No, I don’t think that Heaven and Hell are made-up ideas designed to control people. I believe that they are realities because the Bible teaches that they are real places that people will go to in the afterlife.
One of the thoughts I’ve had on this subject is that the life we live in this world leaves so much to be desired that Heaven does not seem like a story. It seems like the fulfillment of all human hopes and wishes. There will be no death in Heaven. There will be no sin or evil in Heaven. There will be no pain or suffering in Heaven.
Heaven will leave nothing to be desired. Infinite fulfillment.
And Hell fulfills the God’s justice.
Unfortunately, without salvation through faith in Jesus, we would also be among those who will receive God’s just punishment because of their sins.
–Curtis Smale
Grace, Insight, and Art 
Would you not say hell is more than that though? What’s known as the traditional view of hell seems to go further than justice. I’m not sure how we can say God is just by torturing someone in flames forever and ever? I noticed that I used to try and explain the true horrors of the traditional view of hell with CS Lewis like explanations that intended to soften the reality of what had been passed on to us as hell.
Just for interests sake have you ever looked at all the passages that refer to hell and punishment in the Bible, and some of the views of the early Church fathers which weren’t always the same as the Dantesque view of hell we hold today?
Anyway, I enjoyed reading some of your posts all the same. Cheers
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Hi FailedAtheist (love that name!). Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Yes, I have read all of the verses about Hell many times. C.S. Lewis is my favorite author.
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I believe that the flames are literal, because we have a body. The Bible says that all unbelievers will be thrown in to the Lake of Fire. Jesus says that -body- and soul will be destroyed in Hell.
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