Why do Evangelical (fundamentalist) Christians hate Liberal Christians so much?

Question

Aren't they all brothers and sisters in Christ?

And if you're going to say one is right and the other is wrong (I suspect that when this happens, it will be the fundies saying that Liberal Christians are wrong), please explain your position LOGICALLY.

Thank you, and good luck answering. I look forward to reading them.

Answer 1

It seems that the real hot buttons between those two are homosexuality and abortion. Liberal Christians have a tendency to argue in favor of these things; though there are some who are against them. I think a lot of times, fundies just don't hear the Liberal Christians out, though. Like, I have heard some liberals state that they don't feel that abortion or gay marriage are necessarily good things, but at the time time, they don't think it would be a good idea to have laws against them.

I guess you could say that Evangelicals have a tendency to see the world through more of a black and white lens, and that's why there's tension.

Answer 2

Well, liberals are as convinced "fundies" are wrong as "fundies" are ocnvinced liberals are wrong.
I am a conservative Christian myself, and I believe I can honestly say today that I do not hate anybody, much less "liberal" Christians (whatever that means! it has many definitions).
Yes, I have read and heard some unkind things said by conservative Christians about liberals, and it hurts, because it seems to me to be so inconsistant. However I believe most mature believers would not take on that attitude.
I have seen and heard much more hateful stuff written and said about conservatives, however. The very expression "fundies" raises a whole field of insults in your mind, doesn't it?
One kind of "liberal Christians" believes that the Bible is not really the Word of God, and that Jesus doesn¡'t necessarily have to be God or to have risen from the dead. Well, there is no need ot hate someone like that, but neither could I call such a person a real Christian, except in the cultural sense. He might be a fine example of a person, I might admire many things about him, but his belief system would not be Christian. (He might share many Christian values).
So, since I believe the Bible is true, that Jesus is God, and that He physically rose from the dead, I have to say that kind of liberal is wrong. Otherwise I would be a hypocrite, wouldn't I?
On the other hand, "liberal" often refers to the way one interprets the Scriptures, to a certain open-mindedness, etc. I think in the eyes of some, even I am a liberal. In the eyes of others, I am an extreme fundamentalist!!!!

Answer 3

Well.... as a Christian, I don't beleive we should hate anybody. That is hard to do sometimes with people like Bin Laden, but I don't hate Liberals. However, as a Christian, it is my belief that the Bible is God's word. He is the true author, and has used man to put His words on paper for us to read. And the Bible speaks strongly against abortion and homosexuality, which are two issues that most liberals argue for. For this reason, I have a hard time understanding liberal Christians points of view. Part of being a Chrisitian is a belief in the Bible, and you can't pick and choose which verses accomodate what you WANT to believe.

Answer 4

There are several reasons.

A key factor is the human failing of vanity. We all like to believe that we are right. The higher the stakes of the question, the more intense this feeling becomes. The question of the fate of one's immortal soul is pretty high stakes, thus the level of passion involved in whether one has correctly interpreted the will of God run high - even to the level of hate. This is unfortunate, but easily observable.

Related to this is the issue of confidence. Unfortunately, some people chose to bolster their sense of confidence in their own choices by tearing down someone else's. A lot of people are not even aware that they do this, but that pattern is there. We have a name for it: "holier than thou".

There will always be a diversity of religious preference. That is to say, that some people will be content with a "low tension" faith that promises little, but also demands little, whereas others will be drawn to a "high tension" faith, where the cost of discipleship is much higher. You could see it as a kind of spiritual economics, and some people are willing to pay more.

Unfortuantely, the intensity of feeling in "high tension" groups is quite likely to cause conflict with those who don't share their vision. High tension faiths are often motivated by a well-founded desire for reform and well-intentioned desire for purity. Both have to do with the search for truth. If you believe you have found truth, it is natural to want to share it. Doctrine _is_ important.

However, while faith may be personal, the practice of religion is generally social, and therefore given to the same failing of any social organization. One of these, is that when threatened, the organization goes on the defensive - and defensive people are never very pleasant.

Which brings to your question: why do Fundamentalists and Liberals hate each other? Is the dynamic of the scenarios I have outlined above. Each believes passionately, each is committed to their interpreation of Scripture, and both (whether they admit it or not) feel instituationally threatened by secular forces, and non-Christian faiths within our pluralistic society. Therefore, they both dig thier heels in and attack the errors they seen in each other.

It is an unfortunate part of human nature. No one fights more fiercely than siblings.

I think both would do well to internalize the words of the prophet Micah:

"He has shown you, o Man, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you, but to do JUSTICE, to love KINDNESS, and walk along HUMBLY, with your God."
(Micah 6:8)

Answer 5

Jesus said if you love me you will keep my comandments. So liberals are not Christians, they are just ppl Satan is using to give real Christians a bad name.

Answer 6

Because liberals hate conservatives and conservatives hate liberals.