Hell is a place where sinners are sent after death to exist in torment. Most people think hell is burning hot. In The Inferno, the poet Dante described levels of hell, which mostly are hot; however, the worst sinners, the betrayers, exist in a frozen lake. 

 

Belief in hell has been declining for decades, but some people still believe in it, even though there is no evidence it exists; I think of these individuals as hell holdouts. 

 

Religious beliefs persist because they are taught by parents and religious leaders. Ideas of hell are typically found in ancient religious documents.  

 

Despite the lack of evidence for hell, the place has a powerful effect on people who believe in it. 

 

What underlies the decline of belief in hell?

 

Here are three possibilities. (1) The development of evidence-based science and thinking is inconsistent with belief in hell. (2) Increases in mass education have led many people to value evidence and to doubt religious views, e.g., about hell. (3) The spread of mass media has led to people learning about other religions and wondering how other people can be so misguided as to follow false religions. Eventually, these individuals wonder whether their own religion (and their belief in hell) might be false. 

 

The belief of some individuals in hell holds on in part because most people do not think much about whether it exists. Also, the existence of hell helps people think there is justice, at least after death. Most of us want to think justice exists. Finally, hell serves as a restraining force on humans. In a world perceived as scary, any restraint of misbehavior seems appealing.  

 

Does belief in hell cause any problems?

 

Yes. It may cause great fear or depression in some individuals — negative emotions that can last a lifetime. Also, it may lead some people to put off pushing for justice on earth. 

 

I am thinking about hell because JD Vance publicaly told Kamala Harris to go to hell. Believers in hell might be shocked by JD’s statement. 

 

Further, I just watched Unforgiven, a western movie in which Clint Eastwood is about to kill a very bad man. The bad man says to Clint: “I’ll see you in hell.” Clint replies “Yeah” and then kills the man. Two hell holdouts there.