Happy Atheist Forum

Community => Life As An Atheist => Topic started by: Tank on November 07, 2021, 09:00:28 AM

Title: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Tank on November 07, 2021, 09:00:28 AM
If a believer threatens an atheist with 'Hell' is that a terrorist act?
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Dark Lightning on November 07, 2021, 02:10:21 PM
I had been a non-believer for many years before admitting that I was an atheist. One of my concerns was the programming of hell into me. It wasn't stressed to me as a kid, so that helped. One only needs to study comparative religions to realize that the entire structure is fable. In my case, that made it easier to reject the entire package, including fear of hell. That said, the deeply religious who construct "hell houses" to scare their children and threaten punishment in hell for all eternity for some act or other are likely terrorists in some sort of definition.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Recusant on November 07, 2021, 05:38:05 PM
For believers, I would say that the threat of eternal damnation is terroristic, certainly. That threat doesn't really carry any weight against an atheist, or at least against an atheist that doesn't believe consciousness survives death, since it promises dreadful things that happen after you're dead.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Icarus on November 08, 2021, 12:53:08 AM
https://sproutsschools.com/bonhoeffers-theory-of-stupidity/
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Dark Lightning on November 08, 2021, 01:40:43 AM
^ I call that willful ignorance. It's a pretty sad state of affairs.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Tank on November 09, 2021, 04:35:43 PM
Thank you for your thoughts.

My question hinges on the intent of the person making the threat. If a theist threatens me (a never-theist atheist) with hell it just makes me metaphorically shake my head. But in their eyes they are threatening me with a fate worse than killing me. They are threatening me with eternal torture.

In the UK there is a law against malicious communication. A perfect example would be a death threat on the internet. Should a threat of being sent to Hell constitute malicious communication? If so it is a criminal offence.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Tank on November 09, 2021, 04:36:56 PM
Quote from: Icarus on November 08, 2021, 12:53:08 AM
https://sproutsschools.com/bonhoeffers-theory-of-stupidity/

That was very interesting.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: billy rubin on November 09, 2021, 06:04:02 PM
hell is a variable thing. lots of christians dont believe in the medeival version of demons and pitchforks. the jehovahs witnesses dont believe in punishment at all-- youre either in heaven with jehovah, livingin paradise earth, or youve been annihalated. the greek orthodox have a different conception that i dont fully understand, which is that heaven and hell are the same place, and whether its happy or unhappy depends on your attitude.

the caitanya hindus have the transmigration idea, but refer vaguely to hell as that state where you have sunk so low in your rebirth that you are unlikely to ever make it out.

and the old greek version was that hades was a place of eternal existence that was generally bleak, but not as a punishment.

ive talked to jews who dont even consider an after life part of their world view.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Recusant on November 10, 2021, 01:47:41 AM
Quote from: Tank on November 09, 2021, 04:35:43 PM
Thank you for your thoughts.

My question hinges on the intent of the person making the threat. If a theist threatens me (a never-theist atheist) with hell it just makes me metaphorically shake my head. But in their eyes they are threatening me with a fate worse than killing me. They are threatening me with eternal torture.

In the UK there is a law against malicious communication. A perfect example would be a death threat on the internet. Should a threat of being sent to Hell constitute malicious communication? If so it is a criminal offence.

The Christian telling you that you are going to Hell is not threatening to send you there--they don't have that power. They may indeed be intending it as a malicious communication (as you say, a fate worse than death) but their defence is obvious, as I noted in my first sentence.
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Bad Penny II on November 10, 2021, 11:04:13 AM
Wordweb
terrorism:The calculated use of violence (or the threat of violence) against civilians in order to attain goals that are political or religious or ideological in nature; this is done through intimidation or coercion or instilling fear

I find the form of that definition rather crap, part of the committee insisted the last orange part had to be there, although it doesn't flow at all, it may agree with the Tankian definition of terrorism though.

Religion or the religious (my mind's too basic to make the distinction most of the time) use terror and terrorism but I don't think the use of terror is necessarily terrorism.  I think violence or the threat is involved, in this world.

I'm going to the shop.
It's cold and it looks like rain, you better take your umbrella, unless you want to get pneumonia.
You fkn terrorist!
Title: Re: Hell is a terrorist concept.
Post by: Ecurb Noselrub on November 10, 2021, 07:01:53 PM
It would probably be pretty easy in the USA to raise a defense to a charge of terrorism for telling someone they are going to hell.  They could cite the freedom of religion clause and say it was a warning, not a threat.  That being said, the people who tell other people that they are going to hell are usually deficient in their thinking process.  Even if you believe in it (which I don't), it is not an act of love, which is supposed to be a Christian's number one priority. But that is the state of Christianity.