Dilemmas of Self-Condemnation in Traditional Christianity and Islam
In this article Reinhard von Richter investigates the existential dilemmas arising from the literal adoption of salvific exclusivism and the doctrine of eternal torment, as upheld in traditional versions of Christianity and Islam: that is, that a Hell of eternal misery is the final destination of those who fail to achieve salvation. Through the analysis of various scenarios—which range from antinatalism and the dilemmas faced by physicians and politicians to family conflicts and extreme situations involving world leaders—the von Richter demonstrates how the attempt to minimize eternal suffering can lead to paradoxical and morally disturbing choices. This only underscores the horror and existential absurdity of these conceptions of reality.