Why Is There Hell?

One deconstructor had this idea of the disproportion between the short life we have to make a decision and the hugely long and neverending eternity of ... well, he didn't look on the alternative Heaven, he looked on the alternative Hell. Plus all the reasons we could have for flunking that.

Here was my response:

OK, Heaven and Hell are first and foremost dependent on total firmness of loyalty, to God or to self.

That's why they are eternal, because God is simply rewarding or punishing what will always remain there.

Now, the goal is for all to have this firm loyalty and have it to God. And spend eternity with Him.

If the period of one's trial were extended to an eternity, the eternity of actual Heaven couldn't even begin, because one would have to finish another eternity first and in fact it won't finish.

The idea that people who could get it right should go to heaven, but those who couldn't should get another, another, another trial, would in the end be a coercion to Heaven. So, Heaven would for that reason not be one's loyalty by choice.

The idea that those who fail would be annihilated runs into two problems. No one wants to be annihilated. From the outside, the annihilation might seem merciful, for the one facing it, it wouldn't be. And why would God destroy His creation, but apart of that leave alone the choice of the one disloyal to Him? It makes more sense to punish the choice and leave the existence alone.

So, what about making the person realise he's done wrong? In a paedagogic way? Well, in a paedagogic way, so the chance of change could be extended once more, that would again be coercion to Heaven.

OK, in a non-paedagogic way, then? Exactly what God does. Plus gives some physical pain as distraction from that horror.

I didn't add, but I add now: how about getting to Heaven instead? There is the Blessed Virgin and Her Blessed Son to help on the way.

Hans Georg Lundahl
Paris
Vth Sunday after Pentecost
13.VII.2025