I'm about to start work so I must be brief. I consider myself a follower of Christ, which means as a consequence I accept the existence of hell. But Im not sure I buy into the traditional concept of what it is. I think heaven and hell are the ultimate consequences of how we lived in life, how we grew in God. Looking back, from either celestial plane, one would comprehend (from heaven) that they had always been in heaven, and from hell that they had always been in hell. If he'll has gates, I believe they open from the [i]inside[/i]. And if one is there, the ultimate torment is not that they can never open them, but that they never [i]will[/i] open them. Many traditionally minded Christians hold the threat of eternal judgement over people as a motivation towards repentance. It tends to be presented in an almost human sense as retribution for crimes and wrongdoing, much like earthly judgement and punishment. Even after becoming a follower of Christ, the threat of hell hunts the day to day lives of many Christians, despite theological claims that salvation in Christ is irrevocable (or nearly so). As I've matured, I've come to hold points of view that many traditional Christians consider "dangerous" or borderline heretical. In a vague way, the threat of hell looms over me in their criticisms. I believe at the end of time (whenever and whatever that is) who and what we are will be laid bare, and every person will be judged in the objectivity of God's light. If I am indeed on a downward slope in my thinking, and I'm doomed for hell, in a sense I look forward to that day. To know myself, is one of my life's highest aspirations. To be judged by God, even if it means hell, would be the greatest gift I could imagine having. Even in an eternity of torment, carrying a true knowledge of myself would be a kind of paradise. In a way, I'm almost at peace wherever my life leads...