Of course there is no hell. The threat of hell may play an important part in God’s moral education plan. But the actual implementation of it is a completely different story.
God threatens us with hellfire, because he does not want us to sin: to kill one another, to steal or blaspheme. This works for some people, but not for others. Nevertheles, hell is an important deterrent. So were the nuclear arms during the Cold War.
But now comes the end of the world and Last Judgment. People can no longer improve. Sending some people to hell will deter no one from committing sin because the world has come to an end and there is no more opportunity to sin. Eternal condemnation makes simply no sense, it is like nuclear bombing of Gorbatschev’s people after perestroyka, after Fukuyama’s end of history.
Theologically it is even worse. Eternal condemnation to hell serves no purpose, it is merely an act of vengeance. And God is absolute love and absolute goodness. Logically, goodness and vengefulness do not mix.
So the good news on this All Souls’ Day is: none of your relatives has gone to hell.
Which does not mean that you can sin. Try and I will be after you!
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