Why are fundamentalist Christians so fond of telling people they're going to hell?

Question

I lost my dear mother this past summer at the age of 65 and was discussing this on a forum which was crawling with fundamentalist Christians. Most of them wasted no time in telling me that my mother was burning in hell for the grave sin of being a catholic. My mother was a sweet and loving person and would never harm another, and kept her faith to herself. Where does this HATRED come from?

Addendum: I know they were fundamentalists because they identified themselves as "saved" and talked at length about catholicism being of the devil.

No, they were not trolls. They were actually well-meaning people - that's the scary part.

Answer 1

Why? Because they are full of fear and condemnation. Because they are not happy people. Because they twist the teachings of Jesus to their own way of thinking. Because they feel that if people would believe that they are going to burn in hell, they come round to THEIR way of thinking.

I think the opposite is now being done. People are looking at the negative statements and beliefs of the fundamentalists, and realizing that these people are not in their right minds. There are examples of this in those that taunt at the funeral of a gay young man, upsetting the family.
Of Hell Houses, which I have only just heard about,
Of Fire and Brimstone.

These poor, sad unhappy individuals, live their daily life trying to change people to their way of thinking. They do not understand that you cannot change another, you can only change yourself. Which, of course, they do not wish to do because then they wouldn't have a reason to live.

Sad, very sad - yet very dangerous.

I apologise to you for my fellow human beings who have hurt you so, regarding your mother's death. Know that she was a truly good woman and that she was so much happier in her choice of a lifestyle, than those unfortunate souls who try to make everybody else miserable like themselves.

I personally believe that we leave our physical body behind and the essence of who we are, our spirit, our soul moves on to somewhere else. I also believe that your mother is with you right now as you read this answer, and that she is smiling down on you, knowing that you are O.K. and that you
will feel her presence sometimes.

Peace and love,

Answer 2

Just because this one person told you that means that ALL fundamentalist feel the need to tell you that you're going to Hell? I'm a fundy and I don't tell people they are going to hell. I tell them the way out of going to hell. Ok. Different people have different ideas on what a fundamentalist really is.

Answer 3

It's not because they're Christian, if that's any comfort.

They do it because they're vile, sadistic people who use their religion to make themselves feel superior to others. These people form fringe groups in many religions, and except for a few religious details, they're all alike.

They're sociopathic, and incapable of empathizing with others. They enjoy making others feel bad, they relish the idea of watching other people being tortured while they watch, and they seem to worship the idea of a cruel bloodthirsty god who hates all the same people they do.
(Rapture Ready is a concentrated pit of these people. It's terrifying to read. Worse is the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist site, Teens-4-Christ. It seems more like a cult run by a pedophile, though... even other IFBs denounce them.)

Fortunately, there are decent Christians out there to tip the balance. They just aren't as vocal as the attention-seeking minority.

Answer 4

We live in a society where we don't personally deal with death very often. Some people are so upset by this unfamiliar topic that they react in inappropriate ways. They let their own fears control their behavior.

Other people seem to see death as an opportunity. They know that people who have lost a loved one are emotionally vulnerable. They see it as the perfect opportunity to convert an unsuspecting soul. Some even seem to think that the best way to do that is to spout a lot of fire and brimstone. Maybe they think that they can frighten us into joining them. It doesn't make much sense to me, and it seems very unkind.

It would be more appropriate to respond with compassion and kindness. I am sorry to hear that you lost your mother. And losing her at only 65 must have been difficult. Remember that the fools that you refer to did not know your mother. I don't think that carrying this hurt (and perhaps anger) is helping you. I think that you will be better off if you can find a way to let it go. I hope that your question is a part of your way to do that.

Answer 5

Who is going around doing that???

"Fundamentalist" Christians are "fond" of telling people they're going to hell???

I guess, using YOUR logic, that firemen just LOVE to tell people the dangers of playing with matches and that if they start a fire they could get burned!

Perhaps you should find out what Christians are REALLY saying, and WHY. It will make a whole world of difference when you find out the Truth about hell.

By the way, people ONLY go to hell for breaking God's Laws. God MUST judge sin. He can not allow sin to go unpunished, or heaven would quickly become as corrupt as earth.

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins for any who would admit their guilt, turn from their sins, and allow Jesus to be the Lord (boss) of their life.

I'm sorry for the loss of your mother. I didn't know her, and I didn't know her heart or what kind of relationship she had with Jesus, so I'm in no position to talk about her eternal destiny.

But if she DID go to heaven, you want to give your heart and life over to Jesus Christ so you can see her again!

Again, my condolences over the loss of your mother.

Answer 6

It comes from narrow minded, unimaginative people. If you read any Christian Bible, it does not say that. It gradually says throughout it's pages that a person who always considers others and is kind and generous to them is very likely to go to Heaven, regardless of faith. Those who do evil will go to Hell regardless of faith. In fact every religious equivalent book that I have read says the same. It is a pity people are either too lazy, or too concerned with themselves to read the other parts of the book, which might involve them having to give something of themselves, instead of it being made easy just by being whatever religion they are. Rest assured, if someone is not too BAD a person in this life (we all make mistakes) They are likely to end in their equivalent of Heaven.
I am not Catholic, by the way.
Additional : Looking through the other answers, I see feelings ranging from the soft approach to religion, including atheism, to fairly hard line. The other thing I see is that regardless of very opposing views, everybody here is is expressing them in the manner of a discussion, no ranting and raving. Maybe if the politicians and religious leaders of the world could learn to do the same we could all live in peace and respect for others. I am proud to be included in such a group.

Answer 7

Unfortunately many believe they are doing their Christian duty. I doubt if many of them have true understanding of the Catholic faith. If they did they would understand that Catholics believe is salvation by the blood of the lamb and not good works.

Some of them will tell you they are former Catholics. Those are the ones who were not taught their Catholic faith properly or were taught it but never learned what they were taught.

The ones you encountered on that forum are also seriously lacking in compassion. They also use the "Your mother is burning in hell" approach because they cannot come up with an intelligent argument for why you should believe the way the do.

Answer 8

I understand your perspective that it is hatred. I think that many of them don't see it that way though...they see it as an act of love to warn someone of the danger. Personally, I see it as an expression of their own fear...and yes, fear can often express itself in hateful behaviors.

I've been a Christian for nearly 35 years and the situation you described is one of the main reasons I spent most of those years avoiding Christians, especially in large groups. I simply can't comprehend how people can reconcile the message and the life of Jesus with telling a grieving person that their loved one is burning in hell. Jesus NEVER said or did anything even remotely like that during his time on earth.

I find it interesting, and sad, that so many Christians miss the point when it comes to hell. God doesn't want us to threaten others with hell, he wants us to be motivated by the existence of hell to show others the way to avoid it through LOVE! I cringe every time I hear a Christian tell a non-Christian that he or she is going to burn in hell for whatever reason...that isn't loving. More importantly, it reveals something about their own motivation that I find particularly sad...the benefits/rewards of following Jesus are so much more than avoiding hell. Serving him out of fear is far less rewarding that serving him out of love!

I lost my own dear mother nine years ago (at 66). If you would like to talk to a non-judgmental Christian who doesn't consider Catholicism a sin, feel free to email me!

Answer 9

I definitely need to chime in on this one. Let me get this out of the way-not all Catholics are saved. That said, realize that the door swings both ways-not all people who profess to be Christian are saved either.

Furthermore, I wouldn't go around saying that your mother is going to Hell anymore that I would go around saying she's in heaven. Only God can decide. leopardshaz's answer scares me because it furthers the point I'm trying to make-people don't go to Heaven because they're good. The Bible teaches quite the opposite. Plus, who is leopardshaz to say that she's going to Heaven anymore than everyone else said that she's going to Hell. Again, it's for God to decide.

That said, let me explain myself. behonest has the best answer I've seen so far. It matters on whether or not your mother accepted Jesus as her personal savior. I am upset to see the beliefs of individuals here that believe that good works will get someone into Heaven. One even goes as far to say that the Bible "gradually says throughout its pages that a person who always considers others and is kind and generous to them is very likely to go to Heaven, regardless of faith," which goes against everything that Jesus stood for.

Jesus taught that those who believe in Him will be saved, and not of their good works. Psalm 53:3 states that there is nobody that does good. Mark 10:18 is where Jesus repeats that-"No one is good—except God alone." So because nobody does good, there can be nobody going to Heaven, right? We're all bad people; we're all sinners. That's why we need Jesus. That's why belief in Jesus is the only way into Heaven. He paid for your sins so that you wouldn't have to pay for them in eternity.

I hope this all makes sense, and I'll be praying for you and your family.

Answer 10

iam so sorry for your loss, iam a christian and no your mother will not burn in hell, if someone claims there christians and say that there not christians there just mean arrogant peoble who like to hurt you, dont let them do this to you, a true christian would have comforted you and your Mother regardles of what religion she was Catholics believe in the same God we do so i think that was very unkind to do, i lost my mother in Aril of this year and she did not go to church but she did believe now does she go and burn in Hell, no and your Mother wont either, god knowse who is a good person. i know this is hard to take but dont liston to those peoble this is not a christian, i will pray for you and please forgive me if i misspelled iam german, happy New Year to you and your Familie and also iam ashamed for peoble who call them selfs christians, i love everyone, regardless of what they are , god says love one an other and everyone on this coment i love you and wish you all well.