two types if ignorance, though. One is invincible ignorance, where someone did not know Jesus Christ, etc., through no fault of their own. They literally really never had a chance because of the circumstances of their life to know Jesus and follow Him.

Then, there is culpable ignorance, where a person had a chance, usually many chances, and chose as an act of their will, not to follow Jesus. These will be held accountable not just for what they knew, but for what they should have known!
so then you would agree w/ a theory i have… that people who hear about Jesus… hear His words (etc)… KNOW they are hearing the truth… & some reject & some accept Him… In other words those who say they don’t think Jesus is the right “way” are lying? I’ve thought this for a long time… I would say i pretty much “know” it…
 
Didn’t Jesus say those that love Him keep His commandments? Isn’t salvation impossible for humans, but only possible for God? Just trying to wrap my mind around this. Thanks.
The effects of salvation are possible for humans. The cause is God, of course. If/when we are saved, we are saved Sola Gratia (solely by the grace of God). We can do no good, obey no Commandment, etc., without God’s grace. But we must cooperate with that grace. That’s our part. We could (hopefully not!) reject God’s grace to do “our own thing” (actually, Satan’s own thing). We are here to be tested. Some pass, some fail. Those who fail go to hell when their life is over. Those who pass, go to heaven.
 
so then you would agree w/ a theory i have… that people who hear about Jesus… hear His words (etc)… KNOW they are hearing the truth… & some reject & some accept Him… In other words those who say they don’t think Jesus is the right “way” are lying? I’ve thought this for a long time… I would say i pretty much “know” it…
I think we have to keep in mind what actual grace is and how it operates. Actual grace is a free gift from God that 1) enlightens our minds to see His truths more clearly and 2) strengthens our will to follow those truths more closely.

So, applying actual grace to the situations you mentioned, kind of depends on the disposition of the person at the time they hear His words. We humans are still affected by the effects of Original sin, namely darkness of intellect and weakness of will.
 
I think we have to keep in mind what actual grace is and how it operates. Actual grace is a free gift from God that 1) enlightens our minds to see His truths more clearly and 2) strengthens our will to follow those truths more closely.

So, applying actual grace to the situations you mentioned, kind of depends on the disposition of the person at the time they hear His words. We humans are still affected by the effects of Original sin, namely darkness of intellect and weakness of will.
(sigh)… a simple Yes or NO would have been good… 😃

so actual grace is … our conscience? after all, we are all born with that so i guess you could say that’s a gift from God… then there is grace tht comes from being baptized…

by saying tihs: applying actual grace to the situations you mentioned, kind of depends on the disposition of the person at the time they hear His words

… well, i realize that if someone is in a bad mood or “distracted”… he may not be open to the Word… and someone else who is in a better mood might accept it?? But no one (presumably) is in a “bad” or distracted mood ALL the time… every time he hears about Jesus… ?

i guess what i am saying is there is no excuse for rejecting truth… which is why God allows people to send themselves to Hell…
 
(sigh)… a simple Yes or NO would have been good… 😃

so actual grace is … our conscience? after all, we are all born with that so i guess you could say that’s a gift from God… then there is grace tht comes from being baptized…

by saying tihs: applying actual grace to the situations you mentioned, kind of depends on the disposition of the person at the time they hear His words

… well, i realize that if someone is in a bad mood or “distracted”… he may not be open to the Word… and someone else who is in a better mood might accept it?? But no one (presumably) is in a “bad” or distracted mood ALL the time… every time he hears about Jesus… ?

i guess what i am saying is there is no excuse for rejecting truth… which is why God allows people to send themselves to Hell…
I used to find it hard to believe at one time that there were any people who hadn’t heard of Jesus in a serious way. Now, I think there are many!
 
I used to find it hard to believe at one time that there were any people who hadn’t heard of Jesus in a serious way. Now, I think there are many!
i believe there are virtually NONE in the developed nations…

and even if you’ve never heard of Jesus, you know truth… you know what is right or wrong cuz of your conscience… and if you seek God you will find Him… (He may even get you to a developed nation so you can hear about JEsus) 🙂
 
I found a small book called What will Hell be Like … Tan Publishers

on pg 5:

St Thomas [Aquinas] proves that the fire of Hell is a corporeal and material fire, though for the most part he does not write of the fire which torments the souls separated from their bodies, but of that which the damned are to endure after their corporeal resurrection. many heretics have maintained that the fire of Hell is not material, but only metaphorical… There are numerous texts in Sacred Scripture, however, which demonstrate that the fire of Hell is a true, material and corporeal fire… Deuteronomy: “A fire is kindled in my wrath, and shall burn even to the lowest Hell.” (Deut 32:22) ***

other psgs are mentioned concerning the eternity of Hell: ***Job 20:26, 33:4, 66:24

Judith 16:21 ***

Fire and worms are mentioned in the Bible; some theologians say the use of the word Worms is metaphorical, meaning the remorse of conscience which will afflict the damned in Hell. ***"forever will they have imprinted on their memories the results of their sins; forever will they repeat the words [Book of Wisdom] “We have erred from the way of truth, we wearied ourselves in the way of iniquity and destruction and have walked through hard ways. What hath pride profited us? or what advantage hath the boasting of riches brought us?’” (Wis 5:6) ***
 
the book also says:

**… the greatest sorrow will be the thought of having lost God, and of having lost Him through their own fault… they now seek to lose sight of God, but once fallen into Hell, they will no longer be able to cease thinking of Him… St Augustine says that in Hell, the damned will be forced to think of nothing but God [which will cause them great] torment… St Bonaventure… says that no thought will torment the damned more than the thought of God. The Lord will grant to them such a vivid knowledge of their offended God, His goodness so unworhtily spurned, and consequently, of the chasteisement which their crimes have merited… **
 
(continued…)

… in Hell the soul… will have constantly in its memory all the divine appeals made to it during life…

… the obstinancy of the damned results from the nature… of their state. For, since the damned now find themselves at the terminus of their existence and deprived of all divine assistance, God, by a just judgment, abandons them to the evil which they have… chosen and in which they have wished to end their life. It is natural for everything, once it has reached its terminus, to rest in it… God has resolved to leave them to the evil which they have chosen. Just as the blessd can never possess an evil will because they are always united to God, in like manner the damend can never turn their will to good… because they are obstinately and irrevocably opposed to the divine will.
 
This is an amazing thread and scary.:eek: as well the idea of hell should be.
Just last evening, I saw a two-hour History Channel program about the devil and hell and how the major religions depicted these things. It was educational in a historical way (i.e., Dante’s Inferno, various paintings – Heronymous Bosch, naturally). It even showed modern day Satan worshippers. There are those who believe that everyone would eventually go to heaven and that hell was temporary. I think that theory was shot down by someone who said it would be impossible for Hitler and Mother Teresa to share the same fate. It was quite intellectualized.
However, EWTN had a fantastic presentation about hell a while back. It really hit home.
But now, I’m completely astounded (for lack of a better word) by St. Faustina’s portrayal of hell mentioned in this thread. I have her diary but haven’t got to that part yet. I’m going to research it. Thank you.👍
 
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