In today’s world, the mention of hell brings about fearful images of torture, fire, chains, and demons. It’s considered a place of punishment where people get what they deserve. However, when one analyzes the true depictions of hell through the religious lenses of Christianity, Judaism and Islam, it’s possible to view hell in a different, and perhaps, a more forgiving way.
The difference between retributive justice and restorative justice plays a major role in the analysis of hell because these terms are what define its purpose. To claim that hell carries out retributive justice is claiming that this is a place where people are being punished for their sins. This sort of justice is not forgiving of the imperfections of humanity and it is implied that the punishment will last eternally. However, restorative justice would mean that hell is a place of purification for the “tainted soul” and allows that soul a second chance at being worthy of God. This
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The argument of free will always seems to fall back on how much blame humans can put on God for their mistakes. However, the most comforting argument typically seems to be the one that provides the most forgiveness and understanding of human nature. Perhaps humans are all born with flaws and they have to go through life attempting to make up for them. There is also the possibility that eternal peace will be granted only if one truly chooses God, regardless if the religion deems them worthy. At the end, the only thing that matters is what one believes in, because there’s no way to know which religion got it “right.” The only thing people can do is live a good life regardless of their flaws, accept that death is inevitable, and that everyone will eventually find out what comes