Im going to hell

[Amicale]

If my perception was that being beat to death by a cooked wet noodle to be the most excruciating painful death known to man, would your dander be up in the same manner?   

If you used this to subtextually assert that you are better then the person you are saying it to, or that this person deserves being beaten to death with a wet noodle (having a little problem with picturing this, but still...) then it would certainly be a reason to be upset. Not because you think it's going to happen but because the person saying this thinks it should happen.
It's basically this person stating: "I am better then you! You deserve nasty things because you are not as good as me!" And that can be very aggravating.

This. Telling someone they're going to hell, or that they should go to hell, or that they deserve to go to hell wouldn't be taken by an atheist to be LITERALLY true, as we don't believe hell exists, but the sentiment behind it that we generally read into it is: you deserve to be punished and tormented, I think you're evil, I think I'm better than you in some way, etc. We don't take offense because we believe hell is real; if anything, we get miffed because really, where does ANYONE get off, wishing for/predicting eternal damnation/torture/agony for someone else? That would be like me coming up to you and saying "I hope someone attacks you/your wife/your daughter in a dark alley. And I hope they never stop." It's besides the point that in all likelihood, nobody will ever brutally beat your family in an alley. The point is, why would I hate someone so much to say that to them?

And before someone says "there's a difference between saying 'I love you and I believe you'll go to hell if you don't change your mind' and 'Go burn in hell [insert expletive here]'/'you deserve to burn in hell'... absolutely, there is. And it's that second, violent reaction that ticks me off.

An old girlfriend of mine was pagan (still is, probably, but we lost track of each other), and whenever someone would mock her beliefs and tell her she was going to hell, or that she deserved to go there, her response was always "it's your hell, YOU burn in it".  

[AnimatedDirt]

First of all, AD, not all Christians take the belief that hell is simply death without god.  Many actually do believe that Hell is a place of eternal torment, and they are usally the ones that use hell as a threat.  I have actually heard "Christians" say such things as "I am looking forward to when you atheists burn in hell,. I wish I could watch."  That's not really a simple "factua;" statement, that is "You're going to be tortured for eternity, you deserve to be tortured for eternity, and the concept of you being tortured for eternity fills me with glee."  If someone is meaning to be nasty, the message comes across loud and clear.

First, I don't think those kind of threats come at a whim, or if they do, it is a reaction to the manner in which the stereotypical Atheist (Dawkins) is towards the believer(s).  I don't mean to harp on this point so much, but again, if one just browses the Image threads here, one gets the impression that the Atheist hates Christians and their god...in fact, many have openly said they hate this god and mock "him" as if he does exist...this is simply to point out a position of "norm" for the outspoken Atheist.

So like Guardian above, it's not so much the "going to hell" aspect as it is the intentional hope to see one suffer?

I've spoken to a lot of you HAF'ers and I would venture to say that close to 100% of you understand the hypocrisy in most Christians that spout this hatred.  I would simply giggle at their idiocy all the while thinking to myself, "heh...if I do go to hell, the funny thing is that keeping that sort of thinking will have your end right next to me..." or simply utter that "fact". 

[DeterminedJuliet]

They think hell is a bad place.
They get angry.
They tell you that you are going to a bad place because they are angry.
This is not nice.

Seriously, even if, for whatever reason, you don't "feel" like you get it, can you not, logically, understand why people would perceive it this way?

[AnimatedDirt]

This. Telling someone they're going to hell, or that they should go to hell, or that they deserve to go to hell wouldn't be taken by an atheist to be LITERALLY true, as we don't believe hell exists, but the sentiment behind it that we generally read into it is: you deserve to be punished and tormented, I think you're evil, I think I'm better than you in some way, etc. We don't take offense because we believe hell is real; if anything, we get miffed because really, where does ANYONE get off, wishing for/predicting eternal damnation/torture/agony for someone else? That would be like me coming up to you and saying "I hope someone attacks you/your wife/your daughter in a dark alley. And I hope they never stop." It's besides the point that in all likelihood, nobody will ever brutally beat your family in an alley. The point is, why would I hate someone so much to say that to them?

And before someone says "there's a difference between saying 'I love you and I believe you'll go to hell if you don't change your mind' and 'Go burn in hell [insert expletive here]'/'you deserve to burn in hell'... absolutely, there is. And it's that second, violent reaction that ticks me off.

I'm going to venture and again say, I don't think this type of reaction from a Christian towards the Atheist/unbeliever is the "first" reaction one gets, but rather the reaction that stems from context...an Atheist rally where the delusion or even stupidity of the believer is brought forward, the disregard for that which the believer deems "holy" that the Atheist does not respect at all...many reasons.

An old girlfriend of mine was pagan (still is, probably, but we lost track of each other), and whenever someone would mock her beliefs and tell her she was going to hell, or that she deserved to go there, her response was always "it's your hell, YOU burn in it".  

And to me, this is the best reaction.  There's really no reason to get "your dander up" from a few words of an empty, meaningless threat.

[AnimatedDirt]

They think hell is a bad place.
They get angry.
They tell you that you are going to a bad place because they are angry.
This is not nice.

Seriously, even if, for whatever reason, you don't "feel" like you get it, can you not, logically, understand why people would perceive it this way?

I get it's not nice.  Not much uttered in anger is nice.  I suppose it's just odd to me that one could be so bothered by something that is of fairytale and not real.  A person hoping another suffers is not nice.  Hoping I walk, run, drive, or fly off the edge of the earth to my death is not something that would bother me.  It's something I'd find humor in.

I'll leave it at something that just makes me wonder if the Atheist is giving too much credit where there should be no credit.

Hopefully my confusion doesn't cause frustration to flare with me.  I apologize for not being able to see the connection so clear, but I do see the spirit of this is not nice.

[Amicale]

This. Telling someone they're going to hell, or that they should go to hell, or that they deserve to go to hell wouldn't be taken by an atheist to be LITERALLY true, as we don't believe hell exists, but the sentiment behind it that we generally read into it is: you deserve to be punished and tormented, I think you're evil, I think I'm better than you in some way, etc. We don't take offense because we believe hell is real; if anything, we get miffed because really, where does ANYONE get off, wishing for/predicting eternal damnation/torture/agony for someone else? That would be like me coming up to you and saying "I hope someone attacks you/your wife/your daughter in a dark alley. And I hope they never stop." It's besides the point that in all likelihood, nobody will ever brutally beat your family in an alley. The point is, why would I hate someone so much to say that to them?

And before someone says "there's a difference between saying 'I love you and I believe you'll go to hell if you don't change your mind' and 'Go burn in hell [insert expletive here]'/'you deserve to burn in hell'... absolutely, there is. And it's that second, violent reaction that ticks me off.

I'm going to venture and again say, I don't think this type of reaction from a Christian towards the Atheist/unbeliever is the "first" reaction one gets, but rather the reaction that stems from context...an Atheist rally where the delusion or even stupidity of the believer is brought forward, the disregard for that which the believer deems "holy" that the Atheist does not respect at all...many reasons.

This IS the first reaction I've gotten on occasion. In public. From people who didn't know me. On one such occasion, my apparent crime was holding someone's (girlfriend's) hand as we walked down the street, and I got "you people fucking disgust me, you're godless heathens and I hope you know you deserve to burn in hell." I hadn't mocked them, attacked them, or even knew they were "Christian". Yet somehow by walking down a public sidewalk, I managed to scare/disgust them enough to get that reaction. Save me from "Christians" like that.  

If anything, it made me shake my head and roll my eyes, but I've got a pretty thick skin. It mostly surprised me. I live in a country where marriage equality has been fully legal for several years now.

[AnimatedDirt]

This. Telling someone they're going to hell, or that they should go to hell, or that they deserve to go to hell wouldn't be taken by an atheist to be LITERALLY true, as we don't believe hell exists, but the sentiment behind it that we generally read into it is: you deserve to be punished and tormented, I think you're evil, I think I'm better than you in some way, etc. We don't take offense because we believe hell is real; if anything, we get miffed because really, where does ANYONE get off, wishing for/predicting eternal damnation/torture/agony for someone else? That would be like me coming up to you and saying "I hope someone attacks you/your wife/your daughter in a dark alley. And I hope they never stop." It's besides the point that in all likelihood, nobody will ever brutally beat your family in an alley. The point is, why would I hate someone so much to say that to them?

And before someone says "there's a difference between saying 'I love you and I believe you'll go to hell if you don't change your mind' and 'Go burn in hell [insert expletive here]'/'you deserve to burn in hell'... absolutely, there is. And it's that second, violent reaction that ticks me off.

I'm going to venture and again say, I don't think this type of reaction from a Christian towards the Atheist/unbeliever is the "first" reaction one gets, but rather the reaction that stems from context...an Atheist rally where the delusion or even stupidity of the believer is brought forward, the disregard for that which the believer deems "holy" that the Atheist does not respect at all...many reasons.

This IS the first reaction I've gotten on occasion. In public. From people who didn't know me. On one such occasion, my apparent crime was holding someone's (girlfriend's) hand as we walked down the street, and I got "you people fucking disgust me, you're godless heathens and I hope you know you deserve to burn in hell." I hadn't mocked them, attacked them, or even knew they were "Christian". Yet somehow by walking down a public sidewalk, I managed to scare/disgust them enough to get that reaction. Save me from "Christians" like that.  

If anything, it made me shake my head and roll my eyes, but I've got a pretty thick skin. It mostly surprised me. I live in a country where marriage equality has been fully legal for several years now.

I stand corrected.  Obviously a Christian legalist.

[Stevil]

To me, this is not quite the same...but then again, I'm not on the receiving side in the context of Christian to Atheist.  To me, ultimately, the Christian (wrong in their approach, I admit) is simply stating a fact according to Christian belief...and one that even the Atheist doesn't deny...that being that death comes to all.

You play your naive card way too much.

Would you like it if someone comes up to you and tells you that you are going to die?
Would you take this as a threat?
Even though it is true, you will die someday.

A Christian that says "you are going to hell" is a person that is making threats. This person either deserves a punch in the face or a STFU! Certainly this behaviour should not be tolerated. People don't behave like this in my society, I don't see why it is tolerated in USA.

I have been taught that it is best to speak from the "I". With this approach the Christian ought to say "I am going to live forever" rather than saying "You are going to hell".
Of course the "I am going to live forever" sounds like the speaker has a few screws loose, but none the less, this is what the Christian believes.

[Amicale]

This IS the first reaction I've gotten on occasion. In public. From people who didn't know me. On one such occasion, my apparent crime was holding someone's (girlfriend's) hand as we walked down the street, and I got "you people fucking disgust me, you're godless heathens and I hope you know you deserve to burn in hell." I hadn't mocked them, attacked them, or even knew they were "Christian". Yet somehow by walking down a public sidewalk, I managed to scare/disgust them enough to get that reaction. Save me from "Christians" like that.  

If anything, it made me shake my head and roll my eyes, but I've got a pretty thick skin. It mostly surprised me. I live in a country where marriage equality has been fully legal for several years now.

I stand corrected.  Obviously a Christian judgemental, ignorant homophobic asshole legalist.

I fixed it for you. We wouldn't want to insult normal legalists, or people who actually practiced the religion of Christianity.

[Sweetdeath]

A threat is a threat,,emoty or not. It is still not a nice thing at all to say to another human being.
Telling someone they are going to burn in hell cuz of their sexual preference, race, religion (or non beliefs) is still a fucked up thing.

[Stevil]

This IS the first reaction I've gotten on occasion. In public. From people who didn't know me. On one such occasion, my apparent crime was holding someone's (girlfriend's) hand as we walked down the street, and I got "you people fucking disgust me, you're godless heathens and I hope you know you deserve to burn in hell." I hadn't mocked them, attacked them, or even knew they were "Christian". Yet somehow by walking down a public sidewalk, I managed to scare/disgust them enough to get that reaction.

Quick question for you, Amicale.

Did it come across as aggressive and threatening, like I imagine it would have
OR
did it come across as lovingly concerned, like AD imagines it would have?

[AnimatedDirt]

To me, this is not quite the same...but then again, I'm not on the receiving side in the context of Christian to Atheist.  To me, ultimately, the Christian (wrong in their approach, I admit) is simply stating a fact according to Christian belief...and one that even the Atheist doesn't deny...that being that death comes to all.

You play your naive card way too much.

I suppose I'm just not as well informed as you.  I apologize for my naivety.

Would you like it if someone comes up to you and tells you that you are going to die?
Would you take this as a threat?
Even though it is true, you will die someday.

Not in the context of one belief to another...one stance on life vs. the opposite stance (e.g. God exists vs. God does not exist)  So, no, I wouldn't care much.

A Christian that says "you are going to hell" is a person that is making threats. This person either deserves a punch in the face or a STFU! Certainly this behaviour should not be tolerated. People don't behave like this in my society, I don't see why it is tolerated in USA.

Your society is much better then. 

I have been taught that it is best to speak from the "I". With this approach the Christian ought to say "I am going to live forever" rather than saying "You are going to hell".
Of course the "I am going to live forever" sounds like the speaker has a few screws loose, but none the less, this is what the Christian believes.

So then a Christian that says to you, "I'm going to live forever." in the same tone as "You're going to hell." is acceptable and does not promote a reason to be bothered by the belief?

[AnimatedDirt]

This IS the first reaction I've gotten on occasion. In public. From people who didn't know me. On one such occasion, my apparent crime was holding someone's (girlfriend's) hand as we walked down the street, and I got "you people fucking disgust me, you're godless heathens and I hope you know you deserve to burn in hell." I hadn't mocked them, attacked them, or even knew they were "Christian". Yet somehow by walking down a public sidewalk, I managed to scare/disgust them enough to get that reaction.

Quick question for you, Amicale.

Did it come across as aggressive and threatening, like I imagine it would have
OR
did it come across as lovingly concerned, like AD imagines it would have?

Amicale had not expressed that situation when I made my point, but I acknowledged I was wrong after she did...but it's no surprise you'd see it different, Stevil.

[Stevil]

To me, this is not quite the same...but then again, I'm not on the receiving side in the context of Christian to Atheist.  To me, ultimately, the Christian (wrong in their approach, I admit) is simply stating a fact according to Christian belief...and one that even the Atheist doesn't deny...that being that death comes to all.

You play your naive card way too much.

I suppose I'm just not as well informed as you.  I apologize for my naivety.

Again the naive card.
You know what I mean, and yet...

To be perfectly clear, I believe you are well aware of what you are doing, but you do it in a guise, and then come up with naive excuses. You aren't that short sighted AD. I believe you are much smarter than sometime you would lead me to believe.

So then a Christian that says to you, "I'm going to live forever." in the same tone as "You're going to hell." is acceptable and does not promote a reason to be bothered by the belief?

It would be much more palatable, non threatening, non projecting of their belief onto me. I would like this person as opposed to how I would feel about the alternative person, making the threats.

[AnimatedDirt]

A threat is a threat,,emoty or not. It is still not a nice thing at all to say to another human being.
Telling someone they are going to burn in hell cuz of their sexual preference, race, religion (or non beliefs) is still a fucked up thing.

It may not be nice, I agree, but it's also not real...the weight one puts on empty threats is what I'm questioning more.  Why would the more rational person be angered or bothered by a non-existent certain type of death?  I've gathered that it is not so much the threat of hell, but rather simply the ill-tempered thoughts from one human to another.  I'm simply being honest, SD.  I wondered why a fairytale ending bothers the Atheist...that's all.