Eternal conscious torment is just because it's the ultimate punishment with no holes in it, and one that truly delivers justice. In other words, it's the only effective punishment to ensure nobody truly escapes crime with the idea "I committed a crime/sin, but oh well, just a few years / lifetime in prison / eternal death / finite Hell or purgatory, and after that I get peace". Only ECT can ensure that it doesn't happen, and the criminal / offender will have no loophole to feel good or at peace after the crime / sin has been done. All other punishments will mean that there will be relief at the end of it, which is unjust towards the victims of crimes (humans) and victims of sin (God). Thus, Universalism and annihilation cannot hold in a truly just world.
>>18656124First of all, why would eternal torment not mean the person could still feel good for having committed that crime / sin? They could still see themselves as being in the right, and still feel joy from the idea of suffering they created. I'm also sure some people might think torturous existence is still better than nothingness. Hell (no puns), Italians and Mexicans are famous for being extremely religious and believing in an eternal torment, yet they're also famous for creating violent crime syndicates (while remaining religious). Quite many criminals are religious as well, yet they still often continue doing crime. Priests have been caught sinning in horrific ways, despite believing in eternal torment. Many are even ready to accept going to Hell.So what actually is the better justice in eternal torment over, say, finite torment? How is it less likely to make somebody repent? If we're talking about an omnipotent Abrahamic god, they have the power to find a way to make anyone repent and atone for their actions even with a punishment that'd only last not even a microsecond, yet what would feel like an eternity of pain. He'd have no need or reason to torture anyone for an eternity, because his power is too much. Moreover, believing in infinite torment doesn't mean it'd make you more moral or less likely to act well. Atheists commit very low amounts of crime, despite not believing in eternal torment. Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons are among the most pious peoplw despite not believing in an eternal Hell. Buddhist monks have been sometimes accused of scaring people with a FINITE Hell while proselytizing. Many a hindu and buddhist is scared of karma after rebirth meaning they'll reincarnate as a dog or a tapeworm. Infinite torment simply does not offer anything that other ideas don't. It might have no loopholes - but the same can be said of Samsara, for example, where the entire circle is inherently seen as a form of eternal torment one must be freed from.
>be an ant (you)>nibble some fuzz out of gods socks once>be god>HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!HOWDAREYOU!!!!Our feeble crimes do not affect a perfect immortal invincible god by any logical measure
>>18656124Many people, like John Wayne Gayce, will still walk to eternal Hell with a smile on their face and content on what they did. It seriously offers nothing that other punishments don't because people fear different things.
