The Sin Hunter: Double or Nothing

The Concept of Hell

Hell is not a place where so many burn and scream and die. But that is to say, Hell is certainly not a place where the kind-hearted and purest of souls would be welcomed with open arms. Perhaps severed arms would be more accurate. The troubling, and most certain debate from our finest psychologists and historians, philosophers and problem-solvers the globes across, is the true imbalance in the verdict of good and evil. With an ever expanding agenda to fill in the 21st Century, with children deciding to change their genders carelessly at recess, protesters who wield titles in the streets as if to say 'I don't mean to be rude, but...' and other ethical dilemmas that the Lord himself only has answers to. 

And even, to such a bold extent, would the Lord choose to interact with the very mistakes he supported from the birth of our world? He's not given a proper response to humankind beyond the passages derived from ancient libraries and only the most sacred, revered of texts, so there cannot be a definitive way of answering that question. Historians, for many years, have debated the truth of such even the existence of a true Lord Above, a God among men, thus expanding horizons to a new "religion", known as atheism. In this religious perspective of the world, religion, tradition, myth and history are thrown wildly to the wind, disregarded by men and women of scientific logic. 

Instead, everything happens because of the new gods, like Physics, Mathematics, Archaeology, Geology, Cartography, lots of words with -y slapped on the end. These brave souls dare to peer behind the curtain and witness the inner workings, the devious machinations that sacrifice their forms to carry the weight of the world beneath breaking, weary shoulders. But how does this tie back to the concept of Hell? Allow the stage to present Professor Saimon Filbrett, a philosopher and Valedictorian, the very best of the very best in his Department of the Supernatural and Unexplained. Professor Filbrett studied extensively the works of Christianity, the Catholic and the Anglo-Saxon for decades of his life, curious to find everything he could about the worlds beyond our perception. 

And Professor Filbrett, after receiving helpful information on an earth-shattering breakthrough, discovered the truth about the systems of Heaven and Hell, Limbo and Void, Life and Death. And it is for this reason that, on September Twenty First, at one quarter till Seven at night, the Professor was found dead behind the alley of a Chinese Restaurant. The witnesses were informed of a drug overdose, however the witnesses all reported sightings of blood by the top right of the skull, a bullet mark having ruptured the skin and tearing away the poor man's flesh. However, those witnesses have also gone missing in the previous course of two weeks time.

What was Professor Filbrett's breakthrough? Why did it cost the man his life? And perhaps the most important aspect of this charade, one that sparked a long rivalry between the worlds of science and faith, and severed ties with the greatest minds alike across the globe. The great Hydra of the world's finest scientists and philosophers had lost a head, and would, regrettably, never grow it back. However, Filbrett's research persists, revealing interesting information regarding the strange forthcomings from a succubus who lent the kind Professor all he needed to know. The Professor never gave an explanation for who the strange demon was or how they had given him the information necessary to complete his research.

However, history informs us that Saimon Filbrett never encountered the demon again, and instead continued with his research as if tedious decades of research had come to him in one night of good fortune and rest. The Professor's journal, minutes before being burned at the crisp, blue leather covers, recounts this documentary: 

"The man said nothing, he just walked into my office and asserted himself, handing me a note and some ink to write down what he was preparing to say. I took notes. The man had quite a lot to pass on for one individual. I had never seen him on my campus before, so he was not a student. After we had finished our work, he tipped his hat and said nothing more, leaving the room with a swishing, bright red tail and two concerning horn growing from protrusions in his cap. I will never forget such an odd experience in all of my life."

The Professor's note, although destroyed now, recalls the entry of a demon into his office, sharing this information. The information exchanged regarded the current state of Heaven and Hell, and the battle between good and evil for all of time. And, perhaps most curious of all, the story goes that the demon told a tale from the victor's perspective. The demon proposed a world in which Hell had triumphed, where being locked away for centuries, millennia had only strengthened their time, forcing demonkind and the wicked of Earth's flesh and blood to grow stronger. 

That Hell, in the Professor's recounting of the documentary, was not the awful place of sin and shadow, blood and bone that so many stories in Catholic and Christian Religion depicted. But rather, in such an odd and bizarre twist of fate, Hell was, in fact, simply another path to walk when the path through Life had ended. Another excerpt from the Professor's now burnt journal depicts the following:

"The demon persuaded me of the concept that Hell was the true resting place for those who, while erring in ways untold, will always be welcomed with the hospitality that can only be offered by the best means. They spoke of Heaven as if it were a distorted, twisted Upper Class stereotype, fit only for those who lived as pure and as strict from the moment they first drew breath to the moment they perished of good fortune. That Heaven, in a quote from this strange creature, 'Is no place for you, Professor. Do you realize how few people there really are in Heaven? Only five hundred of your kind have ever found those Pearly Gates. 

'And think of all the things you can't do in Heaven. Continue your research? Oh, I think not. Sex with the missus? ENH! Ooh, that answer is incorrect! You like doing literally anything that doesn't break those "Sacred Commandments"? Swing and a downright HORRIBLE miss! Look, Mista Fantastic,' this man chuckled, inching closer to the edge of my desk, knocking over papers and tools, 'Hell's where the real fun's at. Think about it! Do you think you'd be separated from your family for having a little drink every now and then? Of course not! Getting tired of your wife? Check out that schmookums over there.'

'This demon continued monitoring my pen and paper, making sure I was thoroughly documenting every aspect of his words. 'Hell is all about freedom of expression! You schmucks are human, it's perfectly natural to goof and make mistakes! Those folks in Heaven are so robotic and uniform in what they do for a living that you'd never tell any of 'em apart by looking at them!' The demon began cackling, rolling over on the desk and knocking loose a stack of graded papers for my Seminars. He stopped suddenly, jolting as he turned to face me again. 'Now listen very carefully, Doc,' the demon whispered, raising a hand to cover part of his mouth.'

'Life is a piece of cake. Hell's practically guaranteed. But don't let those Christian morals and books fool you. The next time you've got a friend who's scared about going to Hell, just tell 'em we'd love to have him, and that no matter what, he's more than welcome to stay as long as he likes.' As the demon hopped off of my desk, he spun his cap around a pointed finger, grinning a razor-sharp grin. 'Take my word for it, Doc. I'm proof of your research.' And then he left, just as quickly as he had entered, not a word more was said between us until-'

And the journal ends there. Perhaps the Professor meant to clarify something toward the end, maybe a second encounter. However, inconclusive evidence has left philosophers and scholars at a standstill on the debate of the poor man's untimely demise. However, take my word now, dear reader. Hell is not a place of sin and shadow, blood and bone. It is simply another step after life. Like Heaven, it is simply a place of rest for the deceased, and not a fiery wasteland of dust and eternal suffering.