What, in your opinion, is the difference between a religious believer and an extremist/fundamentalist?

Answer 1

The difference is as follows; from personal experience.

A "believer" is just that; someone who adopts and agrees with a particular theology and/or denomination. Hopefully, he/she feels "fulfilled" and happy, and their particular spiritual questions are answered to their satisfaction.

An "extremist," on the other hand, is someone who is not merely "fulfilled" by their beliefs; they feel motivated, actually driven to "spread the word" to others. This, by itself, would not be a bad thing, but too often it goes way beyond simple "witnessing."

Some "extremists" feel that their god gives them total license to "get up in people's faces" and actually insult them "in the name of the Lord."

Activity such as this would easily get anyone else arrested in any normal, public venue, but the "extremists" think that they are somehow immune to county ordinances regarding disturbing others and harassment.

Luckily for the rest of the world, there are legal limits to "freedom of speech," and circuit court judges are happy to explain this to "extremists" who think that their beliefs give them the right to be blatantly obnoxious.

Answer 2

I would consider myself a Christian extremist, as compared to some who go to church but don't really believe the stuff. Here is why:
1. I believe what I say, and what the Bible says
2. I am an extremist in the sense of my extreme love for God & for people (even those who don't agree with me).

Answer 3

First, a fundamentalist is not necessarily an extremist, for fundamentalism is belief in the truth of basic Christian doctrines that were denied by liberal Christian writers, professors and clergy. These doctrines include but are not limited to the virgin birth, the divine inspiration of the holy scriptures, the reality of the Biblical miracles especially the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers, the expectation of the return of Christ to earth, the final judgment, and heaven and hell as real eternal destinies. Second, a true believer will not only believe in the message of the Gospel and Biblical doctrine, but will trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord for new life now and the destiny of eternal life. Finally, an extremist is a sectarian. Sectarians exalt human systems of doctrine, and condemn Christians who disagree with these systems as a matter of private judgment. This extremism makes the Bible a sealed book, so that those who belong to the sect do not try to understand the Bible for themselves. The sectarian spirit results in spiritual blindness (closed-mindedness), self-righteousness, exclusivity, and the condemning of those not of the same sect. In attitude and practice of fellowship sectarians think the narrow door of Luke 13:22-30 is the door of their sect or church. They do not understand that Jesus directed his warning against their prideful and self-righteous spirit in which they thought of themselves as first (and behaved that way). But Jesus said that those who are first shall be last and those who are last shall be first. Moreover Jesus contradicted the whole sectarian notion of "a saved few" (their sect), and portrayed the final kingdom as a great fellowship of people from all over the world (east, west, north, south) with the prophets and Abraham. Speaking of Abraham, the hope against hope (Romans 4) that distinguished his faith is the faith that his descendants (those of the faith of Abraham) would be as countless as the stars and the sand.

Answer 4

I agree with LabGrrrrrrl (sp?) on this one. A believer is someone who has beliefs. An extremist/fundamentalist believes that their way is the ONLY way and tries to force it down other people's throats.

Answer 5

A believer has beliefs and believes them. An extremist tries to make everyone else believe them.

Answer 6

It sounds very available in its ordinary findings. whether it begs the question; are non secular people much less hectic because of the fact they're non secular, or are much less hectic, much less self severe type thinkers people who develop into non secular people? (pattern of a million) I continuously felt plenty rigidity and rigidity as quickly as I made an errors. i replaced into church-going, a believer into my Nineteen Thirties, yet never non secular interior the experience of many fellow church goers who have been "commonly non secular". long sessions of thinking, then grew to develop into an atheist. So the article rings authentic to my journey. actually seems available in that experience in it particularly is inner findings. the thought that "extra particular, much less hectic, much less self-stressing varieties" tended in direction of non secular thinking suits comfortable with the thought that religiosity replaced into evolutionarily chosen for at a time in our previous whilst people have been concern to super rigidity and rigidity. think of of somebody who's unsleeping, attentive to his very own awareness and that of his fellow people. he's consistently conscious that each and each determination he makes consists of hazards from predators, thirst, starvation, fellow people, and so on. And different hazards seem incalculable - storms, ailment - however the urge to objective to make the main suitable option judgements of avoidance is inevitable. in this placing, a concepts that reacts with much less rigidity to blunders (correctable blunders, of direction!) and additionally has a tendency to religiosity (relief of the endless experience of duty) could do extra perfect by the years, and be extra reproductively effectual.

Answer 7

Religious believers love their religion.....

We love Christ.