How do NON-fundamentalists Christians cope with their fundamentalist brethren?

Question

Fundamentalism used to represent just a curious bunch on the fringes of American Christianity. Now (outside of the Roman Catholic Church) fundamentalism practicallly defines Christianity in America.
What do NON-fundamentalist Christians do when their faith has been hijacked from them?
Do you feel a pressure to join with the fundamentalist belief system?
If not, how do you struggle against it?
How do you handle being told that you are not truly a Christian?

Basically fundamentalists believe the following:

Inerrancy of the Scriptures
The virgin birth and the deity of Jesus
The doctrine of substitutionary atonement through God's grace and human faith
The bodily resurrection of Jesus
The authenticity of Christ's miracles and the expectation of his second coming

The above list of fundamentals was compiled in the 19th century and was not my creation. The fundamentalist movement had a number followers in the late 19th and early 20th century. I neither created the name nor assigned it to the group. They accepted the name fundamentalist based on the fundamentals of their beliefs.

Answer 1

They do have a tendency to be very judgmental, but hey, I can't change them, so just have to be patient or back away and take some asprin. Their opinion of me doesn't make any difference whatsoever, so what they think of my salvation has no meaning, except maybe to them. Some people are very sensitive or new to christianity and don't know these fundamentalists don't represent all christians, and it really bugs me to see them being badgered by judgmental people.

Answer 2

A fundamentalist is a person who believes the Bible is true. Fundamentalists are conservative rather than liberal and they are not secular humanists . Also fundamentalists believe that life is sacred "from the womb to the tomb." Billy Graham is a fundamentalist by that definition as am I. In this sense many Christians are fundamentalist and not dangerous or militant haters of other human beings.
There is no similarity between a Muslim fundamentalist terrorist and a christian conservative. There are liberals and conservatives in most religions.
The fundamentalist or conservative Christian wants to protect the beliefs that in the past were accepted and taught in our society - trust in God - non-violence - marriage of a man with a woman - the protection of the child in the womb - the ten commandments displayed and honored in public and private places - the use of the words "under God" in the pledge of allegiance to the flag - the use of the Bible in the courtroom showing respect for it's laws as a person promises to tell the truth - the freedom of speech that allows us to talk about and show symbols of our faith in public and in private - the celebration of Christmas as both a religious and popular holiday and to be able to demonstrate our celebration both publicly and privately that is by displaying nativity scene with as much freedom as the display of Santa Clause.

Answer 3

I tend to believe that there is such a thing as what I call "fundamentalist deception". Much of it lies largely in the belief that a mysterious spirit God somehow just magically spoke the entire universe into existence. I do believe in the supremacy of the God of the Bible. However I interpret the Bible as telling us about two different extraterrestrial species (good, and evil), who are in conflict with one another, vying for control of earth. The forces of evil want to destroy us, so they can have the earth to themselves. Whereas the forces of good, intend to return to earth to establish an eternal glorious kingdom of love, and peace here. I know, my beliefs are looked at as being rather odd by most Christians, but I really feel that I am on to something. Perhaps one day, I will find the time, and the ambition to sit down and write a book about my alternate theory about the Bible. I do feel that Satan is probably comfortable in his manipulation of fundamentalism, and his deception of the church. I would never join the fundamentalists in their deception, and misinterpretation of the Bible. It doesn't bother me being an outsider.

Answer 4

I have always ignored them or if they are in my face i get them riled up because there are always subjects that i can argue about with them and leave them without answers eg, evolution, validity of every aspect of the bible (i believe that it is only a guide not a set of strictly told stories). Just hit them hard with interpretation of sections of the bible.

Mostly i just laugh. There is onle Church out here called 'Hillsong' they are new age Christians who do all the speaking in toungues biz, they actually pass the plate around before the pastor has evened mentioned God or Jesus once. They send missionaries to......JAPAN, never heard of sending missionaries to poor countries that actually need help. they only go to convert rich people to get more money. They prey for wealth, the pastor takes the offerings and owns a mansoin, drives a ferari. Total scam. You only go if your successful and have spare money. They put their names and amount of offering on each donation envelope, eg nicole smith $500 (no joke, the higher the better).

They don't even do anything good like some of the other churches do, such as helping poorer cultures establish themselves and farming communities, helping establish writing systems etc.

Catholics on the whole are not fundamentalists, i am catholic but i believe in contraception, the right to chose your sexuality and the right to be able to enter into a civil union for same sex couples (not an actual chuch ceremony/wedding, because it isn't in line with the teachings but a civil ceremony is ok). I also believe in evolution.

Einstein once said "Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."

Answer 5

Non-fundamentalists? Typically, they are not interested in matters of faith. Of course, there are some radically political christian moderates out there- but lets be honest, really: people are rarely passionate about being lukewarm.

You'll see that the same is true of voters: only ultra-conservatives and ultra-liberals bother to vote. Why do you think that California has a Republican Governor?

Answer 6

human beings have the superb to believe in spite of they like. in spite of the incontrovertible fact that, I desire that some (no longer all) Fundamentalists could provide up presuming that they are speaking for all of Christianity whilst they make their multiple theological, social, and political pronouncements. i'm a Christian, yet do no longer believe one one million/2 of what Fundamentalists believe, and albeit, discover lots of the Fundamentalist worldview to be morally repugnant. sure, they have the superb to worship and believe as they desire, and so as that they have got the superb to air their comments publicly. however the word "some" could be powerful. instead of having media interest by using claiming that "all" Christians believe especially concepts (as an occasion, whilst Falwell made multiple discriminatory statements, he acted as though all Christians help those perspectives), that they had do properly to admit that that's in basic terms "some" Christians who believe those issues. Fundamentalists form a minority interior of Christianity, so as that they can't declare to communicate for many human beings. sure, they're nonetheless my brothers and sisters in Christ, and that i appreciate their perfect to their comments, yet I additionally preserve my very own perfect to freedom of speech whilst they say some thing that i detect unfavorable or offensive. I have not have been given any concern speaking out against them if the decide for arises, and have performed so on many activities.

Answer 7

Do I feel pressured to join? No; I was brought up to stick to my guns with what I believe. I don't really struggle against it. I just let the other people do their thing, and I do mine, and take care of myself.

Being told I'm not truly a Christian? I see it again as it being someone else's problem, and not mine. If they can't accept me for my points of view (mainly taking care of one's own problems before starting fights in other people's backyards), tough for them. I don't plan on changing.

Answer 8

People are swept away in ignorance. I can not say the fundamentalist are not 'real' Christians nor can they say I am not. They can not see where my heart is and Visa Versa. I accept and know my fate. It is not my position to judge the fate of everyone else.

Answer 9

I feel no pressure to join them.
I know what I am and what I believe.
I know that I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and even though we do not agree, I consider them my brothers and sisters in faith. ( even if they do not consider me the same).
Jesus taught us not to judge.

Answer 10

Why do you put names on Christians? And what in the world are you talking about?