Hell House

Hell House. I think we should all watch more documentaries about the horrors of religion. If we do, I would like to think that we would be able to see just how ridiculously it makes people act. Hell House is a documentary by George Ratliff that follows the construction and production of a Hell House, which is a Halloween style house of horrors promoted by the Trinity Church in Texas. The Hell House is the church's way of using outrageous hell bound scenarios that are intended to scare Jesus into you.

To create the “Hell House”, many weeks go into creating the scripts and casting the rolls. But where does the inspiration come from? Well it seems to me that the evils they decide to portray, are topics they appear to only have a vague impression of. They discuss the typical evils of abortion, homosexuality and suicide which are the churches staples, and then they get into the ridiculous evils of Harry Potter, fantasy roll playing games and dancing.

It becomes obvious that they are trying to write a book without doing any research on the subject matter. They accidentally draw a Star of David in spray paint believing it to be a pentagram. A five minute “discussion” about what the actual title of the popular RPG Magic: The Gathering actually is. And the DJ for the Rave (in HELL!) doesn't know what the date rape drug being used in the skit is actually called, other than "the EVIL date rape drug to send you to HELL!" And then it all becomes very depressing when you realize that the one going to hell is the girl who consumed the drug.

Then there were the tragic stories of rape, drugs, suicide, murder and the really really scary morning after pill. Their scenarios in the end are contradictions and tend to blame the victim and not the perpetrator. For example, a woman who is raped commits suicide is damned, the rapist goes on blameless and forgiven. A woman has a drunk and abusive husband, finds love through the internet (unknown if she has actually consummated her internet relationship) is going to hell for not understanding that she is merely property and must take the beatings with a "thank you, can I have some more" type attitude. And an AIDS victim who was molested by a "funny uncle" is sent to eternal damnation, for what? Being gay? Abused? No, for not accepting God, this is his punishment. Fuck that.

In conclusion, Hell House is a beautiful portrayal of the ignorance within the church and their inability to accept or forgive.Fun for the whole family.