A lot of people seem kinda angry at the idea of hell. Even athiests talk about hell as if they know it exists and is afraid. Do you want to know what hell really is? Is it eternal punishment? That depends on your idea of punishment. Everyone decides in their lifetime whether or not they're going to accept or deny God. All hell is, is a place of eternal separation from God. If you chose to deny Him, then you will be separated from Him for all eternity. It's your decision. People make comments such as, "well, if I deny Him, then I'm thrown into hell for all eternity. Where's the free will in that?" Well, it is your free will. You chose to deny God and to be separated from Him. It's the ultimate free will. Well, what about punishment? Truth is, there are varying degrees of punishment, according to the life that you lived.

Saucy, I don't know which athiests you've been talking to but the ones I've spoken with have no conception of heaven or hell. They believe in the earth as it is. In my opinion, Hell is a state of mind created by man in order to explain what happens if you get out of line and do bad deeds or go against the grain. Stories always have to have an antagonist and protagonist or they wouldn't be very good stories now would they.

hell is just another "stick" in the arsenal of the theocrats to instill obdience.

Hell for the individual is what that person makes it to be. If that person has led what they feel is a good life then they will go to what they feel heaven is, But if on the other hand if they feel that their life is full of evil.....To hell they go.

I've always gone with Pope John Paul. Since, according to him, Heaven is a state of being with God, then the natural extension of that would be that Hell is a state in which you are not with God. This would mean that I am currently in Hell. Can't say it feels too different than back when I did believe in the supernatural.

I haven't met an atheist who is the slightest bit afraid of Hell, whatever their definition of it is.

that is because to fear it you have to part of a belief structure that has it.

As you said it is a state of mind. Why should any be afraid of that?