How does Hell work?

This is my random thought for the day. How the fuck does Hell actually work? The concept most of us are taught is that, if we are bad people in life, when we die we go to Hell. Satan and his demons then get to torture us for all eternity. Torture what exactly? If we’re dead, then the pain isn’t going to hurt you, you’re already dead! It doesn’t matter if they flay your skin, or eat you alive, or crush you, it’s not going to kill you. As for the pain itself, what would you be feeling with exactly? You have no nerves anymore.

The only way the torture idea would work is if they gave you a flesh and blood body. Even then though, the whole eternity thing makes it a moot point. They can only torture the so much before it falls apart and needs to be replaced. Or perhaps the body regenerates, hurting all over again as it grows back. Still, the experience of pain has a negative context for us mortals because it can result in permanent damage or death. If the damage isn’t permanent, then the pain is just stimulation without context. It would only work on those who insist on still believing they can die.

Actually, I can see how that might work. So what happens who those that realise that it’s an illusion? Do they graduate to demonhood once they learn to enjoy the experience? Are the demons actually trying to encourage new souls to realise that they’re no longer mortal? In some of the old stories, truly heroic, great or legendary individuals ascend to godhood when they die. Perhaps the true purpose in life is to give people a second chance to realise that all that’s holding them back is their own fear of consequences that won’t ever come.

This of course doesn’t work in the modern concept of Hell, because only the obedient, docile and ‘good’ go to heaven. So the only way Hell could be a second chance, must be to beating the dead into submission until they are also obedient, docile and good also. In fact the Devil himself is supposed to be there as punishment also for leading the rebellion. I wonder if he ever broke? Or if he’s still imprisoned, tortured, defying the almighty and encouraging the souls of Hell not to break? Did Satan eventually beg for forgiveness and go bed to his Father, humbled and beaten? Presumably if god is all-powerful then the only reason why Lucifer would be able to rebel in the first place was if it was god’s will.

And that spins the whole scenario around again! If god wanted the Morningstar to lead a rebellion, it would have been to demonstrate that god is all-powerful and cannot be overthrown by his own creation. Presumably as a cautionary tale in case us mortals get any ideas. Of course Lucifer didn’t have to be aware of this, god could have just pulled his strings to make him do it. If so then Satan is god’s puppet and therefore anything the Devil does is god’s will. Lucifer was chosen to be the punisher of evil, punishing him for doing what he was supposed to do is a dick move. The alternative, is the Devil was in on the plan, and that  Lucifer was entrusted to embody evil and be the scapegoat for everything that sucks. That in return he rules Hell and keeps the torture wheels turning.

Anyway. My point was this. What the Hell is Hell actually for? “To punish the bad people.” For what purpose? “Because they were bad and need to be punished.” Who says? “God does.” But god gave us the choice right? “Yes, we’re supposed to be good and go to heaven, but it wouldn’t mean anything unless we choose to be good willingly” So you get to go to heaven because you willingly sacrifice your personal goals in the service of god? “Yep!” And you go to hell and get tortured for eternity if you don’t? “Well, yeah. If your bad.” So what happens to the people who never do anything good or bad? “God forgives them and they go to heaven.” So laziness and mediocrity get a free pass? What’s the incentive to be good? “Because it’s the right thing to do, and because it’s easy to sin.” It’s easy to sin? So basically as long as you never sin ever, you can avoid going to Hell, but if you sin just once. Ever. Then it’s Hellfire for all eternity? “Exactly” And that brings me back to my first point. Why is Hell an effective punishment if you’re already dead!!