Yes, and it greatly influenced my understanding of hell for a long time. The other great influence was a scenario towards the end of The Last Battle from the Chronicles of Narnia. Emmet meets Aslan and is devastated because he had worshipped Tash his whole life. However, Aslan accepts Emmet as one of His own and declared that all Emmet did for Tash, he really did for Aslan.
I would like to apply a little Lewisian logic to the hell problem.
The Great Divorce posits that some people, through choices made in this lifetime, become more suited to be a denizen of hell than heaven and even though they can leave hell, most are unable if not downright unwilling to do so.
But if anyone chooses hell over heaven, she must be a) deceived, b) in bondage or c) insane. God is more than capable of healing all three conditions and He has all eternity to do so. Would anyone who know the truth, who is freed from bondage and in his right mind choose hell? The man freed from Legion wanted to follow Jesus.
Jesus Christ came to bring us truth and life. He came to give sight to the blind and to set the captives free. In the end, He will be all in all.
Eternal damnation is neither logical nor necessary.
