Scaring you into religion?

Richard Dawkins talks to an organiser of a "hell house" play and is shocked at the unapologetic way in which the fear of hell is used as an effective coercive tactic.

Transcript:
R.D (voiceover): It's deeply disturbing to think that there are believers out there who actively use the idea of hell for moral policing.

R.D (voiceover): In the United States, Christian obsession with sin has spawned a national craze for "hell-houses". Morality place cum Halloween freakshows in which the evangelical hobby horses of abortion and homosexuality are literally demonised.

"Satan": Come on in. (maniacal laughter)
"Nurse": Chrissy. Be still. This was your choice.
"Satan": Choice!

Pastor Roberts: Good job, guys.

R.D (voiceover): Pastor Keenan Roberts is rehearsing a new production of his Colorado based hell-house, which he's written and staged for almost fifteen years.

R.D (voiceover): He fervently believes that you have to scare people into being good.

Pastor Roberts: The call upon my life as a pastor, as a minister, is to tell people what the book says and what I and we and our church and hundreds of churches across this country and around the world are doing is we have found a very creative, effective tool that is getting people's attention...

R.D: I believe it...

Pastor Roberts: ...to consider the message.

R.D: I believe it...


Pastor Roberts: We want to leave an indelible impression upon their life, that sin destroys. Every scene preaches the truth that either sin destroys or Jesus saves.

"Chrissy": You're gonna hurt me. You're hurting me...
"Nurse": Chrissy, it's only a medical procedure.
"Chrissy": No! No, I changed my mind... (piercing scream)
"Satan": It's just too bad, I wasn't there the night you were born. (laugh)

Pastor Roberts: Good

R.D (voiceover): If this is a rehearsal, think how horrific the full production must be.

R.D: I presume you have a cut off age for the tour. I mean, no children below an age of... What is your cut off age?

Pastor Roberts: Well, over the years of having audiences and people go through this, we have come to the decision that the best age for young people is really at twelve.

"Satan": You see killing babies is such a wonderful... choice. It's so... convenient.

R.D: Would it worry you, if a child of twelve coming to see your performance, had nightmares afterwards or would you like that?

Pastor Roberts: I would like them... I would like for their life to be changed, no matter what. I would rather for them to understand that hell is a place that they absolutely do not wanna go. I would rather reach them with that message at twelve than to not reach them with that message and have them live a life of sin and to never find the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Satan": Do you solemnly swear, to never believe that you are normal and that God is responsible for making you this way?
(Girls look at each other and nod)

R.D: In the case of homosexual marriage, what harm does that do? Why would you be so passionately against that?

Pastor Roberts: They're living in sin...

R.D: That's your opinion. It has nothing to do with you, has it? It's their decision...

Pastor Roberts: It's not my opinion. It's not my opinion. I'm telling you what the Bible says.

R.D: It's the Bible's opinion, but these are two people who want to live together. Isn't it their own business? What right have you to interfere?

"Satan": This woman and this woman, burning in a repulsive lust for one another, decieved by all around that they've been born gay, are joining their deeply confused life in this nauseating matrimony. ("Satan" forgets his lines...)

Prompter: 1 Corinthians 6, God says...

"Satan": 1 Corinthians 6. God says... homosexuality is a sin. A sin...

Prompter: Would you cue him?

Pastor Roberts: I want them to know, homosexuality is a sin.

R.D: But you believe it presumably on the basis of scriptural authority.

Pastor Roberts: Absolutely!

R.D: Um.. yeah...

Pastor Roberts: Unapologetically.

R.D: Yes, unapologetically but why are you so sure that that's right? I mean, if you think about where this book has come from... I mean... who wrote them and when... what makes you so confident that they're right?

Pastor Roberts: It's what I believe. It is a faith...

R.D: I know you believe it, but why?

Pastor Roberts: It is a faith issue with me. Why do you not believe it?

R.D: Uhh... Because of evidence...

This clip is an excerpt from a documentary called "Root of All Evil?". Buy it here:
http://store.richarddawkins.net/products/root-of-all-evil-the-original-program
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Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• hell
• house
• Richard
• Dawkins
• Christianity
• religion
• fear
• abortion
• homosexuality
• atheist
• atheism
• root
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• evil
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[MWcrazyhorse]

hey there. you speak of love and of god. I have three questions wich are intertwined:

#1 is 'god' all powerful and full of love and if he is

#2 why does 'god' need loopholes such as sacrificing his 'son jesus' to 'save' us from our 'original sin' (can't he just say wriggle his nose and blink)

#3 and why does god send people to 'hell' to torture them for eternity if they do not accept his loophole son named jesus as saviour?

on a side note if you come up with an answer you would be the first.

[pixelape99]

Wait...So your telling me killing babies ISN'T convenient?

[TheThunderGirl1]

@otakuvampire352 what you talking of?? i was raised christian and the only thing that did for me was almost kill me. if bible prophecy is true, that means god wants to let people go to hell by predestining them for it. all i ask for from christianity is some common sense and morality, not a house where i am put on a guilt trip every service unless i drop money inot the plate for the rich pastor and apologize for being human. ???

[TheThunderGirl1]

I had to go to that motherfucker when i was a kid. i got scared and held onto the person next to me.

[jackthayer]

didn't they try scaring ppl into religion before/ i can't quiet put my finger on the name oh yeah it was called the dark ages

[WhiteHawk95]

If you have to scare people into worshiping Jesus you are doing a horrible job. You should accept Jesus because you love him not because you're scared.

[Theiasember]

If you have to threaten and intimidate to promote your position than your position is weak and untenable.

[watchout8433]

I wish I didn't have to turn the sound down every time they show that painfully bad actor screaming about abortions and gay marriage. I'd like to watch the video, it seems interesting but I'm afraid my neighors will think a nut lives next door.

[otakuvampire352]

you should be a christian because you love jesus and accepted him into your heart. not because your afraid.

[roxyredCENTRAL]

The pastor is insane.

[9511mike]

Dawkins certainly won the debate! how can some one just scare children into belief? it's ludicrous as hell.

[MrJohnboy1984]

christians are obsessed with sin and immorality, every fucking thing is a sin and is immoral to christians, christians are paranoid and deluded and are totally against everything, bunch of sad cases christians are, fuck religion, religion is fascist bullshit.