Hello Sir Chauncy! I thought to give me 5 cents to the discussion.First i would like to state that what im saying is not a christian theology but my personal wiew on the subject.I believe that God created everything,so he created the devil and hell also. I dont believe God created us becouse he just had a thought, lets create man and see what happends.I think he had a purpose to do that. He wanted us to develope so he gave us an free will,so we can decide our selves what to do.In my wiew in order to grow, man has to suffer.I think its the bad things in life that stop us time to time and make us rethink our goals and values.
So i think that the Devil is therefore a tool of God in the end.About Hell.In the bible Jesus refers the Hell as Gehenna,which was a dumping place in Jerusalem.I dont think the Hell is all fire and pain.I think its oblivion of souls.If you dont develope and try to live good life,you just cant pass to the next level.( I know this sounds awfully Buddhist.Life is suffering and you try to reach Nirvana.But like i sayed earlier im heretic. )
I also have huge doupts about my faith when i see big disasters where lots of people die seemingly without reason or when a child dies almost before his or hers life have even begun.
Only thing that i can think of at times like those is that those souls were ready to leave this place and are now in better place.
This is all my personal beliefs and it might sound funny or ridiculous to some of you,but thats my faith.Maybe im right,maybe im wrong but i guess we will never find out in this world.