The Blessings of the Damned
First, for all non-Christians (i.e. the “damned”), it is important to remember the simple fact that in order for you to truly suffer at all — even in this life, it is necessary to be conscious of your existence; it is necessary to focus on yourself & your current predicaments, whatever they might be. Thus, in order for any of us to suffer in Hell, we must maintain a conscious recognition of our individual identities … Of course, if we remain conscious in this manner, then we also remain able to choose how we respond to whatever is happening to us. And when it comes to the torments with which we will be subjected in Hell, this fact becomes extremely important — if for no other reason than it becomes the source of our potential liberation from that same suffering.
To explain this further, consider that non-biased, scientifically secular pain-studies have consistently shown that over 90% of all perceived pain does not come from the external trauma that originally stimulated it (e.g. the needle poking into our finger, or in the possible case at hand — the fiery lake into which we will soon be cast), but rather our internal resistance to that trauma (i.e. our fear that the needle will remain there, or sink in deeper, or be joined by additional needles — or in the possible case at hand, our fear that we will never be freed from Hell’s fiery torment) … It is also quite obvious (and has been repeatedly verified) that anytime one focuses on the well-being of another, he or she cannot simultaneously be resisting his or her own pain. Thus, it logically follows (and has been empirically verified) that in all our moments of discomfort — be they in this life or in the hereafter — purposefully caring for others almost completely eliminates our own personal suffering.
And in Hell, at least according to Christian mathematicians, there will be literally billions of other Souls nearby; literally billions of other Souls right next to our own – most of them in states of immense trauma. As a purely practical matter, this means that we will all be provided with an almost endless supply of ready-made opportunities to reach out and help ease the burdens of a brother or sister in need; selfless acts of Kindness which will thereby eliminate almost all of our own suffering in all the moments we choose to give them!
And even in the worst case scenario, where God is an over-the-top Machiavellian and places each of us in solitary confinement while being eternally tortured – even then nothing can stop us from openly & compassionately forgiving God for His unjustified malice; even then nothing can stop us from Caring for God; even then nothing can stop us from reminding Him of the pure Love & unconditional Grace that He has so obviously forgotten … And here too, at least in those moments we choose to give God such perfect Forgiveness, here too our own personal suffering will weaken & fade just as thoroughly, and we will know complete Peace – even in the depths of Hell.
Victor Frankl … concentration camp survivor and author of Man’s Search for Meaning
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