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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
 Gender: Male
Location: United States |
Hell Houses
Hell Houses
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 conservative Christian churches in North America. One intent is to proselytize the unsaved public. Another is to promote certain conservative Christian beliefs:
that abortions kill human babies;
that sexual orientation is a matter of choice and can be changed;
that everyone who is not saved will go to hell when they die (perhaps sooner, if Jesus returns);
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:
A realistic 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, and is frequently referred to in conservative Christian magazines and radio programs.
A person being sacrificed during a Satanic ritual.
Women undergoing very bloody late-term abortions, complete with screaming, lots of blood, and particularly insensitive, uncaring health providers. This scene has been partly abandoned in recent years in favor of a portrayal of guilt and depression arising from Post Abortion Syndrome.
Gays and lesbians being tortured in hell for all eternity because of their behavior while they were alive on earth.
The dangers of "dabbling" in the occult and becoming demon possessed.
Personal tragedies arising from pre-marital sex.
Disastrous tragedies and loss of life resulting from drunk driving.
A man has an argument with his wife and is later seduced by his secretary.
Witches pressuring a depressed teen to murder his fellow students.
A 9/11 ground zero scene.
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:19 PM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
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 Church in 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." 4 A few excerpts from the The 1997 Hell House Outreach Manual are:
"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."
"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..."
"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. 2 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 has since gone 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." 10 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. 3
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. 13
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:19 PM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
Criticisms of Hell House
The Colorado Council of Churches, criticized the scare tactics used in the Arvada Hell House. They were also critical of the literal demonization of homosexuals and abortion providers.
Rev. J.T. Tucker, director of youth ministries at Northway Christian
Church in Dallas, TX suggests that any shock value wears off quickly in a society saturated with violent images. He commented: "I detest those things...Trying to scare people into a decision [for Jesus] is very wrong...If you consider all the money, along with ministry hours...if they would refocus those areas on missions in urban Dallas, I think they would have a lot bigger return..."
The Human Rights Campaign is a group which promotes equal rights for gays and lesbians. They note that homosexuals are frequently demonized in Hell Houses. The reality of sexual orientation is also distorted. A Florida house features a "demon" who dances around the coffin of an AIDS victim, overjoyed that the dead man is now suffering in hell. He declares "I tricked him into believing he was born gay! Have you ever heard something so silly?" HRC spokesperson Wayne Besen calls such displays "pornography for the soul...It's poising the minds of people...It's especially hurting gay and lesbian youth who are already under pressure."
The Rev. Ballard's "Hell House" in Warren County OH was criticized by Doreen Cudnik, executive director of Stonewall Cincinnati. She said that the display "is out of touch with AIDS in the year 2000. To say gay equals AIDS equals burning in hell has the dangerous potential to lead to hate crimes against the gay community."
The Merced, CA Sun-Star newspaper criticized the New Beginning Christian Centerfor what the paper called an "unnecessarily brutal and insensitive" event. The church's pastor, Mike Duckworth, said: "We're going to scare the hell out of people and, at the end, show them there's a way out--Jesus Christ. We're bringing controversial issues to the forefront and then giving an antidote." 13
A Christian radio station in Fairfield, OH terminated ads which promoted Kings Point Church of God's Hell House because the ads invited listeners to "come see the funeral of a homosexual AIDS patient." The Cincinnati Enquirer said that the ads were "blatant gay bashing." 13
Author's note: Hell Houses appear to spread misinformation and disinformation about a variety of topics: The nature of abortion (90% of all abortions are performed in the first trimester; the percentage of third-trimester abortions -- as portrayed in the play -- is less than 1%).
The motivation and demeanor of abortion providers.
The appearance, beliefs and activities of Witches.
Satanic ritual abuse.
The nature of a person's sexual orientation.
We feel that their credibility will suffer in the eyes of the public. Their Hell Houses will do more harm than good to the cause of their sponsors.
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:19 PM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
Judgment Houses
New Creation Evangelism, Inc of Clearwater FL sells a Judgment House™ kit. Its literature describes it as "an 8 scene drama that makes people aware of the reality of heaven and hell." It shows "them the joy of having a relationship in Heaven with Jesus." Also shown is hell, "the ultimate haunted house, which is where they will spend eternity if they do not accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior..." Their kit is more expensive than the one for Hell Houses; it costs $250 U.S. But for this expenditure, a participating church becomes a Covenant church. They receive a new script each year, attend a training conference. Also included is a manual, advertising kit and telephone support.
Tom Hudgins, youth pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, created the first Judgment House in 1983 "as a Christian alternative to Halloween." 8 It consists of a sequence of eight scenes involving three teenagers: Whitney is saved; Darren rejects Jesus; Billy is initially undecided saved but later trusts Jesus. It "simply presents the gospel through real-life situations and allows the guests the opportunity to choose their final destination." 8 They have recorded over 1000 visitors of whom 150 (15%) became saved because of the experience. They list success stories from other locations: 1500 visitors of whom 105 (7%) came to Jesus; 4000 visitors of whom 400 (10%) were saved. Their conversion rates appear to be much lower than those for Hell Houses. Hudgins rejects the idea that Judgment Houses are similar to Hell Houses. The former appear to be far less horrific.
The various scenes introduce the three main characters. A fire kills Darren and mortally injures Whitney. A medical team unsuccessfully tries to save her life. Whitney dies, is judged, and is granted her reward of eternal life in heaven. However, Darren did not accept Jesus as Lord and Savior while he was alive. He is thrown into the lake of fire for eternal torment without hope of mercy or relief. "The Hell scene usually consists of a dark room heated to about 80 degrees into which the participants are herded to listen to agonizing screams from invisible speakers that surround them. Heaven is usually depicted as a bright white room (with no deficit of air conditioning) where one is surrounded by soft music and men and women dressed in heavenly garb." 6 Jesus is shown welcoming each new arrival. Christian counselors are accessible to the viewers as they exit the heaven scene. Adam Butler and two other members of the Alabama Freethought Association visited a Judgment House at Westwood Baptist Church in Burmingham AL. They were not impressed. Butler wrote: "After I saw two children praying through tears at the end of a performance, I realized just how powerful the fear tactics used by Judgment House really are. The mentality of churches to produce such an atrocity is simple--scare children early in their lives and they'll fear it until the day they die..."...what is the purpose of Judgment House, if not to use fear to convince someone of something that reason cannot?"
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:20 PM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
Revelation Walk:
A third approach is the Revelation Walk portrayed by the Eden Westside Baptist Church in Pell City, AL. 9 It consists of 12 scenes involving over 180 members of the congregation in its construction and operation. It describes "an outdoor drama that will show what the end times will be like for those who are left behind when Jesus 'raptures' the church." The rapture is a conservative Christian belief that Jesus will appear in the sky and call all saved Christians onto himself. Those who have died will have their bodies reconstructed, and will leave the grave, rising towards Christ in the sky. Saved Christians who are alive at the time of the second coming of Jesus will rise bodily into the sky to join Jesus as well. One Revelation Walk scene shows a traffic accident resulting from vehicles going out of control as their drivers exit through the roofs of the car or truck. The rapture event itself is be shown, as well as scenes of Hell and Heaven.
Tribulation Trail:
The Metro Heights Baptist Church near Stockbridge, GA started its "Tribulation Trail" in 1992. They expected 30,000 paid visitors during the Halloween season of 2001. Visitors get to see a demonstration of what conservative Protestants call "The Tribulation" a time when a wrathful God sends massive afflictions to humans. Various scenes deal with:
The exile of John, whom they believe wrote both the Gospel of John and book of Revelation.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, representing conquest, war, famine and plague.
Movies of the attack on the World Trade Center.
A classroom debate on the separation of church and state. It ends with a black-clad girl (presumably representing a Goth, Satanist or Neopagan) pulling out a gun and shooting a classmate. She shouts that she is "sick of hearing Jesus this and prayer that." [Author's note: It may be worth mentioning that no Goth, Satanist, Wiccan or other Neopagan student has ever been involved in a school shooting in North America.] 12
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:20 PM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
Curtis Road Church of God, in Champaign, IL: Their Hell House consists of: a young man [who] dies of AIDS; a "botched" abortion; "bodies [that] lie splattered with blood after a school shooting"; "a high school student blows his brains out after he's cut from the football team"; and "a drunken driver lives to watch his family die." 10
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Mar 10th, 2005 07:21 PM |
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ladygrim
The Grim piratess
 Gender: Female
Location: Thats so hot |
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Mar 10th, 2005 09:54 PM |
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Echuu
Master Jedi
 Gender: Male
Location: Climbing Up The Walls |
yah i think they have gone way too far in trying to get converts
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"Jesus also thought that non-believers should be stoned"------Alliance
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Mar 10th, 2005 10:16 PM |
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Zeal Ex Nihilo
Restricted
 Gender: Male
Location: Account Restricted |
Really interesting, although manipulation isn't the way one should try to convert others.
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Ask me about my "obvious and unpleasant agenda of hatred."
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Mar 10th, 2005 10:59 PM |
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krillinite
Senior Member
Gender: Male
Location: |
thats just disturbing
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Mar 10th, 2005 11:22 PM |
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Tptmanno1
Life Ponder-er
Gender: Male
Location: Dreaming...Or am I living... |
accually sound funny,
I wonder what would happen if you went into those and loudly stated facts. Like for the school shooting scene,
"But no Athiests wiccans or Staanists ever did this!"
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Mar 11th, 2005 12:30 AM |
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Renio
Restricted
 Gender: Male
Location: United States Account Restricted |
Draco69... you are one ****ed up dude
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you know you do you kill me well, you like it too and i can tell.
ones only dream
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Mar 11th, 2005 12:36 AM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
??? I just copied this from a website. You actually thought I was a supporter of these hell-houses. Hooked on Phonics works, my friend.
Renio you are seriously in need of a brain. (Follow the yellow brick road!)
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Mar 11th, 2005 01:59 AM |
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The Rover
 Gender: Male
Location: Canada |
Supposed "Hell Houses" are nothing but illicit propoganda started by the Catholic Church to scare young-people into....well, not living a real life. To become one of the zealots who believes so utterly in the Church that they would do anything to preserve it, including kill.....
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Sigs are for noobz.
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Mar 11th, 2005 03:41 AM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
It's not the Catholic Church. It's the Baptist and Evangelical churches. Catholics frown on the hell houses.
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Mar 11th, 2005 03:49 AM |
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The Rover
Gender: Male
Location: Canada |
So say they......
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Sigs are for noobz.
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Mar 11th, 2005 04:13 AM |
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krillinite
Senior Member
Gender: Male
Location: |
im a catholic, and i frown on it  
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Mar 11th, 2005 04:52 AM |
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BullitNutz
Two Plus Two Is Jello
 Gender: Male
Location: United States |
I'm sure Jesus is proud of his "loyal" subjects using outright terror to coerce people to join Christianity. This is sickening.
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Mar 11th, 2005 07:09 AM |
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Draco69
Snarky Slytherin
Gender: Male
Location: United States |
I don't like the fact that they use horrific images on children in order to convert them to "Christianity". Jesus would be sickened by such aversive actions.
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Mar 11th, 2005 11:44 AM |
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Jackie Malfoy
Jacks
 Gender: Female
Location: grounded |
Interesting I never heard of this before but it is still pretty cool.JM
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Mar 11th, 2005 12:16 PM |
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