You know, as much as I want to see these people suffer for the crimes I've been told they've committed, there's also this part of me that just hopes they genuinely repent at some point. I think we still have the obligation as a society to punish them here, for our own safety, but as for the hereafter (if there is one--I'm still not convinced either way), where there's no damage they can really do to anyone else, I still can't help but hope for their salvation at some point.

In the Doctrine and Covenants section 130 verse 2, Joseph Smith says that "The same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy."

Basically he's saying we'll all be in the next world together, the good and the bad, just the way we are in this one. We just won't be able to physically suffer or die, etc., limiting the harm we can do to one another.

But just like here we'll live with who we want to live with, visit with whom we want to visit, listen to the music we prefer, eat the food we prefer, and do the things we prefer. Whether or not one is "in heaven" or "in hell" is less a matter of physical location as it is a matter of the mind.

Those who live the way that God knows is best will likely look upon those who don't and think, as they do now, "Too bad. They could be a lot happier." And those who don't will look at those who do and think "Suckers."

But over eons it will become clear to all who is truly happy and who is not, and one has to think, that those with grievous sins on their conscience will likely at some point humble themselves and seek out relief.

And when they do I suppose they'll come to realize that forgiveness was always available, and peace was always within reach, it was simply a matter of changing their paths, of feeling genuine remorse for the way they've treated others, and genuinely desirous to make amends for their crimes.

And little by little perhaps, as they experiment with repentance and righteousness here a little and there a little, they may wake up one morning to find that they have become genuinely good people, and will look back at their former ways, just as people do here in this life, and see the foolishness of them, and eventually depart from them forever until they wholly reunite with the human family they belong to, and take their seat at the great dinner table willingly, and welcomed, just like the Prodigal Son.

As C.S. Lewis likes to say, "The doors of hell may be shut, but they're locked from the inside." God will not force a man to heaven, but the door is always open to anyone who would actually feel comfortable there.

You know, as much as I want to see these people suffer for the crimes I've been told they've committed, there's also this part of me that just hopes they genuinely repent at some point. I think we still have the obligation as a society to punish them here, for our own safety, but as for the hereafter (if there is one--I'm still not convinced either way), where there's no damage they can really do to anyone else, I still can't help but hope for their salvation at some point.

In the Doctrine and Covenants section 130 verse 2, Joseph Smith says that "The same sociality which exists among us here will exist among us there, only it will be coupled with eternal glory, which glory we do not now enjoy."

Basically he's saying we'll all be in the next world together, the good and the bad, just the way we are in this one. We just won't be able to physically suffer or die, etc., limiting the harm we can do to one another.

But just like here we'll live with who we want to live with, visit with whom we want to visit, listen to the music we prefer, eat the food we prefer, and do the things we prefer. Whether or not one is "in heaven" or "in hell" is less a matter of physical location as it is a matter of the mind.

Those who live the way that God knows is best will likely look upon those who don't and think, as they do now, "Too bad. They could be a lot happier." And those who don't will look at those who do and think "Suckers."

But over eons it will become clear to all who is truly happy and who is not, and one has to think, that those with grievous sins on their conscience will likely at some point humble themselves and seek out relief.

And when they do I suppose they'll come to realize that forgiveness was always available, and peace was always within reach, it was simply a matter of changing their paths, of feeling genuine remorse for the way they've treated others, and genuinely desirous to make amends for their crimes.

And little by little perhaps, as they experiment with repentance and righteousness here a little and there a little, they may wake up one morning to find that they have become genuinely good people, and will look back at their former ways, just as people do here in this life, and see the foolishness of them, and eventually depart from them forever until they wholly reunite with the human family they belong to, and take their seat at the table willingly, and welcomed, just like the Prodigal Son.

As C.S. Lewis likes to say, "The doors of hell may be shut, but they're locked from the inside." God will not force a man to heaven, but the door is always open to anyone who would actually feel comfortable there.