by Pat Sobleskie

Created on: July 03, 2007

I was raised Catholic so I knew of a literal hell - that fiery place where bad people go when they die. That was my concept, plain and simple, until one night I had a dream.

I was in my early 20's, newly-married with my first-born and working full-time. Life was good. It wasn't that I lost my faith. I just didn't bother going to church or even thinking about God. I knew God was there, but I was just so busy doing my own thing that I didn't have time for Him.

Normally, I don't remember my dreams...never have...but one night was very different. I dreamed I was in hell.

It was so different than I ever imagined. There was no fire, no demons, no brimstone. There was nothing...absolutely nothing...no light, no hope, no one. I was absolutely alone in the dark and I knew there would never be light, never be hope, never see another human being. But worst of all, God was not there. Whatever prayers I said would never reach God's ears and I was there for eternity.

Needless to say, I awoke panic-stricken. Moments later when I realized I had been dreaming, I composed myself and chalked it up to a very vivid nightmare.

Two nights later, I had the same exact dream. By the now I realized this was no accident. The moment I awoke, I vowed to bring God back into my life. I have never had that dream again and that was over 30 years ago but it is just as vivid today as it was then.

Some people might conclude that my dream was some kind of psychological manifestation of guilt. They can say whatever they want. I know what I experienced and for all practical purposes, I was in a literal hell. It wasn't until years later when I came across the term "outer darkness" in reference to hell, that I realized that is exactly what I had experienced. It was in Matthew 22:13-14.

No matter what happens to us on earth, nothing compares with the hell I experienced. On earth we have God; in hell God is not there.

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