by Robert Owens

Created on: March 14, 2009   Last Updated: March 22, 2009

The question about whether or not a loving God could create hell is easy. Yes a loving God could create hell, but would he? He might however if he did it would be nothing like the Christian rendition of hell and it would not be eternal. The question about God creating hell is more of a philosophical problem then a religious one. Biblical literalists will simply point and say "there it is" "its in the Bible, it must be real" However this takes no account of metaphor or symbolism, and perhaps more dangerously doesn't use higher mental faculties that our creator has endowed us with. The problem of reconciling hell with God lies neither with God or Hell but our conception of both.

The problem with the Christian conception of hell as it presently stands is manifold. The first and primary problem with the conception of hell is that, in its present fair, it is the trademark not of a loving and just god but of an angry, capricious and vengeful deity. The typical consideration of what it takes to gain entrance to this fiery abode is quite simple. Rejection of Jesus Christ as ones personal Savior is deemed sufficient. More importantly it is thought that hell is the automatic definition of most human beings whom do not embrace the Gospel as literal truth. Of course literalists make exceptions for very young children "the innocent" and people whom are mentally handicapped. But this still leaves throngs of people whom upon death will leave friends, family and lovers behind forever, only to eternally endure the wrath of an indignant god for refusing to believe in him. An evangelist I once listened to stated that "Every three seconds a person dies and goes to hell". Think about that statement for a moment. By this logic most of the people you see around you will be in Hell. Forever. What we are seeing is not the punishment of the malicious and the unjust. We are seeing the torment of the innocent because of their lack of belief. Not only are the innocent and the good being tormented alongside the evil because of a lack of faith, they must endure the punishment forever. Some of these people were never even given the chance to "accept the faith". They were damned from the beginning. On the other side though, murderers, rapists, and evil men are rejoicing, for at some point they accepted the Lord and found "Mercy". If one believes the currently taught doctrine of Hell and Heaven, the fact is simple. Believe in Jesus, or perish eternally. The conceptions of life and God that have

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