Why I Recommended "Hell is the Absence of God"

Written by Jordan Barrett

The basic premise of Ted Chiang’s “Hell is the Absence of God” is that truly loving God demands that it be unconditional. That’s the simple premise and the story examines how far that last bit - the unconditional part - can stretch. It does that by introducing us to a God who is simultaneously tangible and observable while also apparently being unconcerned with the tragedies or miracles He leaves behind.

In this world angels frequently come down to Earth and that can be associated with natural disasters, bodily deformities or miraculous cures to terminal illnesses. The protagonist, Neil, is a disabled man who has lost his wife in a tragic incident linked to one of these angelic visits. Fortunately for his wife, Sarah, she makes it to Heaven. Unfortunately for Neil, a lifelong atheist, this means he might never be with her again.

Neil struggles with his resentment for a God that has stripped him of his wife while at the same time trying to find a way to love Him as an avenue for reunion.

The reason this story resonated with me is because of my own complex relationship with God and religion. For the past year I have found myself in an uphill battle with finding faith and belief. Unlike Neil, my reasons don’t stem from any specific tragedy but originate from my conviction that a good Christian lifestyle is a path towards redemption and a guardrail against my anti-social (read: harmful to other people) tendencies.

“For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out…evil is right there with me….What a wretched man I am!” — Romans 7:18-24

Neil’s relentless search for a path towards God echoes my own in some ways - going to different groups and reading a variety of material, his jealousy of true believers. Like Neil, I am also desperate for a genuine and wholehearted love for The Divine but am inhibited by my more critical thought patterns. Also like Neil, my search has thus far been with other aims in mind.

The tragic end to the story hits hard for me. Neil is made an example of - is this justified since his search for The Light was disingenuous? It leaves a lot of room for thought for me and forces some reflection.