I find offense over the word "crap" possibly also fascinating, though I wouldn't mean the word "fascinating" in any way that meant "confusing" or "incredible." My fascination is about what cultural norms allow, though without reaching anything like pure cultural relativism.
I also agree about the larger context of language, but that agreement is why I can see a reason behind the different treatments of uses of the word "hell." I also don't find those differences comical at all.
Maybe I should ask sometime, but I always assumed that the difference lies in context. Hell and damnation are what some people call "serious business," Using a phrase like to "damn you to hell" literally and seriously is spiritually dangerous, and using it lightly is hardly better (in part because using it lightly is trifling with danger). In other words, think of something like "taking the Lord's name in vain" (yes, context matters!) and extending that principle.
I'll post even more later, and if what I want to happen does happen, we'll even return to the subject of those Norwegians.
Because of my views on the afterlife (I’m CI), I equate the word “hell” to “death” or “hades”.
And I believe taking the Lord’s name in vain is when people do things like put the little fish on their business cards. i.e. “do business with me because I’m a Christian” i.e. using the Lord’s name for financial gain.