Heretics like me were put "beyond the pale" in mediaeval times, so your turn of phrase is rather apt.

It is Satan's job to be cruel, if the religious fairy stories are anything to go by. Although the God dude in old testament could be a bit of a bastard by all accounts.

Anyway, this does raise an interesting heaven and hell conundrum. If I were a God botherer, then heaven would be full of clap and be happy sanctimonious smiling Christians. My idea of hell is a place full of clap and be happy sanctimonious smiling Christians...

There are times when I feel I have reached heaven, and times when I reckon hell has caught up with me. So, I wonder if heaven and hell are a figment of your imagination? I wonder what else from the good book started that way?

I have a family branch that are Jehova;s Witnesses, (my Aunty married a bloke who became one to avoid being called up in the war and as with all brain washing, it kind of stuck...) and I am aware of their acceptance that there may well be the big zero once you snuff it. Two issues though. 1) They feel it is certain that there is a big zero, rather than state the lack of evidence for any other scenario, and 2) there are more Jehova's witnesses than there are places in paradise available according to their literature. Seems a bit of a bugger, especially as the place will be crowded what with a huge bunch of virgins for every Islamic martyr and God keeping Sailor Boy away from people who fail to take his waffle seriously.

Hell. That's the place to be. Low energy costs, entertainment, all my mates. Yeah, where do you sign up?