Jesus loves you...but burn in hell

Nope, your taking it too literal, mate. Were offended by the idea of anyone saying we will be sent to hell because of our lack of belief or giving us a threatening ultimatum 'believe what I believe or you will find out when you die'... I'm sorry, but I will not be talked to in that tone of voice. No sir/madam.

But, if you don't even believe in the place, why would it bother you? If someone said I was doomed to some version of Eternal punishment that came from a movie, I see no rea SD on to get upset. I'd just be, like, "ok, whatever."

i just dont like it when i get reminded every 2 seconds "YOUR GOING TO HELL YOUR GOING TO HELL YOUR GOING TO HELL "

I believe in God, but I don't believe in a hell beyond what we already live here. If someone tells me to go to hell, I just say ok cuz it can't happen. Also why I have no guilt over telling someone else to go to hell. It doesn't exist. Not in the biblical sense. Tell me to go to hell a ll you want; I'll just laugh cuz it's silly.

To your second comment. I pretty much already explained why it isn't hell that bothers me, same as you, I don't believe in such a place. It's like a hippie telling me they're going to punch me in my aura.
But, saying i (or anyone) deserves hell, though, is something else. that's like saying santa shouldn't bring me any presents. It's a nasty thing to say to someone. Sticks and stones....

I guess I just can't understand then; wouldn't bother me one bit if someone said a fictional character was going to dis me. As far as "deserving", I don't believe anyone's deserving of anything. You either earn something or you don't or someone just chooses to be nice to you for no reason other than for goodness' sake. Whatever anyone says about it is just opinion, and as Kermit would say: "what others think of me is none of my business." I got a lot happier when I started applying that mantra to my life.

You are still not getting it... You are still thinking literally. It's nothing to do with a fictional character, it's what people say because of this fictional character. I might not be concerned about the substance of the persons threats or a place I don't think exists but it's still quite insulting that they threaten me at all.

Ok lets get into it:

First, personally threats of hellfire and damnation don't actually bother me that much. I consider such remarks directed at me to be a clear indication that the person saying them is clueless, frustrated, and blustering. On the internet in an anonymous forum, it's a particularly impotent attack, even laughable (and i have received many).
Point is: I can see how it would be considered offensive if another person perhaps not very confident... It's like a person running up to you, saying "your fat and ugly", there are people who would laugh it off (but knows how wrong and offensive it is - me) or someone who did take great offensive to it despite deep down they don't give a crap about that persons opinion.

But of course, it's hardly a nice thing to say to someone. When someone says "You're going to Hell!" they're essentially saying that you deserve eternal torment (speaking generally); that's how awful a person you are in their eyes. So if it was someone who actually knew me that said it, then of course it would bother me; how much, of course, depends on how much I value that person's opinion.

You are implying.. Why would I be offended by someone instilling unnecessary anxiety in millions of people?
A view of what the concept of hell does to some people:
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2013/01/you-only-think-youre-saved.html

It doesn't matter that I am convinced that a place such a Hell doesn't exist or a supernatural deity existing; it only matters a little bit if they think it does. When someone says "F**k you!" to me, I don't interpret it as them literally threatening me with sexual assault. But it's still insulting.

Oh, and one more thing - insofar as to the question you are implying, something along the lines of:
“Why do you care about hell? You’re an atheist!”
It seems to me that this is kind of like saying, "Why do you care if I poisoned your drink? You happened to be immune to it!" The intent matters, not just the result.

Now is a bit insulting when believers have levied a moral judgment against me for the crime of not agreeing with their beliefs. They're wishing the worst fate that they can think of on you, because they have tried you and found your morals (irredeemably) wanting.
Effectively they are saying that you are morally inferior to themselves.

To my knowledge, and yes I'm aware of your position, but to me knowledge it's the concept of original sin. It is christian doctrine of all major denominations, at least in the USA, that all humans "naturally" deserve hell. A person who tells me that I'm going to hell, or that I deserve hell, without referring to a specific action that I took is invoking original sin as justification.

You're damn straight that I'm insulted when somebody tells me that I deserve to be tortured forever for the crime of existing. It's even more insulting when they claim they're trying to "warn" me, because then I know they sincerely believe that I deserve to be tortured forever, and all they're trying to do is selfishly soothe their own conscience by transferring their well-deserved personal guilt over their beliefs to me and my beliefs.
The whole concept is offensive against all of humanity and it only gets worse the more you examine it.

Lets go back to you point on why you think it is bizarre for me to get offended by something I don't believe in. First of all there is a difference in me getting a tad offended on literal hell (which I am not) and me getting a tad offended on why and how people say I am going to hell. Secondly, as said I do not care personally but I can see the insulting insinuation and the schadenfreude glee that stems from it. I am furthermore disturbed by the observable mental anguish it's created for people who take the threat seriously.

I say "if a group of people thought you deserve to be locked away on a penal colony on Jupiter you have a right to be ticked off at that, while simultaneously not believing that the place exists, and you should want to live in a world where people don't believe that people deserve such a nonsense.

Take this related video:
Jeff Dee Rants On Christian Caller over Hell - A.E. #596
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfnUVqL7Qbk

I enjoyed your read; the fact that is was well-worded and intelligent. Quite honestly, I was expecting more of a trolling response since offense seems quite often to be the first response anymore. I hope you didn't feel I was judging you for feeling the way you do; it was just curiosity as it's certainly not how I would react which I'm not implying is right, just very different. I like to discuss different points of view with people who seem as open-minded as I am, or at least with people who can respect another's point of view. When I tell people how my life has been made better by a shift in thought, it is not at all an implication that I am better, but, if it does that for me, it can surely do that for others as well, and if I gave someone food for thought that gave them that shift, then I feel my existence on this earth is somewhat purposeful.

Thank you. Yea art of trollin' dies in 2011. Anyways to reinstate, yea, I am not personally offended, I was when I was younger, but now like you I laugh it off but, and this is hard to explain, the very fact that there are people who believe in hell, who think I'm going to go to hell, and are - okay - with that is fundamentally but generally offensive. I'm also in the way offended on behalf of others. It's hard to explain the distinctions but I think I did a good job. Let me try again, while I'm not personally affected much because I was never a strong believer, I'm capable of empathy for people who are.

No I didn't feel you were judging me not even indirectly when I read your comments wherein it gives off this vibe. As mentioned, I'd react the way you would & laugh if off but I also know the implications of it, not that I've been through it in the past but I can see with clarity of such remarks.

I too like to discuss different points of view with people who seem as open-minded. This is 1 of my many purposes. I'm engaging in the intellectual integrity of humanity for posterity.

I know now you saying a "shift in thought" does not mean you're better or worse. I myself think me becoming who I am, particularly a sceptical & open minded individual and the corollary, leaving behind my Christianity made me feel more open, more happy, more alive.

The question of life's meaning and purpose is made no less important to an individual by not believing in a god. Life's purpose is what you make of it and there's many possible answers from religion -to- make people laugh or do good works for your fellow mammals.. like Ricky Gervais. I get meaning by involvin myself in the big questions in life, in the reading of say Feynman or Hacking or Shakespeare. Another purpose is, like you, help others in a train of thought and not be afraid of public taboo's. This is one of the reasons why I give unbelievers the confidence to think for themselves and not be afraid to come out as to their family or community and if they don't like it, it is their problem. I know of people who suffered religious abuse and were only able to find peace by abandoning religion. I respect Ayaan Hirsi Ali & Salman Rushdie for that exact reason. They are better for it & find life more compelling and fulfilling when they left.

Again this does not degrade your belief, only if you make it out to be, but I too recognise many people do get meaning from their religion and faith. That is fine by me :)

Few spelling errors but I shall let that slide, I have a few bears in me at the moment.