they don't want anyone to go to hell, so it's more important to "save" them now.
absolutely. it seems mediæval to a lot of us (heck, it is mediæval), but these people are seriously afraid that (a) others will go to hell and (b) that if they don't do their utmost to stop (a), they may go to hell too.
very few people do evil things because deep down they like hurting other people.