I think the Christian concept of hell (at least from a close study of its history I am lead to believe) was a constantly evolving mythology based allmost entirely upon it's greek preddesesor. Which btw had been around before the persecutions and which btw is not a place anyone wanted to go, becuase it was filled with just as many bad things as dantes inferno, in fact...its where the author of that work got his ideas.

Additonally I dont believe the idea of suicide being wrong is inhierently rooted in any such machiavelean level smoking man x files level conspiricy whatsoever.

Hell or its existance in whatever form is irelavent to any discussion conserning weather or not a Christian smiled during their execution or prayed and forgave their executioners while burning at the stake etc (such circumstances btw being well documented).

The Christian didnt face the Lion with a smile out of some fear of hell anyways...for the Christian hell wasn't even relevant where as they were conserned...becuase the Christian knows they are not going there.