You are most welcome.
The big problem I have with the idea of eternal torment is that God is a just and loving God. He said so.
It is not possible for a human to justly incur infinite torment as punishment for sins committed in a finite lifetime.
Does not compute.
For that matter, if the soul is not immortal there is nothing to torment forever. Without the immortal soul hellfire is not an issue.
It is not possible for a human to justly incur infinite torment as punishment for sins committed in a finite lifetime.
I don't see that as a problem at all. The reprobate choose hell; God doesn't send them there. Heaven, in some ways, would be a greater torment to them than hell is.
A old Jewish joke may make this easier to understand. There was a rather nasty man who died. He met up with an angel in the afterlife. The angel said, "Okay, heaven or hell?" The man said, "Heaven, of course!"
So the angel took him to a large, bare room. In the bare room was a long table. At the table sat many men studying Torah.
"Okay," said the angel, "here's heaven." "What?!?" said the man, "This is it? If this is heaven, I'd rather be in hell!" "Fine," said the angel, shoving him inside and closing the door, "then it's hell."
I believe “eternal life” is a a soul with purpose and enjoyment. The lack of “eternal life” is simply eternal death, basically torture and no purpose or joy and with no chance of escape. God gave man “free will” to choose either to follow His word or not follow His word. You are the one who chooses the final place by good or evil works in your lifetime. I cannot fathom that Hitler, Stalin, and Hussein just vanished or ceased to exist after torturing and killing millions of people. Where would be the justice God has promised?
IMHO, the question phrased, "Why would a just and loving God condemn anybody to an eternal torment?" is in and of itself an improperly framed question if one is in fellowship with Christ.
A better question might be, "Why should our perfectly righteous and just God eternally endure the presence of thinking souls, to whom He has imputed life, who insist upon remaining unjust and unrighteous, regardless what He has provided for their salvation, to the point of attacking Him and those who have faith in Him, and if able would even remove the life He had imputed to others?
(Granted it's a run-on sentence.)