Those Judgement Houses. I haven’t heard of anyone doing one this year. I did a quick search on the net and found only one church in Nashville which was doing one of these attractions this year ( www.harpethheights.org )
The few memories I have from them are from the early 90s. One production was very good. It had an actual wrecked car and ambulance in the death scene. The funeral scene featured a coffin. I remember someone in our party tended to think the funeral scene was a bit funny and giggled at an awkward moment. I cringed when that happened.
The other Judgement House at another church wasn’t so good. The condemned prisoners in hell were little kids. There’s something slightly strange about hearing little kids scream out in agony in the darkness of a church basement made up to look like hell. Their heaven was an empty white portable classroom. I don’t know which was worse, their heaven or their hell.
Anyways like I said, they’re playing on people’s emotions. Yeah, it may work on some people, but it is really worthwhile to try to scare someone into making what should be a lifelong committment. I know that this is the only way to reach some people.
For some odd reason, there is a Mr. Peanut costume at church. Planters brand. Big plastic peanut body with a top hat and cane. Phil said it was one of the kid’s costumes. While I was at church today, our minister put on the costume while yelling “This lottery referendum is driving me nuts!” I guess you had to be there to experience the full effect.