It's time to learn the CORRECT meaning of the three words translated in the scriptures as one word - hell.

Heaven is mentioned in the Bible 551 times, compared to hell which is only 54 times. Yet we seem to be a generation of Christians who enjoy one-upping those awful heathens (I'm joking here), threatening them with eternal suffering instead of helping them find the joy and peace of our Lord.

The eternal fires of hell simply means that the fire cannot be stopped or put out. You cannot change the course of events once you have been thrown into the grave.

The fire of Gehenna, which was the town dump for Jerusalem, is certainly not still burning, nor did the garbage that was dumped there continue to burn forever. It was burned up, only ashes were left. The fire continued to burn, not the object or body thrown into the fire. Eventually, all the garbage was left in ashes.

The fire at Gehenna is NOT still burning, so obviously we have misinterpreted the word which was translated into "eternal."

Hell simply means the grave, Sheol means the underworld, and Gehenna refers to the trash dump of Jerusalem.

The word "eternal" simply means that no one can put out the fire or change the judgment of death. The pronouncement of death is eternal, it cannot be changed.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

In this verse the beast and the false prophet are doomed, not everyone. Plus, the words "for ever and ever" can mean an age, a period of time, or literallly forever.

We should assume it is a period of time because of the following verses...

Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell (Note: meaning the grave) delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The lake of fire destroys and therefore purifies whatever is thrown into it. 

It is not perpetual torment, but it is perpetual death.

The end.

For further study, anyone could get a Strong's Concordance and see the actual meaning of the words before the translators decided how they wanted to translate it, and therefore control what we believe. The God I serve as my heavenly Father would never enjoy torturing and tormenting his children, even those who did not believe in Him. Each believer should take time to study the scriptures for the TRUTH is hidden in them.

You can download software with the entire Bible with Strong's included - free - at E-Sword.net.  Be sure to get Spurgeon's daily devotions too as a plugin, also free.