--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No sane person wants hell to exist. No…" description: "\"No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants evil to exist. But hell is just evil eternalized. If there is evil and if there is eternity, t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/peter-kreeft-820_auschwitz_no-sane-person-wants-hell-to-exist-no-sa_65313.png" --- # No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants… ![“No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants evil to exist. But hell is just evil eternalized. If there is evil and if there is eternity, there can be hell. If it is intellectually dishonest to disbelieve in evil just because it is shocking and uncomfortable, it is the same with hell…” quote by Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/peter-kreeft-820_auschwitz_no-sane-person-wants-hell-to-exist-no-sa_65313.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/peter-kreeft-820_auschwitz_no-sane-person-wants-hell-to-exist-no-sa_65313.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/295/peter-kreeft-820_auschwitz_no-sane-person-wants-hell-to-exist-no-sa_65313.png) > “No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants evil to exist. But hell is just evil eternalized. If there is evil and if there is eternity, there can be hell. If it is intellectually dishonest to disbelieve in evil just because it is shocking and uncomfortable, it is the same with hell. Reality has hard corners, surprises, and terrible dangers in it. We desperately need a true road map, not nice feelings, if we are to get home. It is true, as people often say, that "hell just feels unreal, impossible." Yes. So does Auschwitz. So does Calvary.” [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Hell is portrayed as the eternalization of evil, arguing that if evil exists and eternity is real, hell must also exist; the author urges confronting harsh truths rather than comforting delusions. **In simple terms:** Hell = eternal evil; confront reality. Key Takeaway Hard truths demand honest mapping. Themes theology philosophy ethics existentialism suffering Mood solemn provocative reflective Type philosophical theological provocative When to use this quote - theological debate - moral philosophy class - personal crisis - counseling - cultural analysis Key Concepts evil eternity reality truth Practical Applications - ethical decision‑making - spiritual guidance Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to accept uncomfortable truths? - How do we balance hope with realism? A Different Perspective Some argue hell is metaphorical, not a literal place, challenging the premise that eternity guarantees its existence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Auschwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auschwitz/) [Calvary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvary/) [Danger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/danger/) [Eternity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternity/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Road map](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-map/) [Road maps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-maps/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Uncomfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncomfortable/) ## Related quotes > [To hell with reality! I want to die in music, not in reason or in prose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-hell-with-reality-i-want-to-die-in-music-not-in-reason-or-in-prose/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [“The hell with reality! Let's have a whole bunch of cute little winding roads and cute little houses painted white and pink and baby…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-yates/the-hell-with-reality-let-s-have-a-whole-bunch-of-cute-little-winding/) [Richard Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-yates/) > [To hell with reality! I want to die in music, not in reason or in prose. People don't deserve the restraint we show by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/to-hell-with-reality-i-want-to-die-in-music-not-in-reason-or-in-prose-2/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [If he misses you, hell call. If he wants you, hell say it. And if he cares, hell show it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran/if-he-misses-you-hell-call-if-he-wants-you-hell-say-it-and-if-he/) [Kiran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran/) > [“Look, the Devil has asked me. We’re very old acquaintances, he and I, and I couldn’t turn him down. My estate is enormous, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-tomov-junior/look-the-devil-has-asked-me-we-re-very-old-acquaintances-he-and-i-and/) A. Tomov - junior > [If the human race wants to go to hell in a basket, technology can help it get there by jet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-mengel-allen/if-the-human-race-wants-to-go-to-hell-in-a-basket-technology-can-help/) Charles Mengel Allen > [“No, Paige. I am trying to help you.” “Go to hell.” “I already exist on a level of hell.” “Exist on one that isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-shannon/no-paige-i-am-trying-to-help-you-go-to-hell-i-already-exist-on-a/) [Samantha Shannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-shannon/) > [“If heaven and hell exist, I think they're on Earth. Death probably looks very different.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaisa-winter/if-heaven-and-hell-exist-i-think-they-re-on-earth-death-probably/) [Kaisa Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaisa-winter/) > [Why make disciples? Because heaven and hell exist, and the end of the world is coming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/why-make-disciples-because-heaven-and-hell-exist-and-the-end-of-the/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I don't know if paradise or hell exist, but I'm sure hell is more groovy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-ekberg/i-don-t-know-if-paradise-or-hell-exist-but-i-m-sure-hell-is-more/) [Anita Ekberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-ekberg/) > [The civilization you sit in ... is now obvious in crisis, perhaps death pangs, twisting grotesquely like a dying animal, swirling down the garbage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-civilization-you-sit-in-is-now-obvious-in-crisis-perhaps-death/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“Last and crowning torture of all the tortures of that awful place is the eternity of hell. Eternity! O, dread and dire word. Eternity!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/last-and-crowning-torture-of-all-the-tortures-of-that-awful-place-is/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“If it were your soul I was after, all the dark Cherubim in Hell couldn't keep me from you... I would have done whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/if-it-were-your-soul-i-was-after-all-the-dark-cherubim-in-hell-couldn/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [“You have no idea what you do to me," he said as he stood. "I could barely keep my hands off you last night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-have-no-idea-what-you-do-to-me-he-said-as-he-stood-i-could-barely/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [If there is a great white throne judgment in which all unbelievers are going to be judged and sentenced to an eternity in hell,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/if-there-is-a-great-white-throne-judgment-in-which-all-unbelievers/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) ## More by Peter Kreeft > [“I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers to God make, and all the people those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/i-strongly-suspect-that-if-we-saw-all-the-difference-even-the-tiniest/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The most total opposite of pleasure is not pain but boredom, for we are willing to risk pain to make a boring life interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-most-total-opposite-of-pleasure-is-not-pain-but-boredom-for-we/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [God's love is as objective as light. Because the sun in a sense is light, or the source of light rather than being lit,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-s-love-is-as-objective-as-light-because-the-sun-in-a-sense-is/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The self is like a baseball. Throw it back to the divine pitcher who pitched it to you in the first place, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-self-is-like-a-baseball-throw-it-back-to-the-divine-pitcher-who/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [How will the Tower of Babel be undone? How will we understand each other in Heaven? Will we all speak English or Dutch or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/how-will-the-tower-of-babel-be-undone-how-will-we-understand-each/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Humility is the marriage bond of Heaven. Pride is the frigidity of Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/humility-is-the-marriage-bond-of-heaven-pride-is-the-frigidity-of-hell/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“Socrates says we must be either fools because we think we are wise, or wise because we know we are fools. Christ says we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/socrates-says-we-must-be-either-fools-because-we-think-we-are-wise-or/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Science only answers the question, How does it work? Or at most, What's there? Science asks what and how, philosophy asks why, myth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/science-only-answers-the-question-how-does-it-work-or-at-most-what-s/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [The most compelling evidence for God's existence is Christ. If God does not exist, then Christ was the biggest fool who ever lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-most-compelling-evidence-for-god-s-existence-is-christ-if-god/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“One moment of prayer, of weak worship, confused contrition, tepid thanksgiving, or pitiful petition will bring us closer to God than all the books…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/one-moment-of-prayer-of-weak-worship-confused-contrition-tepid/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [God's interventions are miracles: events that cannot happen by merely natural agents but only by a supernatural agent. They no more interfere with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-s-interventions-are-miracles-events-that-cannot-happen-by-merely/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“And what is consensus? It means a majority of the individuals in a society coming together and agreeing to make their values into laws,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/and-what-is-consensus-it-means-a-majority-of-the-individuals-in-a/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [Love is the binding force on every level of existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/love-is-the-binding-force-on-every-level-of-existence/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [We can't believe what we believe to be untrue, and we can't love what we believe to be unreal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/we-can-t-believe-what-we-believe-to-be-untrue-and-we-can-t-love-what/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [It is reasonable to love the Absolute absolutely for the same reason it is reasonable to love the relative relatively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/it-is-reasonable-to-love-the-absolute-absolutely-for-the-same-reason/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) [Explore all 361 Peter Kreeft quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) ## More Auschwitz quotes > [I stated that Hiroshima and Nagasaki are 'among the most unspeakable crimes in history.' I took no position on just where they stand on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-stated-that-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-are-among-the-most-unspeakable/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [We need creativity. We need more poetry after Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rithy-panh/we-need-creativity-we-need-more-poetry-after-auschwitz/) [Rithy Panh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rithy-panh/) > [“I remember that one Holy Week, the magazine I got every Thursday, Anteojito , came with a free poster depicting the Stations of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcelo-figueras/i-remember-that-one-holy-week-the-magazine-i-got-every-thursday/) [Marcelo Figueras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcelo-figueras/) > [My own interest in Kafka's letter came about when I was writing an article on Peter Ginz, the boy novelist held in Terezin, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-cartwright/my-own-interest-in-kafka-s-letter-came-about-when-i-was-writing-an/) [Justin Cartwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-cartwright/) > [Eighteen months before I was born, my mother was in Auschwitz. She weighed 49 pounds. She always told me that God saved her so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-von-furstenberg/eighteen-months-before-i-was-born-my-mother-was-in-auschwitz-she/) [Diane von Furstenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-von-furstenberg/) > [“I am keenly aware that the security we enjoy is frail, and could easily be disrupted. Secretly, a nagging fear gnaws at me: what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-waterman/i-am-keenly-aware-that-the-security-we-enjoy-is-frail-and-could/) [Daniel Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-waterman/) > [There is more to Jewish history than Auschwitz.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romain-gary/there-is-more-to-jewish-history-than-auschwitz/) [Romain Gary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romain-gary/) > [“I once conjured up this image of Hitler. I imagined that he didn’t kill himself and that he was kept in a kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-haybittle/i-once-conjured-up-this-image-of-hitler-i-imagined-that-he-didn-t/) [Glenn Haybittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-haybittle/) > [“In February, 1943, eight months before she was murdered in Auschwitz, the German painter Charlotte Salomon killed her grandfather. Salomon’s grandparents, like many Jews,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-bentley/in-february-1943-eight-months-before-she-was-murdered-in-auschwitz/) [Toni Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-bentley/) > [There is no question in my mind that we live in one of the truly bestial centuries in human history. 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Everyone who was deported there had been in such a hurry that they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-lasker-wallfisch/auschwitz-was-one-of-the-wealthiest-places-in-the-world-everyone-who/) [Anita Lasker-Wallfisch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-lasker-wallfisch/) > [“Elie Wiesel is right: the road to Auschwitz was being paved in the earliest days of Christendom. But another conclusion now is equally evident:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-e-stannard/elie-wiesel-is-right-the-road-to-auschwitz-was-being-paved-in-the/) [David E. Stannard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-e-stannard/) [Browse all 168 Auschwitz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/auschwitz/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "No sane person wants hell to exist. No sane person wants evil to exist. But hell is just evil eternalized. If there is evil and if there is eternity, there can be hell. 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