I may be out on a limb here, but don’t you guys think that while there is a possibility of an actual place with a plaque labeled “Hell”, it’s actually a place you resign yourself to? I know I’ve felt “hellfire” through some really stupid mistakes. It may be God’s final decision as to where you will eternally reside, but I believe you will agree with that decision.

Your conscience and God’s judgment have got to be close to the same thing.

(of course there is always the butcher cannibal (clearly wrong) who might have a clear conscience about his actions…but let’s pretend such anomalies are rare).

I know if God or Satan put me in that place called Hell right now, today, I’d still go on being who I am and not feeling the weight of eternal damnation on my shoulders.

I served on a 2 year mission for the LDS church. I taught–literally–thousands of Brazilians. The most profound statement of faith I’ve ever heard came from a very poor and humble Brazilian man. I said to him, “Do you believe in God?”

“Of course I believe in God. He’s given me everything I’ve ever asked from him.”

I’d like to second that conviction. I believe that if you sincerely ask God if he exists, he will make himself known to you. Once that is settled, you can have the incredible comfort of having a personal relationship with the creator of the Universe.

The God I know is — for lack of better words — cool. He’s my dad, and he’s very interested in me, especially in those moments when I’ve checked myself into hell. It’s like that tic-tac commercial:

Can you live without God? Of course, but I wouldn’t recommend it.