I told him I believed in hell, and that certain people, like me, had to live in hell before they died, to make up for missing out on it after death, since they didn't believe in life after death, and what each person believed happened to him when he died.
The quote reflects a profound belief in the nature of existence and the consequences of one's actions and beliefs. The speaker suggests that some individuals experience a kind of living hell during their lives, particularly if they do not acknowledge the notion of an afterlife. This sentiment conveys a sense of injustice and struggle, indicating that for certain people, their reality is filled with suffering as a form of atonement. It emphasizes the weight of personal beliefs on one's life experience.
Furthermore, this perspective challenges the idea of an afterlife by proposing that the complexities of life's struggles can be as tormenting as any hell. The mention of differing beliefs about death signifies that our understanding of life and what comes after greatly influences how we navigate our existence. This quote ultimately portrays a stark view of life that intertwines personal suffering with philosophical contemplation on belief and its ramifications.