A number of Christian theological sources hold that the blessed in heaven will witness the suffering of the damned in hell, and that the suffering of the damned shall contribute in some regard to the satisfaction or pleasure of the blessed.
The nature of this contribution is a matter of some dispute, though. Some theological sources take it to be a contrast: heaven looks even better if you know the alternative exists. Some take it to be satisfaction with the perfect justice of God. And for some it’s pretty stark schadenfreude. Across these sources, though, the blessed are seen as incapable of experiencing pity, because pity is a form of suffering and they are incapable of suffering.
Which shows that Craig is more the politician than the Christian. Whatever happened to “Thy will be done!”?
It’s God’s will that the majority of mankind gets tortured eternally. If you don’t approve, if you aren’t eager to pour on the hot coals yourself, you’re not a real Christian. His will be done!
A number of Christian theological sources hold that the blessed in heaven will witness the suffering of the damned in hell, and that the suffering of the damned shall contribute in some regard to the satisfaction or pleasure of the blessed.
The nature of this contribution is a matter of some dispute, though. Some theological sources take it to be a contrast: heaven looks even better if you know the alternative exists. Some take it to be satisfaction with the perfect justice of God. And for some it’s pretty stark schadenfreude. Across these sources, though, the blessed are seen as incapable of experiencing pity, because pity is a form of suffering and they are incapable of suffering.
For a number of sources on the subject, see this master’s thesis in theology.
William Lane Craig disagrees, though, holding that God may shield the blessed from awareness of the suffering of the damned.
Which shows that Craig is more the politician than the Christian. Whatever happened to “Thy will be done!”?
It’s God’s will that the majority of mankind gets tortured eternally. If you don’t approve, if you aren’t eager to pour on the hot coals yourself, you’re not a real Christian. His will be done!