"I think they're skipping some of the previous steps. It is not for nothing that they say that there is a logical chain and it is impossible to answer a question that is somewhere in the middle. It is necessary to start from the beginning – until this beginning is discussed, clarified, it is impossible to talk about the next one. It is necessary to speak not about the truth of the New Testament, because this question is in the middle of the chain, but about the truth of Christianity. Are there any arguments—not personal opinions, but objective arguments—that would show us that this religion is not of earthly origin? That supernatural forces are clearly manifested in this religion? That this is the religion that could only be from God? If we can be convinced of this, then we will understand that the New Testament is the Revelation of God Himself, and then we will accept it with full confidence. This is what the logical chain should be. And so how to prove that so-and-so is a saint? He works miracles – and the yogi works miracles. He had ecstasies – and the yogi achieved this. Try, think in your mind. You can't take it out of context like that, you have to start all over again, then it will be clear.

– Maybe the problem is that people do not have the skill to comprehend reality?

– Of course, we often demand an answer to a question without solving the previous question, without the solution of which, at least, it is simply impossible to answer. Is Seraphim of Sarov a saint or not? And why is he a saint? And why is he a true saint? And why not Rama Krishna, this famous yogi of the XIX century? And how do they differ? And so on... In fact, if we can show that Christianity is a divinely revealed religion, not a human creation, not something that man has invented, which he has arrived at on the basis of the study of himself and the world around him, on the basis of his philosophical speculations, but that it is a religion given by God, then it is clear. Then the way indicated in the New Testament, the principles of life revealed in it, are not human, but divine. And, therefore, the one who follows this path is truly holy. This is the logic.

– In the Kingdom of God, everyone will be happy. But if a person knows that his relatives, whom he loved, were not saved in life and are suffering in hell, will he still experience the fullness of bliss?

– This question rests on a completely different question – again, what we have just talked about. The question is very serious, to the highest degree. And can God, knowing that this person, who has not yet been born, will choose evil and go into eternal punishment, can God, being love, give him existence? First we need to resolve this issue. If God, being love, can give birth to one who will go to endless torment, then we can also talk about this question: "How is the blessedness of those who know that others are tormented?"

The question is about eternal torment. This question is very important, everyone asks it. Both in the New Testament and in the patristic teaching we see two solid parallel lines. Some in the New Testament directly say that sinners will go into eternal punishment. Other statements of the same New Testament say: "No, Christ is the Savior of all men, much less of the faithful." As the Apostle Paul writes: "God will be all things and in everything." Both texts go directly in parallel. We observe the same story in the Holy Fathers. Some saints write: "Opponents (that is, those who do evil) will go into eternal torment," others write: "No, they will suffer, but the torment will not be endless." These two lines go side by side. Eternal destiny is, of course, a mystery. Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius the Great in his Paschal homily, Amphilochius of Iconium, Epiphanius of Cyprus, Ephraim the Syrian, Isaac the Syrian, Maximus the Confessor said that torments are not endless. These are people who not only knew the New Testament almost by heart, they were saints, they followed the life of the New Testament. And suddenly what did they say? Here will be Pascha, just listen to the Paschal word. Here is the word on Good Friday, at Matins: "Thou hast torn to pieces our handwritings (that is, our sins) on the Cross, O Lord, and hast been imputed to the dead, Thou hast bound the tormentor there, Thou hast delivered all from the bonds of death by Thy resurrection." On Holy Saturday: "Hell reigns, but not forever, over the human race." And if you take the Octoechos, you will find so many such statements there! And in the Paschal homily, speaking of the Resurrected Christ: "He destroyed death, He devastated hell, and the dead are not one in the tomb." What things are written – is it deception or lyrics? Epiphanius of Cyprus pointed out to us: "He made hell empty by His condescension." Amphilochius of Iconium: "When hell appeared, He destroyed its tombs and emptied its storehouse. Everyone was released, everyone ran after Him." St. Gregory of Nyssa: "After the complete elimination of evil from all creatures, God-like beauty will shine again in all." Again it is said: "in all." Athanasius the Great, the defender of Orthodoxy, writes in his Paschal epistle: "He is the one Who of old brought the people out of Egypt," and finally all of us, or, rather, "redeemed the entire human race from death and raised us out of hell." One after another, they say "all", "all". St. Ephraim the Syrian: "In the voice of the Lord (this is on Holy Saturday) hell received a forewarning to prepare for His subsequent voice (this is about the Second Coming), which will completely abolish it (hell)." Ignatius (Brianchaninov), who said that only the Orthodox would be saved, wrote about this issue: "Those who are deprived of the glory of Christianity (that is, not Christians) are not deprived of another glory received at creation – they are the image of God." What glory is this for those who are in hell?

That is, the teaching that there will be torment – that's for sure. But the very concept of eternity is incomprehensible to us. In the Old Testament there is such an amazing passage: "When the seventh year comes (it was necessary to release slaves for the seventh year), then he who does not want to leave slavery remains forever a slave to his master. But in the fiftieth year he becomes free." That is, the concept of eternity does not necessarily mean infinity. "Eternity" in the Old Testament context very often means duration – a long duration. And Jesus Christ spoke in this language, and not in any other, and used the concept of eternity in this sense as well. Here's the thing. How many people – Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory the Theologian, Athanasius the Great, John Chrysostom, Ephraim the Syrian, Amphilochius of Iconium, Isaac the Syrian, Maximus the Confessor – how many saints speak about this. But there are saints who say that there will be eternal torment, that is, endless torment. Therefore, it is not clear to us. They say "eternal", but it seems to be "infinite".

In my Life after Death, I wrote about both points of view. But my thought is more inclined to the above-mentioned Fathers, because they answer this terrible question: "Could God, being love, give existence to someone who would use his freedom for evil and go into endless torment?" But I want to say something else. A stupid person will say: "Hooray! The torment is not endless, let's eat, drink, have fun!" – it's like saying: "Hooray, today they will give me to sadists, but then they will give me a billion"; We will call such a person crazy. St. Isaac the Syrian writes: "Let us beware in our souls, beloved, and understand that although Gehenna is subject to limitation, the taste of being in it is very frightening, and the degree of suffering in it is beyond our knowledge." It becomes clear why the Lord warned – as a mother warns her child: "Do not go there!" – from the sufferings that a person will have to endure there if he follows the path of evil. Here's the situation.

So, if the understanding of eternity by these saints is correct, that is, that there will be suffering and torment, but not infinitely, then the question arises how someone will rejoice in paradise, knowing that others will suffer. This question will not be.

– Такая трактовка этого вопроса, как Вы сами только что сказали, может быть соблазнительной…

– Заставь дурака молиться, он и лоб расшибет. Что сделаешь  с глупостью? Я был как-то в Сарове. Стою в храме, и мне говорят: «Вот здесь под храмом в тридцатые годы был зубной кабинет. И когда заключенным только объявляли, что им надо идти в зубной кабинет, многие из них падали в обморок». Пусть эти умники вспомнят об этом, и тогда узнают, что такое «вечных мук не будет». Все святые и все люди, которые только соприкасались с миром демонским, в ужас приходили. Тем людям, которые так соблазняются, надо только подумать о том, что это такое – встреча с дьявольским миром. И тогда они поймут, почему Господь предупреждает со всей силой: «Пойдут в муку вечную!» Соблазн происходит от недомыслия какого-то, от неразумия, от глупости. Это ужасно – оказаться там, в таком сообществе, на один миг даже, ужасно! Во время войны приговоренный к расстрелу человек, его потом помиловали, весь стал седым от ужаса смерти. Ему грозили не бесконечные муки, а расстрел, моментальный. И он весь стал белым – молодой человек... Поэтому с глупостью ничего не сделаешь. Здесь нет никакого соблазна. Слава Богу, хоть надежда какая-то есть. Напротив, надо постараться, насколько это возможно, избежать соприкосновения с адом. Кстати, Господь и показал нам, что можно избежать соприкосновения с адом. Разбойник, а не кто-нибудь, негодяй, преступник, без прохождения мытарств пошел в рай, потому что покаялся от всей души. Вот нам пример – если хотим мы избежать соприкосновения с адом, вот какими нам нужно быть.

– Спасибо, Алексей Ильич; следующий вопрос: «Где грань между смирением и бездействием человека?»

– Это абсолютно разные вещи. Там, где есть смирение, там есть любовь. Истинное смирение, а не смиренничание, – это видение того, что «я совсем не тот, кем должен быть». Смирение – это сравнение себя с тем образом, который дал нам Господь, это величие подлинного человека в Господе Иисусе Христе. Смирение – это осознание своей греховности, это осознание своей неспособности самому искоренить страсти: «Вижу, хочу – но не могу. Молюсь – но не могу». Это приводит к тому, что человек начинает с сочувствием относиться к страстям других людей, начинает жалеть других, сочувствовать им. То есть появляется первый проблеск любви к человеку – как в больнице никто не осуждает никого за болезнь, точно так же и здесь. Такое истинное смирение порождает истинную любовь – не чувственную, не влюбленность, а любовь. А любовь характеризуется только одним – исканием пользы любимого: если любимый тяжело болен, я его отведу к врачу, заплачу деньги, попрошу сделать операцию; понимаю, как это будет болезненно, тяжело и больно, – но любовь ищет пользы, только пользы. Любовь по природе своей – огромная сила, которой нет предела. Только что мы говорили: другие стоят и смотрят, а мать бросается в огонь. Александр Невский какое мужество проявлял и силу, когда приходил на встречу с ханом... Потрясающее явление мученичества, которое имело место в первые три столетия, – ведь это же колоссальное количество мучеников! Какая сила! И сила эта появилась благодаря тому, что люди познали свою греховность, увидели Спасителя, Который спасает нас от наших жестоких страстей. Увидели, и действительно прониклись любовью. И эта любовь сделала их сильными, мужественными до смерти. Так что смирение порождает любовь, а любовь преград не знает.

– К  нам часто приходят вопросы, связанные с духовной жизнью. Люди спрашивают: «Можно ли самостоятельно встать на путь аскезы, или обязательно нужен духовный руководитель?»