explaining hell

[Guest littleflowersdg]

One of my friends, struggling with the Christian faith, posed the question of how a God who IS love.. not who is loving, but IS love.. could punish even satan eternally in the torment described so horrifically in Revelation - as eternally worse than any pain ever in history. His specific problem with this is that the punishment appears to have no chance for repentance, and therefore seems less corrective and more revengeful (hence his proposed contradiction, wrath vs. love). In addition, he emphasizes God's omnipotence, claiming that if He is truly merciful and love personified that He would have the power to let satan (and sinners, presumably) cease to exist, rather than suffer horrific torment for eternity.

My response so far has been limited to hell not necessarily being a place of torment as much as a state of torment in being separated from the Creator, and God respecting free will to the utmost, allowing the choice to remain separate from Him, despite the pain it causes. But, I don't know how much of that is my thought, and how much is correct teaching, so can you think of anything else to tell him to help convince? and, do I have anything wrong that I should clarify to him? Also, any response to God not having sinners and satan simply cease to exist, even as an option for their free will?

Thanks!
~Kirsten

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
5/2 - St. Athanasius

littleflowersdg,

For what it's worth, here's a couple of thoughts:

(1) It is precisely the fact that Satan is in hell that God's love is shown for us. God is not possessive of us, but invites us to love Him. He extended the invitation to the angels, and the ones who did not accept His love chose to be apart from Him. In His love, God allowed them to exist apart from His love. Sure, it's tormenting, but all they would have to do is admit of God's love. F.J. Sheed says in his book [i]A Map of Life[/i] that all a soul in hell has to do is say, "I love you," and he would be brought up into Heaven.

(2) But, as you point out, there doesn't seem to be room for that sort of conversion. You and I have an entire lifetime to choose to live either with or without God because He slowly reveals Himself to us - through friends, loved ones, the experiences of life, the Sacraments, &c. However, at the beginning of time He gave the angels a single choice - either for Him or against Him. They were capable of choosing because they beheld the face of God - they were, in some degree, already seeing God. Those who chose to bend not to God's will but to their own, though, were sent away - [i]because that is what they wanted[/i]. The nature of the choice does not allow a conversion because they knew what they were throwing away.

I hope this helps clarify a few points. If you need any more help, feel free to contact me. Peace.

Yours,
Pio Nono