Why is Hell Eternal?

[Charlotte408]

I have a hard time understanding that God is merciful when he created a place of infinite suffering.

No…God created a place of infinite beauty…lets not forget that!! This world is not ENTIRELY messed up! Theres good, theres bad…theres Him…and theres the other guy…

The whole ‘why is there suffering in the world’ is an easy question. Free will. He created a beautiful place for us (Eden) where there was NO pain and suffering…and we all know how we messed that up…

 

[seeker_of_God]

But sinners don’t exactly like being in incomprehensible pain… In a way, they aren’t really asking for hell…

God gives us countless graces in our lives that we might come into a relationship with Him and follow the guidance of His Church. It is such that if through all of God’s grace, we still refuse to follow Him, it is our own fault.

Those who end up in hell, are asking for it. maybe not explicitly, but by rejecting God, they have nowhere else to go but to hell. In the end, they would prefer to be there than in God’s presence, as it would be even more painful for them.

Was it someone in this thread, or somewhere else, that quoted C.S. Louis, saying the gates of hell are locked from the inside? I like that description. It might be a horrible place, but even if they got the chance, people there would continue to choose it rather than reject their sins, repent, do penance, and accept God as their master.

If you doubt the infinite mercy of God, please read The Diary of St. Faustina. It is so plain to see through her writings.

Rather than worry about the justice of hell, why not just put your trust in God, whom you should know is infinitely just but also infinitely merciful and loving, and pray for the grace to grow in holiness. God will not deny those who humbly ask for His mercy.

 

[BibleAnswer]

Probably you should read the writings of St. Catherine from Genoa. It will make you understand the fact that the people in hell rather be there than in heaven.

Hello, I think it is a fault in teaching, to offer up for reference, something non secular in your explanation of biblical spiritual things. The truth is, that your only reference to define hell, should be the bible. If you look to other writings, other seculare non Holy writings to define your question then you will never find the truth.

 

[Sir_Knight]

Hello, I think it is a fault in teaching, to offer up for reference, something non secular in your explanation of biblical spiritual things. The truth is, that your only reference to define hell, should be the bible. If you look to other writings, other seculare non Holy writings to define your question then you will never find the truth.

May I remind you that the bible refers to the Church in 1 Timothy 3:15 as the “defender of the truth”. If, therefore, the Church declares the writings of a saint to be worthy of belief, then why is accepting “secular non Holy writings” not going to lead us to the truth?

 

[BibleAnswer]

May I remind you that the bible refers to the Church in 1 Timothy 3:15 as the “defender of the truth”. If, therefore, the Church declares the writings of a saint to be worthy of belief, then why is accepting “secular non Holy writings” not going to lead us to the truth?

Well if I look at this objectively, I can offer this verse:

2 Tim 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Because the information you are offering is a fable. It is derived from the reasoning of men, and unfortunately, this information contradicts what the bible says about hell.

 

[PJM]

=Ally of Christ;5535544]Are there any saints who, after receiving visions, have described in detail God’s judgement after death on individual souls?

St. John Bosco and I believe Padre Pio

 

[Cristiano]

Hello, I think it is a fault in teaching, to offer up for reference, something non secular in your explanation of biblical spiritual things. The truth is, that your only reference to define hell, should be the bible. If you look to other writings, other seculare non Holy writings to define your question then you will never find the truth.

Probably if you were to read St. Catherine from Genoa you would understand what it is about. This is about free will and individual choices of detachment from God. The writings can give a better idea of the psychology of the sinners than of what is presented in these posts. If I were to cut and paste the writing assuming false ownership of the document, people reading it would say that the comment makes sense. Again this is not about biblical teaching but about understanding of how humans think.

The only caveat that I have is that I do not know if her writings have been published in English and so I may have stepped on some boundaries by giving a reference that might not be available. I apologize if I did that.

 

[PJM]

=Tantum ergo;5537294]Why is Heaven eternal? Why is it that being in Hell forever is considered ‘unfair’ but being in Heaven forever is something we ‘deserve’?

Picture the man (or woman) who has lived a petty, mean, sinful life, and then at the very end, repents. You don’t seem to have a problem allowing this person to be happy in heaven forever. . .but you have a problem if the person DOESN’T repent at the end and (in his own free choice) winds up in hell forever?

It seems to me that you’re approaching the idea of Heaven and Hell as though we somehow ‘earn’ heaven (or deserve it) and that there is simply no way that we can ever ‘deserve’ or earn hell. As though God is only ‘fair’ if He somehow arranges it that we all have ‘eternal happiness’ even if we don’t want it and reject it.

---

Very often have we explained in the very common “Works vrs, Faith” context, that the position of the CC is that BOTH are essential for ones personal salvation. We have also pointed out that nobody can “earn” heaven. It is a free gift from God, but one that has “strings attached.” T=Read James Chapter two for a brief and concise explaination***.

That God is not as good or as logical as humans, because humans would somehow force the bad people not to be bad, or would release them after a set time of ‘punishment’ having somehow convinced them to ‘change their minds’. IOW, you don’t allow free will at all if the person chooses evil–that person HAS TO, somehow, choose good, otherwise God isn’t ‘fair.’ But if that person ‘has to’ choose good, then he doesn’t really have the free will to choose evil, does he?

***God in reality of His Divine and all perfect Nature cannot force anyone to accept Salvation, than He can Arbitrarily condem one to hell. In fact by design of Creation God permits us to make these decisions for ourselves. This conforms fully to Divine Justice and fairness. Thus our gifts that make us “god-like,” mind, intellect, freewill and soul are all Spiritual and given to us for the very precise purpose of doing what is necessary, avoiding what is harmful, freely chosing to love and obey God or chosing eternal hell for ourselves.

Love and prayers ***

 

[davidv]

But sinners don’t exactly like being in incomprehensible pain… In a way, they aren’t really asking for hell…

There is a very simple solution to this problem.

Do not sin.

And if you do sin, repent and resolve to not do so again.

And if you are sincere about the above, God provides the grace needed for you to be successful.

 

[Ally_of_Christ]

I’m worried about other people besides my self too. Just think of how many atheists there are in the world…

 

[Ally_of_Christ]

You talk about how sinners choose the torment of Hell. What is the purpose of the suffering in Hell? Logically, it should only be there to convince men to repent so they could escape Hell, and enter Heaven with respect for God, but since Hell is eternal, then that can’t be true. Since the punishment in Hell isn’t meant to be corrective like Purgatory or even a prison here on Earth, then what is the point in it?

 

[davidv]

You talk about how sinners choose the torment of Hell. What is the purpose of the suffering in Hell?

Its purpose is give the sinner what they want.

Logically, it should only be there to convince men to repent so they could escape Hell, and enter Heaven with respect for God, but since Hell is eternal, then that can’t be true.

This life we live is the time for convincing. Once one is dead, the time for convincing is passed.

Since the punishment in Hell isn’t meant to be corrective like Purgatory or even a prison here on Earth, then what is the point in it?

To give the sinner what they want.

 

[Chiral]

You talk about how sinners choose the torment of Hell. What is the purpose of the suffering in Hell? Logically, it should only be there to convince men to repent so they could escape Hell, and enter Heaven with respect for God, but since Hell is eternal, then that can’t be true. Since the punishment in Hell isn’t meant to be corrective like Purgatory or even a prison here on Earth, then what is the point in it?

Well, for those not in Hell, it may exist as a deterrent - fear of pain and torment is an imperfect but effective educational tool for those too selfish to recognize and strive for the good, namely unity with God.
For Hell’s denizens, perhaps their suffering results from eternally conflicting desires. They forever desire to be with God because as creatures that is their innate telos, but the call is forever stifled by their refusal to accept His Grace - that refusal is the “chasm” spoken of in Luke 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and that none may cross over from there to us.
The damned eternally refuse to believe that they can or ever could be saved, or refuse to believe that they want or ever needed to be saved. They freely persist forever in a selfish delusion.
Have you ever heard tell of the monkeys that were trapped by scattering fruits on the ground below their trees? The story goes, the monkeys are safe in the trees, but they desire the fruit obtained so easily and are so gluttonous that they descend from the tree and collect as much fruit as they can carry, filling their paws such that they can no longer climb back up the tree to safety and so are captured.

Just my two cents

 

[Sir_Knight]

Well if I look at this objectively, I can offer this verse:

2 Tim 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

Because the information you are offering is a fable. It is derived from the reasoning of men, and unfortunately, this information contradicts what the bible says about hell.

Except we have Christ’s promise in Matthew 16:18 that that would not happen to His Church so 2 Tim 4:3-4 does not apply.

 

[Sir_Knight]

I’m worried about other people besides my self too. Just think of how many atheists there are in the world…

If you read the quotes and links that I have supplied from the approved visions of the saints, you will see that most of the people in hell are those who did not believe that hell existed.

 

[Ally_of_Christ]

If you read the quotes and links that I have supplied from the approved visions of the saints, you will see that most of the people in hell are those who did not believe that hell existed.

And just how is that just? If they didn’t even know or believe…? I’m really scared for some people I know…

 

[Victorious]

And just how is that just? If they didn’t even know or believe…? I’m really scared for some people I know…

You’re reading more into that statement than what it said. It did not say that hell is full of the souls of those who did not know there was a hell. God does not hold us responsible for that of which we are ignorant through no fault of our own. It did say that hell is full of the souls of those who disbelieved in hell. This suggests that these souls had fair warning which they then went on to disregard.

 

[Ally_of_Christ]

You’re reading more into that statement than what it said. It did not say that hell is full of the souls of those who did not know there was a hell. God does not hold us responsible for that of which we are ignorant through no fault of our own. It did say that hell is full of the souls of those who disbelieved in hell. This suggests that these souls had fair warning which they then went on to disregard.

Victorious, some people I know, including family and friends, are fallen away Catholics or are non religious, but commit sins which could be considered mortal. They are all good people, and I wouldn’t think they would deserve hell since they do lead good lives, but just didn’t stick with their faith and what they have done might be considered mortal sin.

I pray for them and the non religious people I know who have committed mortal sins by Catholic standards, but I hope God still doesn’t condemn them.

 

[seeker_of_God]

Victorious, some people I know, including family and friends, are fallen away Catholics or are non religious, but commit sins which could be considered mortal. They are all good people, and I wouldn’t think they would deserve hell since they do lead good lives, but just didn’t stick with their faith and what they have done might be considered mortal sin.

I pray for them and the non religious people I know who have committed mortal sins by Catholic standards, but I hope God still doesn’t condemn them.

Why don’t you pray the Chaplet of Divine Mercy? Put such souls in the hands of God.

As for your difficulty with the concept of hell, why don’t you pray to God for the grace to accept His infinite justice, mercy, and goodness with faith?

 

[Sir_Knight]

commit sins which could be considered mortal. They are all good people, and I wouldn’t think they would deserve hell since they do lead good lives, but just didn’t stick with their faith and what they have done might be considered mortal sin.

“Good” people do not commit mortal sins which offend God. See Matthew 7:16-20 … “By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the evil tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can an evil tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.”