Originally posted by whodey
For those who belittle those who believe that a hell exists, (in the immortal words of Hillary Clinton), what difference does it make? So if there is no hell, then who cares about false doctrine? In fact, who cares about the truth if we are all going to the same place anyway?
If you feel "belittled" by discussion of the ghastly ideology then so be it. Maybe there's reason for some self-reflection right there, but it's up to you.
"What difference does [the doctrine] make?"
To me personally, very little I reckon, although...
[1] psychologically, in a subtle way, it may contribute to some degree of dehumanization of non-believers and adherents to other faiths;
[2] it is an indicator (at least to people who don't subscribe to the "Hell" doctrine) of something awry with the mindset and moral compass of those who propagate it; and...
[3] it has been used to coerce and manipulate people over the centuries, for example I am sure many Christian victims of child sex abuse have kept quiet because of a fear of their "sin" and "Hell" and in some cases this threat may have been wielded by the abuser. There are certainly countless other examples of how this doctrine can have an impact on vulnerable people.