What happens to a piece of paper that is cast into a lake of fire? For that matter, what happens to a human body that is cast into a lake of fire?
Or a pit?
What does the word “death” mean to you? Christians are offered “eternal life”. What of those that do not spend eternity with Christ. Are they offered “eternal life in death”? That sounds a bit like an oxymoron when you understand the meaning of the individual words in the sentence. And Pat Robertson notwithstanding, it is not a “type of death”.
Read this and let me know what you think. It discusses the points you make:
http://www.jeremyandchristine.com/articles/eternal.php
There are two Greek words in the New Testament translated death. Thanatos - General word for "death" or meaning the separation of the soul from the body and Nekros - Refers to dead body, corpse. Death has also been referred to as “separation” as in Eph. 4:18;
Eph. 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
So death does not mean the annihilation.
>> For that matter, what happens to a human body that is cast into a lake of fire?<<
At the resurrection people are not given this physical body, they are given “immortal bodies”.
Matt 25:46—"These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Here is a quote from the site you suggested.
How can one imagine for a moment that the God who gave his Son to die for sinners because of his great love for them would install a torture chamber somewhere in the new creation in order to subject those who reject him to everlasting pain?"
That is the humanistic base for trying to deny the existence of an eternal place of torment. There hope is that if you don’t accept Christ as savior you don’t get “eternal life” with Him but you aren’t punished forever. Your punishment only takes a short time and then it’s just over and your gone. No long term suffering. It’s a mechanizm to protect from the horror of envisioning those who they know didn’t believe and “in case” they don’t make it that it won’t be as bad as some say.
You say that God wouldn’t punish someone for eternity. If you say you are a Christian then you already believe that God will punish for eternity. God is goint to eternally torment the Devil and all the angels that followed him.
Rev 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. So unless you deny scripture you already believe that God will torment “day and night forever and ever. Remember that the angels are also created by God just as we are. By this you must agree that your premise that God would not do that is wrong.
Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
There again, even you claim that those are only the people who took the mark of the best, is evidence that there is torment forever and ever.
Mt 25:46 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Christians are promised eternal life those who deny Christ are promised eternal torment or death (separation from God).