Fear of hell is the most powerful weapon the Church has ever deployed — and a 25-year Christian explains exactly how it was weaponised against her. Esther Dhanraj’s account of leaving Christianity after a quarter-century of practice, including seminary training in the West, is one of Sangam Talks’ most candid insider testimonies.

Esther describes how the Church weaponises fear of eternal damnation — more paralysing than loss of family, property, or health — to convert and retain members. Her Western seminary experience was the first time she examined faith through the lens of academic reason rather than belief alone, revealing foundational inconsistencies. She identifies Christianity’s core civilisational problem: it demands exclusivism — a worldview India has never embraced — making conversion not a change of deity but a fundamental constriction of consciousness. Her testimony is both deeply personal and civilisationally significant.

About the Speaker:
Esther Dhanraj spent over two decades in evangelical Christianity after converting from her Hindu Brahmin roots as a teenager. Her academic inquiry and lived experience began to unravel her faith, leading to a profound personal reckoning. Esther mentors families facing conversion pressures and serves as Director of Advancement at the Hindu University of America, helping cultivate scholars who bring an authentic dharmic voice to global academia and media. Her memoir, Unbaptized, chronicles her three-decade journey from devout Christian to unapologetic Hindu—a personal testimony and a wake-up call for her community.