The greatest threat to Christianity is....?

Question

....Christian fundamentalists. If liberal and moderate Christians fail to curtail their extremest bretheren, the Christian faith will be relegated to the dust-bin of history, along with countless other obsolete mythologies.

It is a well known logical truth that it is impossible to prove a negative assertion (evolution is not true). Attempting to discredit the theory of evolution is utterly futile and seriously reduces Christianity's creditability. For two thousand continuous years the rest of humanity has endured Christianity's lunatic fringe, who have always proclaimed that their times were the end-times and that Armageddon was just around the corner. Human civilization has developed far beyond the need for such irrational apocalypse fantasies. It is time for those Christians who know how to think properly to step up to the podium and explain why Christianity deserves to be part of humanity's future.

Comments? Please state your faith before beginning your response.

Answer 1

You make a very good point, though Christianity has been around 2000 years (give or take a few decades), and I think we won't see the end of it in our lifetimes. I believe it's one of the longest-lasting religions out there, & it has enough oomph left to make another few centuries, loud-mouths aside.
As for the loud-mouths, they certainly don't add to Christian credibility. That I have no problems at all agreeing with. Their problem is that they won't be reined in by reasonable moderate argument. Many of them are so filled with a sense of certainty that there is no room to admit a new idea, much less admit to other viewpoints being possible.

(you are aware there's probably someone on the other side grumbling about liberal Christians [assuming they admit they are Christian!] causing the end of the faith, I trust?)

What faith do you follow, btw? I am Catholic, but I try to be moderate, open, & tolerant when it comes to other faiths. Regardless of what my more fanatical brethren may think.

Answer 2

As a Christian (I suppose this states my faith,) I know that every denomination has their fringe elements. There is not much you can do about them, unless you can sit them in a room and have them actually read the Bible.
The Bible does give some prophecy as to what the End times will be like, however, the bible also says that only god knows when that day will be.

As for Evolution, I've already stated that I tend to believe in evolution, but only within a set species. (such as from Homo Hablibas to Homo-Sapiens and whatever future our species might turn into.) I have also stated that I do not believe in the Monkey/apes to Man evolution, mainly because nobody has ever found the missing link.

Now for the important part. Christianity deserves to be a part of humanities future, because it teaches such things as compassion, brotherhood, family dynamics, and good citizenship. It is my personal opinion, that if you somehow manage to kill off all us Christians, you'll be looking down the barrel of a gun held by a radical muslim, that will blow you up.

I agree with you that we have grown beyond the apocalyptic ending, but the Bible and Christianity is about so much more than just the book of Revelation. There are 72 other books from Genesis to Jude.

I hope this helps.

Answer 3

Ok, Lets see how I can best answer this question. First; I am a Christian. That is defind as someone who is a follower of Jesus Christ, His teachings, and have accepted His sacrifice for mankind for the remission of sins and Jesus's sacrifice is our only redemption and promise of eternal life. I have accepted Him as my Lord and Saviour. I believe what is written in the Holy scriptures as I understand it as being the word Of God for all mankind. The gift of salvation was given freely to all men. Now I understand that there are a lot of people who do not believe this.. that is their choice. The problem is not the fundamentalists, course also liberal and moderate christians are something that Jesus spoke against. In Revelations 2 and 3, there are 7 churches spoken of. and these churches are nothing more than a group of believers. Some don't love the way they used to at the beginning. (Rev 2:4), others became liberal and lenient against the doctrine of Christ and added their own doctine and practices(Rev 2:14,15)Other churches compromised their belief to make everybody happy and allowed those who wanted to live in sin and act like christians.(Rev 2:20,21)the "lifeless church" (Rev 3:1) and the obedient church (Rev 3:8) This is the group of Christians that most fear. We are called radical fundementalists. In verse 9, it says that the other churches will worship at this church. The great news is found in verse 10 where Jesus has promised to save this church from the temptation to come. But the greatest threat to Christianity is the last church I haven't mentioned. The "lukewarm church" (Rev3:16. They are the ones who are neither Fundamental, nor Liberal, they are just a happy medium. (lukewarm) they aren't a threat to society.. they just live their christian existance and keep it to them selves.. they cannot be distinguished between Believers and unbelievers. So why should Christianity be a part of humanity's future? Because when humanity acknowledges the existance Of God and His perfect Law, then humanity will understand that they do not control there future. every great society has always been destroyed from within because they do not want to accept Gods perfect Law.. I have yet to see someone point out how voilating a law benefits humanity. Jesus said; that we should love the Lord Our God with all our heart,mind soul and strength, and our neighbor as ourself. Why does humanity have such a problem with that philosophy?
Is that considered a negative assertion?
I don't think so.

Answer 4

Christian.

As you said. We've been able to tolerate "fringe" for 2000 years so why should that change at all. Unless we have become more narrow minded and intolerant as a people.

How about you read some Christian literature.
The Creation Hypothesis, Scaling the Secular City by JP Moreland et al.
Or check out the works of Francis Schaeffer. If you can't handle it and only want to see stupid you tube clips and slurs on mainstream tv then just keep you head in the sand and ignore that Christianity is the most influencial idea ever.

Answer 5

Faith: Christianity

I agree with you 100%. Fundamentalists waste their breath trying to make science prove the Bible and use logic as an argument for faith. It doesn't work. Faith is above any explinations of this world. They also have a messed up view of apologetics.

I swear, it seems like these days I spend more time apologizing for the actions and words of other "Christians" and trying to explain what I believe a Christian life should look like than anything else.

Answer 6

I´m an evangelical (¨Gospel) Christian, and believe the Bible is true.

I disagree with much of what you say, and the Bible is clear that we can not know the day or hour, but watch for events.

That is why no Christian died in Jerusalem´s destruction in AD 70--like the leaves on a tree are budding, spring is near, then, when the last sign fulfilled, they fled.

Scholars, like Martin Luther, the German reformer translated the Bible into German. When he was asked if Christ was coming in his day, he replied: It is at least 400 years in the future. Yes there was much to fulfill.

Certainly there are fanatical groups, like the JW´s who used pyramidology to set dates for Christ´s coming, but that is part of Satan´s plans. You see, as the time passes uneventful, the embarrassed saints loose faith in the Scriptures and are inclined to skepticism and unbelief.

God has given us signs, and a Bible code that re-establishes the timing of the Great Controversy between God and Satan. It was known before the time of Christ, taught by Barnabas, Linius, Enoch, and others. The code reinforces this teaching, and if you have not solidified yourself in a stagnant mentality, you can understand the code, too, at http://aboblecode.tripod.com It says ¨The wicked will do wickedly and none of the wicked will understand, but the Wise Shall Understand.

Thus said my donkey, Balaam

Answer 7

Roman Catholic, of an (informally) Carmelite bent.

I think fundamentalists are a threat to any religion. This is not exclusive to Christianity.

Fundamentalists are like those people who look at the letters in a story and not the words. They can repeat what has been said, but cannot tell you anything about the tale.

Christian faith is full of both mystery and appreciation of mystery. "Now we see through a glass darkly," as St. Paul said. Fundamentalism strips it of mystery, and reduces it to the text on the page - there's nothing left to learn about Jesus, God, ourselves, the world, the past or the future. It is all there on the page, case closed.

A mystic Christian, such as myself, is profoundly moved by the fact that there is much left to learn, so many uncharted shores in my faith journey. On my 40th birthday, I sat and watched a fiery red afterglow, thinking to myself that statistically half my life was over. And as the sky got prettier with each passing moment, I began to realize that there is great beauty even in fading things.

This is why Christianity deserves to be part of humanity's future. Years of spiritual self-training thanks to the wonderful contemplative traditions in Catholicism allowed me to sit there and contemplate the next arc of my life with the new eyes I've grown. I have a new companion on my journey, one who is always there with me. I was blind, and now I see.

And what I see is beautiful.

Answer 8

The attack of the OP is on Jesus Himself.


The word 'fundamentalist' is being redefined these days. I often hear 'fundamentalist' used in a negative light. To the best of my memory, this negative definition really started to take hold as new age Charismatic/Pentecostal churches were being challenged on their teachings, they called any challenge as coming from 'fundamentalists' who didn't love...

Now I see this negative meaning filtering into political talk. Many times we hear the words "extreme right" with 'fundamentalist'. I can only assume that when many people hear the word fundamentalist today they think of terrorists, cults etc.

As I understand it during the late 19th century and early 20th century there was quite an influx in Liberal Theology. In reaction to that influx many Conservative Christians ‘“…actively affirmed a "fundamental" set of Christian beliefs: the inerrancy of the Bible, the virgin birth of Christ, the doctrine of substitutionary atonement, the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and the authenticity of his miracles.”’

Answer 9

Former Protestant, now Catholic here.

We do not get all wrapped up in the "The end is near" preaching.

We think we should spend our time staying in the Grace of God instead. This includes helping others and studying, meditation and Prayer as well.

We are told that no man knows the day or the hour, so spending all that time guessing just makes no sense to me.

We should live our lives happily in the service of God and let everything else happen in God's time, not ours.

Peace and God Bless!

Answer 10

Roman Catholic

There have always been fanatics and heretics throughout the history of Christianity. The Church does not survive because of who she is, but because of Who Jesus is. He has protected and preserved His Church, no matter what kind of insanity is going on in the world at any one given time.

Catholicism does not reject evolution, nor has it bought into the end time Rapture business. Our attitude toward the Second Coming is that no man knows the hour or the day, and that we are to occupy ourselves in prayer and good works until Christ does return.

Christ Himself will see to it that His Church is not relegated to the dustbin -- no matter how many people may wish or believe to the contrary.