Stupid Question, but would Appreciate any Smart Answers.

Because it’s not up to anyone else to decide on Inyanei Shamayim.
Because the fact that a person may receive Olam Haba for dying al kidush Hashem does not mean you need to be the one to do it – that’s up to Hashgacha Pratit. Our job is to SAVE another Jew’s life when in danger, and CERTAINLY to prevent their suffering. Allowing the contrary to occur is tantamount to murdering them ch”v.

Should I go on a rampage chalila telling non religious Jews to keep Shabbos or else I’ll kill them, and actually do so (again, ch”v), in order to get them their olam haba?

It’s very similar to what you’re describing…

Every Jew has their own challenge(s) on this Earth in fulfilling their duty to bring G-d’s name glory through creating a Dira Besachtonim. It is not up to us to judge or decide for another Jew where their challenge lies. I’m certain there are mitzvos that you find very hard to do yourself – while many very non Frum Yidden may very well find it extremely easy and simple to do others which you may never have even thought about – like Tzdaka and Ahavas Yisrael. So their challenge is to keep Shabbos while yours is to think more positively of your fellow Jew! To see and decide that their being non Shabbos keeping and not davening on a daily basis as a basis for the opinion that their only “salvation” (sounds Xtian doesn’t it?) is to die al kidush Hashem is a bit twisted, and I would recommend for you to look very deep into your priorities and moral perspective in the light of the Torah to get it reoriented a bit….
I don’t mean it in a scathing, heated sense! Just a very sincere recommendation!!

the initial premise of your question is incorrect.

only those who are killed for refusing to sin are considered מת על קידוש השם

being killed for just bieng a jew just reduces the punishments after death because the pain of death and death itself is מכפר on some (but not all) of the עבירות and on this the גמרא says: מת מיתה משונה הוי ליה כפרה

for more resources on this topic see rabbi Yosef Mizrachi’s lecture on you tube.

@Echo: that is no longer a politically correct thing to say.

I hope you are not a politician.

There was a very famous Rebetzin, a daughter of a great Rosh Yeshiva in Lita and subsequently wife and mother of great American Roshei Yeshivos, who had her entire family murdered by the Nazis YM”S.
She told her talmidos that she is not sure who is better off, her family that was murdered in front of her eyes or herself. “They went straight to Olam Habah, but me, who knows?”

Thank You” on the Hooleh album has the lyrics “smile shining” repeated in the chorus; that’s what popped into my head from reading your description.
Hatzlochoh!

I personally do try davening for non-frum hostages, as well as all Jews in Israel, as that seems to be in public opinion the right thing to do. But I do want to make sure I’m doing the right thing…Doesn’t sound like uncoditional love for anyone with Jewish blood. I assume the same applies to “lo saamoid al dam reiacha”.

Before coming to such a critical decision, I would speak to a rav moreh horaah, not rely on what people say on the internet.

can anyone give me a credible source that they’re still supposed to be in my hearts & prayers?

One is obligated to be mechalel Shabbos to save a Jewish life even in a case of safek (such as unsure if it’s a Yid or goy).
If a complete rasha is mekadesh a woman on condition that he is a complete tzaddik, it is kiddushin misafek because the person may have had a hirhur teshuva at that moment and become a tzaddik gomur.
How much more so regarding the hostages, which (a) how do you know what they believe in their hearts? And (b) how could a Jew not have a hirhur teshuvah when in such a miserable, critical situation?
So it is definitely much more than a safek.

Also, these people are תינוקות שנשבו לבין העכו”ם (literally and figuratively) whom are considered אונס according to the Rambam.

The Chazon Ish writes that the “non believers” of today are not considered real kofrim due to the hardships of their surroundings.

There are many more sources (and your entire premise about ואהבת לרעך is wrong according to many opinions), but either way, it is definitely better to err on the side of protecting and davening for another Jewish life than the opposite ch”v.

The very fact that this was a question shows on a very faulty chinuch, or a serious troll. (Or both.)

toonaphish asks why s/he should daven for hostages not to be killed, and everyone answers “because there’s a chiyuv to save them.”

Do you mean that there’s an obligation to save them through davening for them? Otherwise, you didn’t answer the question,.