I rarely do this but I think this video will help explain to those who are truly interested in more than their own preconceptions:
http://www.swedenborg.com/good-thing-hell/
There is also this quote:
http://www.swedenborg.com/good-thing-hell/
There is also this quote:
Quote:... This too [punishment] seems to come from the Lord, but still no punishment there does come from the Lord. It comes from the evil itself, since an evil is so closely united to its punishment that they cannot be separated. The hellish mob craves and loves nothing more than inflicting harm, especially punishing and torturing, and they do inflict harm and punishment on anyone who is not being protected by the Lord. So when something evil is being done to an evil heart, since this rejects any protection by the Lord, evil spirits assail the evildoer and inflict punishment.—Heaven and Hell §550