Atheists who have never read common atheist literature

[abaris]

I think he was  just saying that it's cruel to tell a child they will burn in hell without Jesus because their undeveloped minds picture all the torment and fixate on it.

I never read the book, so I say it depends on the context he said that, since not every religious parent teaches the burn in hell part. My parents were only mildly religious and they never once threatened me with hell. They only told me the nice parts, which did nothing to make me unstable. I'm well aware that there are religious nutters being all into hell porn, but context is all that matters. I reserve judgment on the statement till I know the context of what he says. There's a difference between applying the broad brush and making a distinction within a not at all homogenous group.