There is an answer , but it ' s not a popular one . It ' s called The Abominable Fancy , the idea that people in Heaven will be able to watch their loved ones roast in Hell and therefore be more impressed and worshipful and grateful to God for their own salvation . Here ' s my personal notes on the conceptThe Abominable Fancy The Christian notion , given credibility primarily by Thomas Aquinas , that part of the bliss of the elect in heaven comes from witnessing the torment of sinners in Hell . Origin The term was coined by Frederic William Farrar 18311903 , in a book Eternal Hope Five Sermons preached in Westminster Abbey , November and December 1877 New York E . P . Dutton and Co . , 1878 . Farrar became canon of Westminster Abbey in 1876 and archdeacon in 1883 . He was dean of Canterbury from 1895 until his death . Biblical Sources Though there are Old Testament roots , It is thought that the origin of the idea springs from the time before Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire , when God resolutely refused to punish the flourishing ungodly here on Earth or to intervene directly to prevent the persecution of the faithful by such people . Sample KJV sources a Isaiah 66 , 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth , which I will make , shall remain before me , saith the LORD , so shall your seed and your name remain . 23 And it shall come to pass , that from one new moon to another , and from one sabbath to another , shall all flesh come to worship before me , saith the LORD . 24 And they shall go forth , and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me for their worm shall not die , neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh . b Luke 16 which has Jesus reciting the following 19 There was a certain rich man , which was clothed in purple and fine linen , and fared sumptuously every day 20 And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus , which was laid at his gate , full of sores , 21 And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man ' s table moreover the dogs came and licked his sores . 22 And it came to pass , that the beggar died , and was carried by the angels into Abraham ' s bosom the rich man also died , and was buried 23 And in hell he lift up his eyes , being in torments , and seeth Abraham afar off , and Lazarus in his bosom . 24 And he cried and said , Father Abraham , have mercy on me , and send Lazarus , that he may dip the tip of his finger in water , and cool my tongue for I am tormented in this flame . 25 But Abraham said , Son , remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things , and likewise Lazarus evil things but now he is comforted , and thou art tormented . 26 And beside all this , between us and you there is a great gulf fixed so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us , that would come from thence . 27 Then he said , I pray thee therefore , father , that thou wouldest send him to my father ' s house 28 For I have five brethren that he may testify unto them , lest they also come into this place of torment . 29 Abraham saith unto him , They have Moses and the prophets let them hear them . 30 And he said , Nay , father Abraham but if one went unto them from the dead , they will repent . 31 And he said unto him , If they hear not Moses and the prophets , neither will they be persuaded , though one rose from the dead . Other Sources Note that Isaiah does not say that the saved shall witness the damned ' s torment , nor does Luke mention whether the Lazarus could view the tormented soul . Nevertheless , Apocalyptic gospels , attributed to various apostles began appearing in the second century CE and were highly accepted among the faithful , though deemed spurious and apocryphal by the Church . In particular , The Apocalypse of Peter , 810 , c . 150 CE , was immensely popular and translated into several languages . That apocalypse has Peter led through Hell by Christ himself , who informs Peter and the other apostles that the blessed in heaven will be able to witness the suffering of those who hated them on Earth . Elliott , J . K . , The Apocryphal Jesus , OUP , 1996 St . Augustine of Hippo 354430 CE notes in City of God , the righteous will know of the fate of the damned as they could not fully appreciate their blessing unless they knew what they had been saved from . He does not elaborate on what form this heavenly knowledge of suffering would take . That is left for St . Thomas Aquinas 12251274 in his epic Summa Theologica 12661273 , . Nothing should be denied to the blessed which belongs to the perfection of their beatitude . Now all things are the better known for being compared with their contrary . Consequently , in order that the happiness of the saints may be more delightful and that they may give to God more copious thanks for it , they are permitted perfectly to behold the sufferings of the damned . the saints will rejoice in the punishment of the damned . The concept endures , and not just as a Catholic fancy Can the believing husband in heaven be happy with his unbelieving wife in hell ? Can the believing father in heaven be happy with his unbelieving children in hell ? Can the loving wife in heaven be happy with her unbelieving husband in hell ? I tell you , yea . Such will be their sense of justice , that it will increase rather than diminish their bliss , writes Jonathan Edwards 17031758 as quoted by Robert G . Ingersoll 18331899 in The Liberty of Man , Woman and Child , 1877 , who alas , neglects to name his source .