Because I don’t think a loving god should have to scare the poo out of you to extract a conversion like torturers extract a confession.
from religousintolerence.org
A Hell House consists of a group of horrific scenes within a type of haunted house. The customer walks through a sequence of tableaus designed to create terror and revulsion. The last scene is different; it is typically a portrayal of heaven. The visitors are then asked to accept salvation by repenting of their sins and trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior.
Hell Houses are a relatively new evangelistic technique used by many hundreds of fundamentalist and other evangelical churches in North America. One intent is to proselytize the unsaved public. Another is to promote certain conservative Christian beliefs, such as:
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That abortions kill human persons;
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That sexual orientation is a matter of choice, is changeable, and that God hates same-sex behavior;
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That everyone who is not saved will go to Hell when they die. They will then be eternally tortured without any hope of mercy or release;
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That underground Satanic cults engage in widespread sacrifice of humans. |
Some hell houses are disguised to resemble conventional secular haunted houses. The customer only realizes that they have a religious theme after they have bought their ticket and gone part of the way through the scenes.
Typical scenes are:
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A phoney reenactment of the murder of Cassie Bernall, a teenager victim at the Columbine High School in 1999-APR. She was allegedly asked whether she believed in God, answered yes, and was murdered on the spot. The incident never happened. But the story has taken on a life of its own. She is frequently referred to in conservative Christian magazines, books, and radio programs as a Christian martyr.
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A person being sacrificed during a Satanic ritual. The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) web site warned of Wiccan rituals and stated “… evidence persists that some Satanists and voodoo groups offer sacrifices — usual animals, but, possibly, human babies” at this time. Satanic Ritual Abuse was a widespread hoax that was commonly believed during the 1980s and early 1990s. 1
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Women undergoing very bloody late-term abortions, complete with screaming, lots of blood, and particularly insensitive, uncaring health providers. Some of these scenes have been partly abandoned in recent years in favor of a portrayal of guilt and depression arising from Post Abortion Syndrome.
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Gays and lesbians being tortured in hell for all eternity because of their same-sex behavior while they were alive on earth.
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The dangers of “dabbling” in the occult and becoming demon possessed.
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Personal tragedies arising from pre-marital sex.
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Disastrous tragedies and loss of life resulting from drunk driving.
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A man having an argument with his wife and is later seduced by his secretary.
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Witches pressuring a depressed teen to murder his fellow students.
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A 9/11 ground zero scene. |
History of Hell Houses:
The earliest hell house may have been created by Trinity Assembly of God in Dallas TX. It was popularized by Rev. Jerry Falwell in the late 1970′s. The concept was picked up in 1992 by Keenan Roberts. His first Hell House was in Roswell, NM. Since then, he has become a pastor of the Abundant Life Churchin Arvada, CO. He sells “Hell House Outreach” kits to other churches. Included is a 263 page manual which covers “everything from media publicity to casting and costume.” 2 A few excerpts from the The 1997 Hell House Outreach Manual are:
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“Pieces of meat placed in a glass bowl to look like pieces of a baby… purchase a meat product that closely resembles pieces of a baby.”
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“Theatrical Blood. Because a large amount of blood is used in this scene and in others, someone should be responsible for mixing a vat of it each evening…”
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“Chrissy [the woman having an abortion] starts crying. She is extremely distraught…the medical staff is cold, uncaring, abrupt, and completely insensitive…” |
Included in the kit is a video of the previous year’s Arvida Hell House and a special effects CD. 3 According to Roberts’ literature, the CD includes “the voice of suicide, the voice of God, and the bone-chilling demon declaration of ‘HELL HOUSE’ in the opening scene…”
The 1999 price of the kit was $199 U.S. It later went up to $208.80. He commented to National Public Radio: “We’re not doing this to win a popularity contest. We’re saying look, sin is hurting our nation and Jesus Christ is the answer to what you’re going through.”
Roberts has received international attention through an appearance on the Phil Donahue Show, and reports in the London Times, MS Magazine, New York Times, Newsweek, etc. He told the Denver Post that the exhibit was designed to “show young people that they can go to hell for abortion, adultery, homosexuality, drinking and other things unless they repent and end the behavior.” 4
In his first three years of business, Roberts sold 300 kits, and had 20,000 guests. His own Hell House reports about 7,000 or 35% Christian conversions (instances of personal salvation). Admission is $7.00 U.S. or $6.00 if you have brought canned goods for the needy. Bill Geerhart has recorded a somewhat unsympathetic blow-by-blow account of his passage through the Arvada Hell House. 5
Roberts will not have a display in 2004. He told the Associated Press: “It’s not gone away; we’re just taking a year off.” He said that his Hell House idea is now used by more than 500 churches in 14 countries.
–So back to me–
So it’s not exactly a news flash that people find ways to harm, scare and deceive people for a thrill and to make a buck. But I was thinking that it would be really cool to give an upfront and honest, positive-experience dramatazation of what you believe that your faith has to offer. I’m not suggesting some kind of after life trade show that would be weird. (is this is insomnia talking???)
I used to live with this family who had this baby, and I lived with them from when she was 6 months until 2.5 years. And this was shortly after leaving my family. She is now 21 because I am now old. I have always felt close to her, don’t know how she feels about me. I used to baby sit a lot , even when I didn’t live with them and she was a great spiritual leader to me. When she was about 8, she may have been younger. I think a grandparent had died.
She was fascinated with death. She asked me what happened when people died. And I didn’t know what to say. I said, “well if you are a sinner… “ And she didn’t know what the word sin meant. I couldn’t fathom this. Because the word sin was rolled and kneaded into the dough that made me. I looked down at her, but not for too long cause I was driving and I didn’t really want to know what happened when we died.
She was very matter of fact, this person is very matter of fact. “Well… all the good Christians go to heaven. All the bad Christians go to hell. And everyone else goes to Rose Flower and we have picnics and watch puppet shows.”
I looked at her and thought that sounded like an afterlife I could sign up for. Especially sine she told me there were no bug bites or sun burns in Rose Flower. So I think that is the Afterlife experience I would set up.
I am curious to see what positive parts of the afterlife that the followers of Baha’i, Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, Wicca, Zoroastrianism, and Druidism could come up with. I think it would be a great party.
I’ll bring a casserole if you promise no abortions.
