http://www.religioustolerance.org/hell_eva2.htm

~ Shifting viewpoints:

~ Decades ago, many preachers were famous for their hellfire and ~ damnation sermons. They terrified their congregations. During ~ these "fire and brimstone" speeches, they warned their ~ parishioners about the horrors of Hell. Theologians of the past ~ literally interpreted the Bible's descriptions of bindings, ~ whippings, intolerable heat, thirst and darkness. They view Hell ~ as a dreadful place - a place of eternal punishment and torture ~ without hope for mercy or cessation.

~ Some conservative theologians still believe in the reality of ~ Hell's punishment.

~ Current status: Pastors rarely mention Hell in recent sermons. ~ . . . . . . Evangelical author C.H. Pinnock commented frankly: ~ "Their reticence is not so much due to a lack of integrity in ~ proclaiming the truth [about Hell] as to not having the stomach ~ for preaching a doctrine that amounts to sadism raised to new ~ levels of finesse."

~ . . . .

~ British Seventh Day Adventists: Cecil Perry, president of the ~ Seventh-day Adventists in Britain responded to the Acute report. ~ He suggested that the traditional view of Hell should not be ~ promoted by pastors in their sermons. He said that: "The message ~ of hell is in stark contrast to the message of hope and love and ~ tends to engender fear."