I figured this would turn into a theology debate, and since there is no known answer, I thought this was the best forum for this. However, if not, mods please feel free to move.
What is Hell? And, is it similar in all religions/cultures that have a concept of Heaven?
As I understand the idea of Hell, it is where sinners go. Fire, heat, bad things happening to you. For eternity. A miserable destination that attempts to keep those alive on the straight and narrow so they don’t end up going to Hell when life ends. Your soul must go some place, and if you don’t get into Heaven, Hell is where you are headed.
Now, Hell is run by Satan. The Devil. Angel of Darkness. Antichrist. Beelzebub. Lucifer. Mephistopheles. Prince of Darkness. THAT guy. So, if run by Satan, why would it necessarily be a bad place for an eternal destination?
If you believe in God and Satan, then wouldn’t it be, of a practical matter, that Hell would be made as pleasant as possible for sinners by the landlord? After all, you would be one of “his”. Someone who did not live a good life, who did horrible things to other people, who committed sins (or ate a hot dog on Friday). It would seem to me that Satan would welcome sinners with open arms and not punish those that would be sent to Hell.
Unless, of course, God controls Hell. In which case, the idea of Hell being a bad place to go makes perfect sense. I would not want my soul to be damned to Hell if God controls Hell. Punishment would be severe. But as I understand it, Satan controls Hell, which makes eternal punishment a puzzlement. In effect, Satan would be doing God’s work. Why would Satan do that?
What is the explanation for this seemingly obvious flaw in the idea of Heaven and Hell?