It seems to me that the extremely modern view of Hell as separation from God is a footstep on the path of eliminating Hell completely. Christian scholars have started to understand that Hell is
not reconcilable with a good God and so they are altering a definition of Hell that has stood for the best part of 2000 years. This is what I call 'fluffy bunnyism'.
It seems to me that fluffy bunnyism requires the removal of large chunks of texts from the Bible, as well as the total discrediting of Christian scholars such as Augustine, Luther and Calvin. The earliest Christian Church certainly believed in the literal fire pits of Hell and they were far more likely to have insight into Jesus' words and the words of his disciples. Revelations certainly seems to suggest that Hell is a place of burning. Or is it allegorical or metaphorical? And why did the emminent early Christians not realise that it was allegorical but modern scholars somehow do? Convenient, that.
LaineyDee goes a few steps towards dumping the idea of a good God and you go a few steps towards dumping Hell. That seems to suggest that my thesis is correct - you cannot have both of them if you wish to be consistent.
David, God is the righteous judge. He knows exactly the punishment that is totaly deserved and appropriate. Hell is the just place that fits the condemned for their sins perfectly. In your finite view and mind you do not see things perfectly as God does. Do you think a maggot, cockroach or deadly germ views itself as something disgusting? Do you want them in your food or your house? God is so clean, perfect and holy that if he were to look upon an unregenerated sinner he would see someone utterly disgusting and vile only perfectly fit for one place and that is hell. Only the blood of The Lamb is able to cleanse us. The amazing thing is that God loved us so much (because he knew what we could become if restored back to him through his son) that he bothered to give his perfect, pure, wonderful Son to die for us.