The Economist's year end special issue has a feature story about hell. It rightly says at the outset that the idea of an ever burning hell where people suffer for eternity is "most absurd". That the world's foremost news magazine devotes this much copy to this false teaching shows the hold religion retains on the human mind–even the erudite minds of the editors of the The Economist. 

The article is recommended as a concise roadmap of hell as conceived by the major thinkers through the ages. The idea of hell as an actual geographical place where the supposed damned are tormented forever is the most inhumane of ideas. Those who perpetuate hell as a theology not only misread the Bible but have a perverse view of both God and their fellow humans. Augustine's statement that “knowledge of the torments of the damned is part of heavenly bliss" seems to sum up the contradiction. Neither hell nor heaven exist as many believe. The Bible in both the Old and New Testaments says otherwise. But the beliefs persist and with them a tragic misunderstanding of the true hope of a resurrection as a key part of God's plan for humanity. 

A loving God does not intend to consign people to everlasting torment in an ever-burning fire called "hell". The true teaching about God's judgment offers far more hope than many realize. Our booklet, "Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Teach" is a must read for anyone wanting to understand what the Bible teaches on this subject. 

I'm always glad to see a major news source devote space to these popular misconceptions. It not only shows the continuing influence of religious ideas in a modern world, but give an opportunity to showcase true Biblical teaching on the subject.