I went to a regular one this weekend. I was just wondering if anyone has ever been to a Christian one–the type where they do tableaus of girls getting abortions and Satanic ritual abuse and gays and oh noes! I saw one in a “King of the Hill” episode but I’ve never been in.
Are they actually graphic? Do kids really go? Does anyone get convinced? And…if they are graphic, just how graphic do they get?
A Christian haunted house? Never heard of one. I know of some Christians who don’t recognize Halloween because it’s supposed to be evil or pagan or some such nonsense. I’m left wondering just what a CHH would entail. No ghosts–maybe witches? Judas hanging from a tree with silver spilling out of his pockets? Dead Muslims and other “infidels”? No skeletons–desecration of graves, dontchaknow.
It sounds boring.
The one I’ve seen had a crashed car in the parking lot, decorated with “blood,” with some signage about whether one was ready to meet one’s maker and also underaged drinking. I did not go inside, where further delights were promised.
It has the stuff I mention in the OP. They’re also called Hell Houses.
From Wiki:
While Johnny Welfare plays acid rock on a stolen guitar, his old lady has a better idea…
That’s right, she’s got the munchies for a California Cheeseburger!
(Yes, I know that was from the Simpsons and not the King of the Hill episode mentioned, but I could totally see a Christian Haunted House having that.)
Here’s the start of a series Something Positive did on hell houses. They’re some of my favorite strips.
Damn it! I was just about to post that!
I have always wanted to go to one, just for a laug. Until I find one, though, I’ll just have to be satisfied with the doc Hell House.
I live in the bible belt. Here they are called Heaven and Hell houses. Or something similar. I’ve been to one once because my husband participated in it. The one I went to wasn’t graphic, or scary but I know people who go and actually cry. I’ve witnessed this crying and I gotta tell ya…I am not moved.
I haven’t seen one about abortions or gay people, or anything like that, but my husband’s role was a guy who went fishing on Sunday instead of going to church. The “demons” came and carried him away and I sat there stupified.
Some places really do it up big. People screaming and trying to grab you from hell, they make it smelly and dark, anything to scare you. Then you go to the heaven side and of course, it’s all white and lovely.
And yes, some people are convinced.
The Methodist Church I attended as a child had one for us. All I remember is a bowl of tripe (we were blindfolded) they said was guts and peeled grapes they said were eyeballs of people they had killed as they ran our fingers through it. :rolleyes:
Creepy. Did your husband…ah, believe? or was he participating for laughs/irony? (The one they had in Brooklyn last year apparently was done straight up, but I’m guessing most people went for irony value.)
I’ve heard of the documentary “Hell House” and I plan to see it soon. It sounds like a fascinating look.
That’s not a particularly Christian message though, is it? Surely blindfolding children and then having them touch seedless grape “eyeballs” and cooked spaghetti “brains” is a practice valued by people of all faiths.
I don’t know if he believes that particular role. I don’t go to church and he’s married to me so I’m leaning toward no. He was a member of that particular church at the time and loved to participate in all the programs they did so I’m guessing that’s why he did it. He is very religious though especially being a preacher’s kid but at the same time…not. I know that makes no sense. Oh and that was a Baptist church in case you’re wondering.
Sometimes, I don’t want my ignorance eradicated. Just sayin’. 
The Satanic ritual bit has me laughing. I live in an area of IL that has quite a few forest preserves, so squirrels, possums, raccoons etc are daily roadkill. We had an interim pastor a few years ago whose wife arranged a parent talk with the local police regarding something I can’t recall now. Whatever it was got lost in her heated questions to the police about the “clear evidence of Satanic rituals in this community.” The cops, upon asking her to clarify what she meant were informed that all the dead critters on the roads were the “evidence”.
I bit my mouth bloody to keep from laughing. The whole room just sat there, stupified. I was not yet a Doper, then. Now I’d like to think I would challenge her position…
The CHH doesn’t sound like fun, but I am not big on scary=fun (for me). It doesn’t sound scary-it sounds like hysterical prosletizing.
Thanks for the warning. If I were ever tempted to check out one of these things, this suggests that it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. Because I read this bit and just couldn’t stop laughing.
“Ah, it’s a lovely morning out here on Round Lake… think I’ll crack a brew and-- hey! HEY!”
*“HAHAHAA! Why don’t we see how they’re biting… IN HELL!” * (demons bundle fisherman offstage)
I expect that uncontrollable giggling is not an appreciated reaction to these messages of spiritual warning.
Tripe guts, not spaghetti brains. These were Methodists.
The Lutheran church I went to until I was 17 had one in their basement one Halloween, and I remember it being one of the best haunted house experiences I’ve been to. The basement was structurally segmented into a number of large rooms, so they set it up as if you were traversing the circles of hell as described by Dante.
Dude they had him in a boat and everything. He had dialog which I don’t rember verbatum but something along the lines of “I don’t care about God, I’d rather be fishing.” Heh.
Too bad the actor in this little drama didn’t rig it so that he walked on the water whilst being led into Hell. THAT would have turned a few heads!
An interactive, online map of one of these 'Halloween Hell Houses" is here: Lanodver Baptist's Interactive Online Hell House