/r/ImGoingToHellForThis

590,705 sinners repenting for 5 years!

We all know /r/ImGoingToHellForThis. A subreddit dedicated to "dark humor" like this.

Well, the mods have decided to change their ways. They see their community of over half a million users as something that has had a negative effect on society.

Everyone thinks that this is a troll, but the mods insist that's not the case. The subreddit is now truly dedicated to the confession of sins.

I wanted to find out why they changed, so I asked.

What was the primary motivator for changing IGTHFT from a dark humor subreddit to a community of confession?

/u/madd74: You work with dark comedy enough to realize that it starts to rub off on you, and you start to believe all the negative stereotypes that you are approving and even commenting to. Then you look at your life, and self reflection of how your actions are being seen by thousands. It's a lot for us to bare, so we decided to do some good in the world.

Honestly, I get that point. If you're chuckling at racist jokes all day that might spill out into your real life. But it could mean that you were racist in the first place. I don't know. I don't really want to analyze it that much.

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt gave a different answer to the same question.

There is a need for forgiveness. In a world where women are cheaters and every fat neckbeard you see betrays you, we realized that eternal damnation is coming to all of us who do not confess.

To me, the spiritual plea and fear of damnation doesn't carry much weight with me since I don't believe in that kinda stuff. In fact, cults of confession can be harmful and trigger PTSD. But in the right environment, research does agree that talking about things you've done wrong will help you to forgive yourself and lessen guilt. Now, whether or not reddit is the right place for that or your counselor's office is, I'll leave that to you.

Since the IGTHFT version 2.0 is about more than just confession to reddit, it's also about confessing to a higher power for salvation, I was curious who these guys confess to.

Which god do you confess to? Why is that one the best for confession?

/u/madd74: My man, Jesus. He is the best because he really is the people's God. Jesus was very humble. Remember that scene in The Last Crusade when they are to choose the actual Grail? Everyone remembers that scene. The grail is just a "simple clay cup." That's Jesus; a simple man.

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: /u/GodOfAtheism, because one day he may reveal himself. But only when we are worthy.

It seems that your confessions can be to a man or to a god or to a moderator on reddit. Also, I've heard that /u/GodOfAtheism has had a spiritual awakening. Maybe he is a higher power.

None of us are without sin. And by "sin," I mean stuff we've done that we felt bad about doing. I'll confess that I feel badly about not contributing to a group project at school until 9pm the night before. But I felt a lot better when I saw that only one other person had beaten me to it. I guess our shame always needs to be taken in context.

What sins that you've committed do you regret the most?

/u/madd74: It involves a donkey, and with my conversion, I would rather not think about it anymore.

Shit, that sounded interesting. Too bad we'll never know what it was.

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: It no longer matters, because I have given my heart to the lord so now we will aggregate dynamic enduring understandings through cognitive disequilibrium.

I really struck out with this question. Maybe the next one will be better. I think it's a good one because it's more to the point of what their sub is about now.

What sins are the reddit community complicit in?

/u/madd74: Reddit is most complicit with the sin of greed. The lengths that people will do for karma is unlike any other form of greed ever seen. It only takes a few strolls on the front page to witness what I am talking about. People will sell off their body, steal from others, and literally break every other sin in the book simply over greed.

I thought for a moment that he might be describing me. I am a dirty, filthy karmawhore. I've never sold my body for karma, though. I have xposted content. But that's in the rules, so I am covered. I've never stolen for karma, but I have spent money for karma. Well, that resulted in karma, anyhow. All in all, I don't really have any karma regrets.

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: Slander, mostly. On what our subreddit used to be our users did not accept their brother as one of their own, so now we hope that forgiveness will bring us closer.

Just go on to any politics related sub and you'll see that this is true. People seem to very strongly dislike others who don't agree with them. Hell, you can see the same thing on television or sports subs. The proletariat class will sure fight over anything.

You've alluded to the fact that IGTHFT, in its former form, was partly responsible for increased crime rates and acts of terrorism. Were you also to blame for Trump and Hillary?

/u/madd74: Hillary and Trump are their own special animal. While we are not to blame for them, we certainly are to blame for not trying to stop them.

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: On advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer and exert my Fifth Amendment right.

I am gonna take that as a "yes."

What's your favorite quote from any religious canon?

/u/madd74: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

– 1 Cor 13:4-13

As a person with some internet credentials that allows me to charge people money to do their weddings for them, I hate this one because I've had to say it so damn many times. :P

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: Beginning at Passage 1 Timothy 2:11, [11] A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. [12] I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. [13] For Adam was formed first, then Eve. [14] And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. [15] But women will be saved through childbearing.

I can't tell you how many times that one has got me laid by hot christian women.

I'll try that one out next time I at the bar.

When is it?

/u/madd74: When it is.

Greatest music quote implying one is to meeting one's Maker?

Pink Floyd's "Time", "Shorter of breath, and one day closer to death."

Now that the traditional nonsensical questions are out of the way, here's a big one.

Will the subreddit return to it's original state, or will it stay a confessions sub forever?

/u/IGTHFT_Mod_Alt: This question is dependent. If Hillary Clinton wins the election on November 28th 8th, this change will be permanent. So if you would like to change this, please go out and vote for a man who can actually change America (and thus our subreddit) for the better: Jill Stein.

Well, there you have it. /r/ImGoingToHellForThis will remain a confessional subreddit until the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, and when the seas go dry and mountains blow in the wind like leaves, and Jill Stein wins an election. I guess the change is permanent.

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NOW REPENT!