Hell as a conversion tactic

[Zephyr]

Take 1:

"Sign up to my religion and follow this book of holy rules."

"Why should I?"

Take 2:

"Sign up to my religion and follow this book of holy rules. Everyone's doing it. You'll get cushy jobs and more recognition than you would as a heathen."

(some people) "Sure, sounds practical!"
(some others) "I'd rather keep my tribal traditions than assimilate. For what it's worth, to Thor, you're the heathen!"

Take 3:

"Sign up to my religion and follow this book of holy rules. Everyone's doing it. You'll get cushy jobs and more recognition than you would as a heathen. Oh, and if you don't, you'll go to Hell and suffer forever in unimaginable torment."

"Wow, your God must be more powerful than my gods! Guess I'd better do that!"

 

[Sock puppet path]

Forget where I read it but I read an account of the attempts to christianize norway by some irish monks. Well they came with the whole spiel about the burning fires of hell etc but got very little response. perplexed they reviewed the culture and devised a new more effective tactic.....hell wasn't burning hot it was freezing cold.....forever. So it began