Why is it that fundies seem to want to dwell on what a 'horrible' place the world is?

Question

I agree that the world isn't perfect, a lot of horrible things happen and I'm realistic about that. But overall I'm an optimist and I tend to focus on the good parts of life. But I see all these fundamentalist Christians talking about doom and gloom, and things are so much worse than they were, the endtimes are near-and the funny thing is when you tell them the world's not so bad, they don't want to listen.

Answer 1

Well lets the see, for one they take the bible to seriously and basically the same people who spread gossip. They seem to think by spreading the thought that the world is horrible and the only way to get into heaven is by doing whatever they tell you is the right way.

Answer 2

If you mean a 'fundie' as someone who believes the Bible is the unfailing word of God, then I guess I am one. I'm constantly in awe of the beauty in the world in the different creations great and small. I take great pleasure and joy in watching the birds and squirrels in my yard, my cats, dog, horses. I enjoy watching young children discovering things, listening to their un-abandoned laughter. What a joy these things are to watch. There is so much joy and beauty in the world.

On the other hand, there is horror beyond comprehension here as well. I know we are in the end times and I'm ok with that because I understand what it really means.

Wouldn't you rather live in a world where war is non-existent, where people don't kill their families for this or that reason. A world where no one is sick, hungry, poor, afraid, enslaved, disabled? A world where true justice ruled. This is what comes after Armageddon.

Ps. 37:29: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”

Rev. 11:18: “The nations became wrathful, and your own [Jehovah’s] wrath came, and the appointed time . . . to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.”
Ps. 37:34: “Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it.”

John 3:16: “God . . . gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”

Rev. 7:9, 10, 14: “I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ . . . ‘These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation.’

So, keep seeing the beauty of the world, the joy, but keep a realistic eye on events unfolding. The end is close, but it doesn't have to be the end of you.

Answer 3

It really doesn't make any sense, because fundies are the very ones who don't believe in suffering and taking up your cross to follow Jesus. They all seem to preach that being a Christian means being blessed with perfect health and lots of wealth. However, the real Christian walk involves suffering and trials, all the while being joyful and thanking God. It also involves seeing the good in all the things made by God and rejoicing in the beauty of this world He gave us. I see your point and I agree with you, but I find everything they believe and do to be so contradictory.

Answer 4

I think it's part of human nature to want to feel like your part of a dramatic struggle that is on the verge of turning into an all out battle. I think a lot of people like to feel the end of the world is coming and they are fighting for good. Look at how governments motivate people: they tell their citizens that they are fighting a war against poverty or a war against terrorism. It's nice to be optimistic, I agree, but I also like to feel like the world is in bad shape - because it really is. It motivates me to do more for the poor when I am constantly reminded of their plight and the terrible conditions they are surrounded by.

Answer 5

Because if the world wasn't going to hell in a handbasket, their clergy couldn't exploit the fundamentalsits' fears.

What they don't understand, despite America's involvement in Iraq, is this is one of the most peaceful times in the histroy of civilization.

They should examine the brutality experienced by certain people within the United States and realize how good we have it compared to the old days.

Answer 6

In a well-meaning way, fundamentalists are trying to "save the souls" of what they see as wayward children of God. The only way they can keep anyone's attention is to point out what's wrong and dangerous with the world.

Answer 7

There are some atheists who also seem to think that the world is a terrible place. Most normal Christians think the world is cool and that people are basically good.

What makes me sick is that the fundamentalists give the rest of us a bad name. We're not all like that.

Answer 8

Their book tells them that the world is bad, so they believe it without looking to see if it's right. (Plus, it's *easy* to look for bad things and then declare life to be pointless. I could lead a life where I get to lounge around in a palace being fanned with palm branches and fed grapes by naked servant boys and I'm sure I could still find something to complain about if I looke hard enough.)

It's sort of like the reverence for Aristotle. I forget where I read this, but there's an anecdote about some scholastics wondering how many teeth a horse has. Rather than find a horse and count its teeth, they instead turn to Aristotle to see what he thought.

Christianity is like that. Christians are taught to look to their authorities, not to their observations.




Prophecy-of-god, you are wrong. We atheists are concerned with the presence of *any* suffering, since that contradicts the idea of an all-knowing, all-powerful, all-benevolent god. That doesn't mean we all think life is awful.

We atheists do not blame god for anything. If you actually knew what an atheist was, you'd know that. We DON'T BELIEVE IN GOD. Why? Many reasons. Among them is the fact that you claim God is *good* and also claim that God punishes innocent people because some ancient naked guy ate the wrong kind of fruit. That's not good.

There is a reason theologians have been baffled for centuries by the so-called Problem of Evil, and that's that their god is incompatible with a world containing suffering.

Answer 9

Often times, "fundies" as you call them ... they can also be legalistic .. often operate from the stand point of doing the right thing with regardr to God. So they taught that you aught to this and that .. making them fundamental ... as opposed to truly grasping the grace and mercy of God for what it is .. that which you and I dont deserve and no matter what we decide to do ... its wrong. If we do something that God wants us to do .. that is the only basis where doing the right thing .. is right!!

Answer 10

Because they are brought up in fear and hatred from the very beginning. First they are told as little children that their souls are filthy, worthless as rags, and that they can do nothing themselves to fix such a state. It only gets worse from there. Then they must believe in a virgin human bloody sacrifice for sin, and pour that blood all over them, in order to be cleansed. Then they have to eat this bloody human sacrifice's flesh and drink his blood to become like him. And it just goes on and on and on. If they don't do this then they are consigned to a place of eternal torture while God rubs his hands together in glee at their suffering.

And you wonder why fundies have such a sad outlook on the world, why they are so repressed and fearful and negative? I think it's perfectly normal after a lifetime of abuse such as that, which begins in their childhood before they even have a chance to form any of their own opinions about the world.