Sometimes the concept of hell gets people worked up. The argument on “How can a good God cast people into hell when they have lived a pretty good life” is false logic.
Hell is a place where God is absent. This is exactly what the people who rejected God all their lives wanted. The “pit” of hell maybe a very comfortable place where everyone who rejected God their entire lives must now reside knowing they had lived their lives in a lie. That they had wasted it all. That actually may be worse than a guy with pitchfork.=======================================
I have often heard that hell is eternal life without God. In that same theme, hell-fire (and the fires of hell) is usually mentioned. That means BURNING to me.
Another theory is that hell turns into nothingness, as God "de-creates" that eternal soul and s/he ceases to exist.
I think I'll just mind my P's and Q's, try to help the down and out and REALLY pray for God's mercy.