one of the things that began to bother me earliest in my roughly five year journey from staunch christian faith to atheism was hell. yes, of course as christians we’ve all asked (and know the answer to), “but how could a loving god send people to hell?!”
no, it began to bother me on another level.
god is either all powerful, or he’s limited by his own “nature.” it can’t be both ways.
unfortunately, probably like you, i was taught that both of these things are true (again, it can’t be both ways. we are all “all powerful” within our own limitations).
this means that before he began creating our world and us, he decided upon a structure for how things would work.
that’s the part i couldn’t stop thinking about.
he’s all powerful, meaning he could set things up in any conceivable way. and he’s omniscient, so he knows the exact outcome of every possible scenario.
when we learn about hell, we’re taught that god had to make it (or let satan make it, whichever you prefer) and is “forced” to send people there who reject him. we are taught that this is because of his nature.
but he’s all powerful. didn’t he choose this “nature” in which hell is necessary?