What the Hell

    It's simple, right? Good people go to Heaven, bad people go to Hell. That last one is bad stuff, all the time, for everyone. Except, not exactly. It's not an eternal internment camp, where you're brutalized just for being there. God isn't cruel. And I'm about to explore His mercy, because I researched how it relates, so you don't have to. Nobody likes dwelling on this stuff, but maybe today will bring somebody peace. And if you like the sound of that, let's get into it!

Thomas Aquinas, in his Summary of Theology*, talked about levels of Hell. And while you probably heard the idea before from Dante's Inferno,** the idea is much older than either of them. Basically, that God wants Justice. More than right and wrong, or the law, Justice literally means what people actually deserve.

Jesus straight up said, "It is not the will of my Father that one should perish.***" Or some versions say "Suffer." A perfect God, who knows what's best, wouldn't subject all criminals to the same punishment. But while He's not cruel, don't start thinking it's "Easy as Hell." No, instead, there will probably be a version just right to make each sinner really regret their particular choices. 

Because again, this is about Justice. For example, while all were "Bad," broadly speaing, Nixon deserves different things than Hitler, or Nero. So whether you believe in levels of Hell, or maybe personal Hell, we don't actually know. What we do know is that God is righteous in all that He does.  

To explain, righteous means Perfect in how He affects God and also, mankind. Yes, because He's a Trinity, God affects Himself. The thing is,"There is no one righteous, no, not one."*** Except God, since He's perfect. And He fills us who believe with His Spirit, so we can be made perfect too. Still, it might help us to understand His goodness, if we can get our heads around these truths.

*Suma Theologica

***Matthew 18:14, Psalm 14:1-3

**Divine Comedy

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