Comment by Dave Gibbs on December 31, 2011 at 11:51pm

Even with "if Christians are correct" it would be false.

Most Christian sects do not teach of a literal, lasting hell. The Catholic church alone (consisting of ~1.2 billion of "Christians") no longer teaches the hell doctrine as you're imagining.

Of the sects which do believe in a literal hell, many debate whether or not it is truly eternal, full of literal fire, just hot, involves other punishments, etc. etc. In addition, most Christians who do believe in hell are not "gracers" (simply being a believing Christian does not mean you will be saved), and many believe that children, people who don't know better, good people who are non-Christians, etc. may be saved as well... some believe that Jesus will later reveal himself to those people that they might choose and believe, and others simply ignore the requirement of a belief.

The 2.2 billion people we categorize as Christians are simply too diverse and polarized in their beliefs to make this kind of blanket statement about "Christians".

Comment by Dylan Martin on January 1, 2012 at 12:19am

I like the thought of christians being tortured for all of eternity... it gives me a good feeling.

 

Comment by Corie "Truffles" H. on January 1, 2012 at 1:39am

I dunno, Dylan Blaine. I haven't met more blatantly evil Christians than just stupid Christians in my short life.

I'd rather no one suffer than just the stupid people.

Comment by Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM on January 1, 2012 at 10:24am

The horrific point to the Islamic and Christian views of Hell is that people relegated to these places do NOT perish, but have an everlasting life experiencing the ultimate pain of perfect torture.  The paradoxical point of these doctrines is that everyone is given eternal post-death life, regardless of what they are rationally forced or emotionally choose to believe.  Eternal life could hardly be described as a "gift" under circumstances which include torture. 

Comment by John Kelly on January 1, 2012 at 2:27pm

@ Rosemary.  This is not necessarily the case.  Eastern Orthodoxy is the 2nd largest form of Christianity worldwide, and it has a very different take on hell, as it follows Athanasius' take on that subject.  http://www.orthodoxpress.org/parish/river_of_fire.htm

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