In this much-requested episode, Teddi and Nick delve into the controversial world of Christian-themed haunted house attractions. Most commonly called "Hell House," this interactive theatre experience was first organized by Jerry Falwell in the 1970s. Since then, thousands of people have gone through the attraction. While differing in format and structure, a typical Hell House graphically re-enacts a variety of social problems (abortion, violence, AIDS) and then closes with an emotional call to salvation. The primary goal of the attraction is to prompt an audience to reflect on the consequences of sin and the age-old fundamentalist question: Where will we go when we die?

The fear-inducing witnessing tool has become less popular today, but still remains active in various parts of the country. In this episode, Teddi and Nick review contemporary promotional materials and scripts for Hell Houses across the nation and reflect on the dangers of the polarizing production.

Content Note: We discuss some exploitative representations of AIDS, suicide, and sexual assault.

Sources

Hell House documentary, 2002.

https://www.amazon.com/Hell-House-Aria-Adloo/dp/B002ZVGM7C/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1G1HULHI8GSSA&keywords=Hell+House+documentary&qid=1697910900&sprefix=hell+house+documentar%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-1

Scaremare, Liberty Universityhttps://www.liberty.edu/scaremare/

An article about Hell House, written by one of our listeners:https://www.vice.com/en/article/3kvkmy/evangelical-hell-houses-are-waking-nightmares

20. Oh God, What the Hell?: Hell House