The claims in Wiese's book have received sardonic reactions from some writers, both in the Christian and secular press. Rob Moll of
Christianity Today, noting Wiese's statement that hell "was hot – far beyond any possibility of sustaining life", commented, "Thankfully, it being hell, everyone but Wiese had already died." John Sutherland, writing about Wiese's book in the
New Statesman, remarked that Wiese "rather lamely" describes the sound of billions of people screaming as "annoying".
Other writers have expressed even harsher views.
Steven Wells wrote in the
Philadelphia Weekly that "Wiese is either wrong or he's right. And if he's right, then God is an insane tyrant."A writer for the
Northern Iowan, a student newspaper at the
University of Northern Iowa, described the book as "23 minutes of nonsense" and portrayed the book's success as a sign of the faults of Christianity and religion in general.
Tell you what - I'll take my chances.