Back to the subject line: Anti-Universalism Hostility.
Why is it? There are three leading theories about the afterlife:
Damnationism
Annihilationism
Universalism.
But which is correct? Advocates of the first two discuss and argue, but at the end of the day, they consider everyone in the other camp to be Christians, and saved. I don't see the same courtesy being extended to members of the third camp.
Changing focus a bit, there are three leading theories about how God deals with saving men:
Calvinism - stating that God is able to save, but chooses not to save most.
Arminianism - stating that God is unable to save all, but is willing to do do.
Universalism - stating that God is both willing and able to save all.
Again, proponents of the first two theories discuss and argue, but at the end of the day, they're OK. Universalists are told they are promoting the doctrines of devils, and will go to Hell for saying there is no Hell. Logical? Oh, yes.
Three theories, three theories, three theories...do you see what is wrong with that? It is this: men are accustomed to dualistic thinking. Light versus dark. Good versus evil. Heaven versus Hell. A third theory is as welcome as an extra thumb.
I have been exposed to all three theories about the afterlife, and have found two main things by which I take my stand:
Hell is pagan, not Biblical. It would take posting my entire 240+ book manuscript here to show why, and I have no illusions about convincing many of you with it if I did.
God, the heavens, the earth and man - in fact, all the Cosmos - is a hierarchy, not a dualistic prize with the souls of men as a contested prize between God and Satan. If you doubt that, re-read the various creation accounts and then the Book of Job.
