Such an interesting twist you take the reader on at this point. I loved this piece of yours, it's a topic close to my heart, how religion shovels mouthfuls and brainfuls of fear into congregations. It's a corrupt and (I believe) dying tradition. I'm an NDEer, I was only 7 years old, but I never felt the hell story was true as it was told. Now, I've read/watched a number of NDE accounts where the person landed in a horrifice, sadistic and hopeless environment. But after a time they were all guided out by a spirit.

My conclusion has always been that nobody really knows how this all works. Where and how souls reach the heavenly realm -- nobody knows.