Why exactly is it offensive to be told you're going to Hell?

[Pedro de San Patricio]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

 

[Mr Natural]

I remember in Catechism the nuns admonishing us to never ever tell someone to go to hell. It was the worst thing you could say to someone.

Personally, I've always preferred "go fuck yourself" over "go to hell" but that's just personal preference.

 

[cnm]

What a good question. I think it must be that it implies one must have accepted the existence of hell in order to end up there.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Not offensive.

Laughable.

Offensive is when the thumpers won't get off your front porch.

 

[emilynghiem]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

1. It's like the natural reaction if someone tells you "you're wrong, you're teaching a false doctrine, I'm right I'm closer to God
and I'm in a higher position to judge you and tell you you're wrong"

That is going to rub people wrong, regardless what words or context are used, unless you are totally detached and unaffected like the Dalai Lama or other well disciplined monks or saints,
who know that they are not responsible for whatever accusations or judgments come from other people who are responsible for their own words, respectively.

Sure, if you understand this, then NOTHING anyone says to you should get you worked up.
that's all THEIR project onto you and has more to do with them than with you.

What makes or breaks you are the words that come from YOUR mouth,
not the accusations of others that reflect on them.

this is true, but human nature is to react when someone judges you
as being wrong, teaching false things, and being inferior to them because they know better.

For the rest of humanity, that tends to offend people.

2. As for hell, what causes people to go down that path is unforgiveness.
But I have yet to see anyone ever convince someone to forgive by judging and condemning them
for being wrong or going to hell.

The main influence toward forgiveness I've seen work is through forgiveness.

If you don't forgive, this attracts and repeats negative energy patterns
and causes suffering on many levels, whatever level you consider represented by hell.

When we forgive, this opens the door for life to bring healing and corrections
to mend the relations and right the wrongs so they don't happen again the future.

So forgiveness/unforgiveness
is the difference in the path between
heaven and hell, lasting peace or endless suffering.

 

[LindaVance826]

When I tell someone to go to hell, it is because I am hurt or angry by something this person has done. I am telling that person, I want the worst thing in the world to happen to him. Going to hell is a one way trip. If you are an atheist, it shouldn't mean anything to you. If you are curious about hell, there's plenty written about it.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Just wish the person "Godspeed, and Jesus loves even you."

 

[cnm]

No need to be hurtful.

 

[PratchettFan]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

It never offended me. You might as well threaten me with fairies pulling my nose hairs out slowly for eternity.

 

[turzovka]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

It's mean, it's wrong and it's sinful. Some probably really don't mean it, a few may, many others simply do not care what they are saying.

It's actually of an egregious degree of sinfulness, IMO. When Pope Francis was asked about atheists, he basically said heaven was still open to them. And when asked about homosexuals he said "who am I to judge?" I am sure he would say the same about atheists and basically every human on earth.

The Bible is clear, the Catholic Church even more clear. We have no right to ever judge the soul of another and it is obvious why that must be. Too bad too many Christians are so ignorant they don't get it.

 

[aris2chat]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

Would you want to be called a pedophile, murder, rapist, thief, terrorist, traitor or some other label with a stigma that was not true?

You don't have to believe in hell to not want a false label or prejudice being attached to you.

I would hope most people work hard to build a good reputation. To say you are going to hell or go to hell, if other hear that their impression of you might be tainted.

 

[Pedro de San Patricio]

1. It's like the natural reaction if someone tells you "you're wrong, you're teaching a false doctrine, I'm right I'm closer to God and I'm in a higher position to judge you and tell you you're wrong"

And I totally see how other theists would take offense to that, but atheists don't believe in any god to be more or less close to.

2. As for hell, what causes people to go down that path is unforgiveness. But I have yet to see anyone ever convince someone to forgive by judging and condemning them for being wrong or going to hell.

But an actual atheist doesn't have any more reason to fear condemnation to Hell than she does the displeasure of Sky Father or the evil eye.

 

[presonorek]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

It never offended me. You might as well threaten me with fairies pulling my nose hairs out slowly for eternity.

In Veggie Tales the characters have to go to the island of perpetual tickling. (Just as bad as the fairies and the nose hairs.)

 

[Skull Pilot]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

I don't understand the need to be "outspoken"

I consider myself an atheist with agnostic leanings but I do not feel the need to preach my belief system to others who are religious

Why do you?

 

[PratchettFan]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

It never offended me. You might as well threaten me with fairies pulling my nose hairs out slowly for eternity.

In Veggie Tales the characters have to go to the island of perpetual tickling. (Just as bad as the fairies and the nose hairs.)

Well, now I'm offended.

 

[presonorek]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

I don't understand the need to be "outspoken"

I consider myself an atheist with agnostic leanings but I do not feel the need to preach my belief system to others who are religious

Why do you?

Your belief system puts people in danger of death which you are unable to prevent any more than another human can. In the evangelical Christian's belief system you are in danger of much more and they are equipped with knowledge to protect you. If you believed what they do then you would work 16 hours a day keeping everybody from that torment. I personally think evangelical Christians are assholes for not doing more. How could you sleep knowing that your neighbor will be tortured for eternity?

 

[Moonglow]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

I would just tell them I had a first class ticket when I go to Hell, you'll only have coach...or I already bought the tickets in advance..

 

[presonorek]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

It never offended me. You might as well threaten me with fairies pulling my nose hairs out slowly for eternity.

In Veggie Tales the characters have to go to the island of perpetual tickling. (Just as bad as the fairies and the nose hairs.)

Well, now I'm offended.

Don't be. They have a whole team of writers on staff to come up with this stuff. It doesn't mean your idea sucks. It just means they have more resources to develop their idea.

 

[alang1216]

If someone really believes I'm going to hell isn't it their religious obligation to point that out to me? After all I might be saved because of them. If pointing out my sins doesn't change my beliefs or behaviors shouldn't they then make every effort to change it, for my own good of course? For example, making my beliefs or behaviors illegal and making me subject to jail, whipping, or burning at the stake. We've been down this road before.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

I grew up as an outspoken atheist in the South. I heard that a lot. I still don't really get why people get so worked up over it. It's not a real place. The person saying it isn't, say, putting a curse on you or anything of the sort. It's not really even a threat. It's just a statement that, according to their religion, you're going to a made up bad place for not joining it. That's it. There is literally nothing to be afraid and yet I still see atheists - people who really should know better - bitching about it all the time. Whiskey tango foxtrot?

Can't go somewhere that doesn't exist. Hell is a creation of the early Catholic church after they exterminated the more 'actually Christian' Gnostics.