Just because some people believe that religious people follow their choice of faith because of fear (of hell, etc) doesn't mean it is true.
No, it doesn't. But plenty of people who had no reason to lie about it (and significant reason to refuse from admitting so) told me personally that fear of hell played a significantly role in their religious life, so it comes down to whether or not I believe their own words on the matter.
True, at least one such case ended up with the fortunate person leaving his religion for another one (one that lacks such a concept of Hell), but I don't think that invalidates the point.
There is other evidence too - the Chick tracts, for one, and the Left Behind books as well. It is IMO telling that not much in the way of clear rejection of those caricatures came about. I know for a fact that many, many Christians refuse to support such fearmongering (as well they should). I am far less certain that the fearmongering is actually unwanted.
Come to think of it, there are to this day people wanting to present variations of Pascal's Wager as a reason to believe in God. I believe there are even some priests of some faith or another among them. That is a shame, since ultimately Pascal's Wager is basically a mixture of the fear-of-hell argument with an invitation to try and play con man to God.
But this is a part of free speech- people can believe whatever they want, even if, to me, it is totally false for most people. Besides, I am sure there are those who force themselves to believe in a faith just because of fear- I just believe that most do not.
Oh, I see that you realize that they do exist then.
Sometimes I wonder when/if/how people will organize to no longer accept fear-based coercion in their own Churches. It will be a heartwarming day.