I appreciate the questions and comments. And I do appreciate that you're speaking (or writing) with passion while not trying to attack me (or anyone else) personally. We need more of that.

Respectfully, I do feel that you are improperly characterizing the mainstream Christian evangelical understanding of hell. And you've motivated me to write an article on that. :-)

Suffice it to say for now....

I don't think it is "horrific" to believe in hell. I think it is logical that there is some kind of judgment in the after life. That's logical IF you accept the reality of God and the reality of any kind of objective moral truth. Believe in those things and you (logically) HAVE to believe in some type of judgment in the after-life.

As to what that judgment might look like, I believe the Bible is a credible source. You apparently do not, and that's your choice. I believe in the freedom of thought and religion. I would never seek to take that away from you or anyone else.

But I do believe that (ultimately) we are all accountable to God. He makes the rules. Not you. Not me. Not anyone else. So...

It makes the most sense not to approach this issue based on what FEELS right or not right (or "horrific") but rather....

Does God exist?

And....

Are we accountable to God?

And...

Has this God revealed Himself (or, for those who don't believe the Bible -- herself, itself, etc) to us? And if so, how?

Those are the most important considerations.