As an atheist and former Christian...

I found the movie to be interesting, if a bit unsatisfying, ultimately. It was interesting to hear viewpoints on the 3 Christian views on hell/the afterlife (conscious eternal torment, annihilationism, and universalism). The debate between the first and last was mostly focused on. Don't remember anyone who believes in annihilationism being interviewed (the idea that there is no hell; those who are unsaved simply cease to exist after death). Some atheists were also interviewed.

While it was interesting to hear some of the scriptural and historical interpretations of hell, which sees some of the biblical references as referring to political & geographic situations (Gehenna as a pit of burning bodies, Lake of Fire as the Dead Sea polluted by ashes), for the most part, it didn't help me understand why so many Christians still believe in Hell--and how they square this idea with an all-loving God. Those who do believe in Hell were made to look either foolish or fanatical (the Westboro people) or recycled boring, uninsightful ideas (only those who accept Jesus are "God's children," Hell is a choice sinners make).

The idea of an all-loving God who knows some (if not most) will go to eternal torment doesn't make sense to me other than as some kind of confused sado-masochistic social control. It also seems irredeemably illogical (all-loving can't = send to eternal torment). These were the ideas that the filmmakers highlighted, and as arguments against belief in Hell (if you believe God is all-loving), they made a lot of sense. But it didn't help me understand why so many otherwise reasonable people still accept the belief.

Given that, I don't see how you square biblical Christianity with the idea of an all-merciful or all-loving God. Even in the NT, Jesus is constantly condemning people: "O generation of vipers!" "You will be cast into outer darkness!" "Depart from me; I never knew you." etc. Sometimes he promotes radical forgiveness; other times, he's whipping people in the temple. Paul's perhaps worse, though I've always liked 1 Corinthians 13 about love being priority. But, while the filmmakers brought this up at the beginning with the atheist who says believing in God without Hell is believing in a "wussy God," this issue is skirted and not really explored. The atheist's comment was flippant and didn't do justice to what could be a more thought-out dialogue.

I watched this w/my girlfriend, who believes in God but not Hell (her belief in God is more Deist/personal than biblical). We had many interesting conversations during the film (we kept stopping it to talk). But, I'd have liked more from the ordinary person who believes in Hell, or the theological/ethical/logical justifications for it, rather than such a focus of critique on it.

"every time godzilla loses to mothra I die a little bit more"--Godzillaswrath