Hell Isn't What It Used To Be

What's the deal with "hell?" 

During the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham and Brett Kavanaugh agreed that the nominee was going through hell:

GRAHAM: Would you say you’ve been through hell?

KAVANAUGH: I — I’ve been through hell and then some.

GRAHAM: This is not a job interview.

KAVANAUGH: Yes.

GRAHAM: This is hell.

It's really bad when both saint and non-saint, the accuser and the accused, are going to hell. Nebraska Republican Ben Sasse remarked

A — a recommendation was made by ranking member or her staff to Dr. Ford — and, by the way, I think Dr. Ford is a victim, and I think she’s been through hell and I’m very sympathetic to her — but, did the ranking member’s staff, did we hear today, make a recommendation to hire a lawyer and she knew all that?

Cory Booker agreed, telling Kavanaugh

Your family has gone through hell. Her family has gone through hell. She sat here, she told her truth. And — and you made the allegation that she was coordinating it. I do not think she was coordinating with her therapist…

There must be a lot of people going there, rivaling the number under the bus, where somebody always is being thrown. 

Graham stated also "This is the most unethical sham since I’ve been in politics. And if you really wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldn’t have done what you’ve done to this guy."

That prompted the tweet

I see the guy who voted AGAINST the Violence Against Women Act is trending for his ‘passionate’ defense of Kavanaugh. The hell HE has gone through. What about the hell Dr. Ford is living and reliving. The death threats & having her name smeared by cowards like you #LindseyGraham

— Francis Maxwell (@francismmaxwell) September 27, 2018

It's even worse when one learns he is going to the worst corner of hell, as in

There’s a special place in hell for people like #LindseyGraham. How disgusting. #KavanaughHearings

— Hamptons Party Girl (@Hamptonsprtygal) September 27, 2018

That is not a pleasant assignment. Still, politicians, applicants for the federal bench, and tweeters might consider that hell- assuming it exists- is hotter than southern Florida, even with the humidity, in July. And there is no adjacent ocean to frolic in, thus  

But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother[a] will be liable to judgment; whoever insults[b] his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell[c] of fire. (Matthew 5:22)

And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell[a] of fire. (Matthew 18:9)

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life,[a] and set on fire by hell.[b](James 3:6)

Or there may be no such thing as "hell"- your mileage may vary. If there is none, the "hell" metaphors are utterly specious and meaningless, signifying rhetorical laziness. Death threats as reportedly received by Brett Kavanaugh, and assuredly received by Dr. Ford, are the evil rantings of cowards and are mere talk, a social media specialty.

If Brett Kavanaugh's life is being destroyed by being vetted for a lifetime cushy job on the Supreme Court, sign me up. And if these guys believe there is an equivalence between hell and what Kavanaugh is going through, they should check their values at the door. Being examined by the US Senate for a chance to be called "Associate Justice" forever bears little similarity to eternal torment.

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