There is so much variation. When I was sent to Sunday school as a kid, there was no hate. I was never confirmed or anything, I don’t go now, but I have no memories of a negative experience. My impression, looking back, is Jesus hit history hard as the first recorded hippie.

Growing up where I did, there were 6 denominations in town. No internet. No cable. I corded phone in the house (see; Napoleon Dynamite). People hung out together looking for places to do that in. So I went to a Wednesday catechism with a friend at a different church. It was an odd experience that still resonates.

The pastor showed up for a brief serman where I was told there’s a Book of Life that predetermines who is going to Heaven or Hell. God knows all and it’s in this book. And you can’t change any of it. If you’re going to Hell you’re going to Hell, no matter what you do, it’s been known from birth.

That’s a hell of thing to say to a child.

That’s the variation though, even in one small town, here across the pond.

If you’re curious, the non hate version I experienced was Methodist. The friend’s Hell church was Baptist.