[.ca] Hell House

Turning the Good News into Bad News:
I grew up in an evangelical church where scare tactics and repeated warnings that Jesus' return was imminent were used to keep you on the straight and narrow path. I thought the scene where the leader confronts a group of offended teenagers who obviously didn't appreciate that rather black and white portrayal of life, and made no bones about it. As much as I agree with a theology that places Jesus at the center of life, I found myself agreeing more with those that took offense than to the leadership of this church that doesn't seem to realize what the implications of what they're doing really are. I wonder how the members of this group would feel if there was a similar house set up that portrayed the worst aspects of church life and scared people away from every coming to church. How about a room where a Sunday school teacher is found out for cheating on his wife, or an authoritarian pastor steamrolls over the life of one of his parishioners or misappropriates church funds? How about seeing the fallout that comes after one of these Pentecostal-type pastors intimates that he knows the date of the Second Coming? How about a room where a priest is buggering an altar boy? I wonder what the reaction to that would be? I really wonder sometimes if God appreciates his calling card being offered in the guise of fearmongering and extremism. I can think of nothing better than people having God encounters; but I am thinking that if the impulse is fear and not love, then the encounter is dimmed if not tarnished altogether. My gut feeling is that people who get scared into the kingdom are spiritual parapalegics; yes, they are in the door but they are forced to get around in wheelchairs. Jesus... save us from your followers...

Makes you think.:
The documentary certainly looks down on the subjects. The rave guy who acts like he knows so much, actually is so clueless he doesnt know the name of the date rape drug. The research by the members of the church is horrible. The film is gritty (both in subject and lighting) and some scenes had no relevence (dating & football matches?) Watching the film a few things popped into my mind 1) where is the scene with the abortion doctor murderer. 2)I hope none of the people ever get raped or depressed. Arogance at it's best

I go to Trinity and have been in Hell House for 2 years:
I know because i am a member of the church and i am an actor in Hell House everyone will automatically assume that i will defend. But in all actuality...Hell House is a walk through play. A play about reality. The demons in the scene portray the enemies work and influence he can have in anyone's life. but if you have a relationship with God, you have victory over Satan and you can overcome any tactic or scheme he has set up against your life. "what the devil intended for bad, God intends for good"...circumstances in your life happen...God knew you before you were born, he "knows the plans he has for you...plans for a hope and a future" the characters depicted in the scenes can be any person in the world. anything can happen to you and it's up to you if you are going to live for god or not, our "scare-tactics" as some would call them cannot get you "saved". only your decision about accepting Jesus Christ, who already knew you and the mistakes you would make and died for you anyway. The situations the audience watches happen in peoples lives happen everyday. whether they live for God or not. you never know when someone is going to come to school with a gun...and you definately not know if he will shoot you or not, but are you ready for your life to end? God created humans in order for us to worship him. he gave us free will in order that we can decide for ourselves if that is the life we want to live, the life he has called for us. some people don't understand the position we put ourselves in acting in Hell House. it opens doors for satan to really mess with us. our youth leaders have to decide what scene is okay for us to do. the reputation people label our church...creepy, weird, insane...you know, it's okay. it really is. because it's all for the glory of God and we're doing it to help you. and help God further his kingdom. i encourage you before you say anything, to go through Hell House yourself and see what it's like for you. have an open mind to things you haven't experienced. if you don't have an open mind about someone else and their beliefs how will they be open to you?

Christians are the worlds real problem:
Sigh. Christians really grate on me. They are wasting thier lives doing this kind of crap. The real God loves everybody REGARDLESS of who you serve or what you do. Christians say that gods love is unconditional yet there is so many rules attached to recieve it. I used to be a christian and It felt wrong to judge and to spread fear to the masses about thier tortorous afterlife if they dont believe the way I BELIEVED. You know they have a name for that kind of thing. Its called a dictator. Hitler was a dictator. Christians have hurt this country more than any plague, politician or disease ever could. Thier religious practices have alienated, berated, judged and condemned its own people who they are suppose to love. They will spout hell at you because thats the only weapon they truly have. The devil has been the best friend the church has ever had as he has been responsible for filling up thier bleachers every Sunday. Its true. Without the threat of Satan christians are powerless. Because that threat is supposedly there people fall over themselves and cry and pray and speak in rubbish while pointing fingers at us saying we are condemned to live in fire after we die. Why? BECAUSE WE DONT BELIEVE IN THIER WAY!! The world will never ever ever be a perfect place its not designed that way. I believe we are all here to learn and love than when its time we go back to god. Whatever you did in the physical life will have no bearing when you die. Christians follow a man that committed suicide the hardway by allowing himself to be stapled on a cross. Supposedly this was done thousand of years ago. Why should I be obligated to follow him? Because he died for my sins? I bit melodramatic dont you think. Sins is a cop out that christians use to flex thier illusionary muscles to power the weak into assimilation. Im totally comfortable with my way of life and spiritually, christians on the other hand are without a clue and soon it will all start crumbling down around thier ears. If anything God probably sees Christians as comedians..if you watch this DVD thats really hard to argue. Much love to everybody!! The world is your school, you will always be with God.

Christian Extortion At It's Worst:
This is a fascinating look at the evangelical world of black and white, good and evil. With no tolerance, or room for ambiguity in their thoughts, the "folks" at Trinity Church explain all the of life's complexities with one simple creed, it's the work of the devil. One simple-minded soul explains, "this is the worst the world has ever been." Apparently the poor dear has never heard of the plague, witch trials, or other tortured times when the religion ruled the world. I suppose they didn't teach those things at the Trinity school. The most frightening part of this documentary is when young children, after being subjected to scenes that relentlessly hammer them with violent images, are psychologically coerced into going through a door "where there are people waiting to pray with you", or re-enter the secular world and risk damnation. As a psychotherapist, (another thing that evangelicals believe are of the devil) I can now fully understand why the majority of my most impaired clients come from fundamentalist backgrounds. Allowing young children to go through a Hell House is nothing short of child abuse, and at the very least Christian extortion.