Do most Liberal Christians have more in common with Non-Believers or with Fundamentalists? Explain the answer.

Question

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Also name your own faith tradition.

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Answer 1

you need to convert to the original faith

greek orthodox!!!!

Thats where christianity started!!!

Answer 2

I'm assuming (always dangerous I know) that by non-believer you mean non-Christian, seeing as how many Christians seem to think that if you don't believe Jesus is your savior you don't believe in anything.

Most Liberal Christians seem to have more in common with non-believers than with Fundamentalists even if they don't see that themselves. They are generally less judgmental, more respectful of and tolerant to non-believers. They have more of a all paths lead to the same place belief, and these are the Christians that most often show the unconditional love and forgiveness that they are taught, something I find to be common in all paths. Hmmm...Seems interesting that Jesus himself would have been considered a liberal Christian, doesn't it?

Most fundamentalists however are very judgmental, wrathful even, of those who do not believe exactly as they do. They have no respect for or tolerance of anyone of another faith, even criticizing (and reporting) more liberal Christians, preaching fire and brimstone to all. These are the Christians that are the modern day Pharisees.

Really the only thing the Fundamental and Liberal Christians have in common is their God and following Jesus.

~oh almost forgot, my faith tradition is my own. I take what I find of value regardless the source.

Answer 3

"If the non-believer does not believe the bible is 100% true, infallible and the direct word of God, quoting from it would not really PROOVE anything for that person. Would it?" How do you call yourself a non-believer if you be a portion of the bible, even if under 100%? A lot of things that a known now were only theory at one time. A lot of things that are theory now will be prooven some day. If one quotes the Bible to offer an explaination to you, it's merely to show part of the source of which they answered you. I know I can not give you faith, (if I could I'd give it to everyone,) I offer no proof. But I encourge you to look for yourselfs and you'll find the answers. Where you start your search is up to you.

Answer 4

I think there'll be a difficulty with getting meaningful answers to this question due to the fact that there is no consensus on the definition of terms (particular "Liberal Christian" and "Fundamentalist"). If you were to ask for the definition to those terms, you'd get answers ranging from soup to nuts.

For my part, according to my understanding of the definition of terms, I believe on many things Liberal Christians would have more in common with non-believers than with Fundamentalists. I say this particularly because many non-believers would agree with the Liberal Christians that the Bible is not an infallible document but that it contains useful myths that can help one out in life. On the other hand, one of the most fundamental beliefs of Fundamentalists is that the Bible is THE inerrant direct revelation of God and is prescriptive for daily life rather than merely symbolic. This core belief of Fundamentalists is at odds with Liberal Christianity.

Oh, and my faith tradition leans towards Reformed Baptist though I like calling myself a Romanreformedbapticostal. :)

Answer 5

I can only speak for myself in this case. I'm a Roman Catholic, and am of a rather liberal bent. I feel that I have more in common socially (not theologically, of course) with non-believers at times than with Fundamentalists. I have many friends who are non-believers, but fewer who are Fundamentalists. This is because the hardcore Fundamentalists in this area also tend to be stridently anti-Catholic, and frankly, I'm tired of having to deal with it every day. I get enough of that nonsense without purposely inviting it into my life. My atheist, Wiccan, and other non-Christian friends may tease me a bit about being Catholic, but it's never malicious. However, after having been confronted again and again by "well-meaning" Fundamentalists and being told that I'm going to hell, my church is the Great Whore of Babylon, and that I'm an idolater for "worshiping" the Pope, I would have to conclude that I often get along better with atheists. However, this doesn't mean that I don't respect the rights of Fundamentalists to believe as they wish, and I do honor the fact that they are fellow believers in Christ.

Answer 6

I would say that "Liberal Christians" are closer to non-believers because by being "liberal" you are saying that I don't accept anything blindly and I will make up my own mind. The extreme of this it would be claiming your own reasoning to be infallible and you are your own Pope or your own God deciding on the morals you choose to accept.

The extreme of the Fundamentalist is to blindly accept the teachings of others without context or confirmation. This would be more uninformed of other view points while the Liberal would be more informed of other view points and yet not accepting any of them completely.

Fortunately, very few people are in either extreme, but I think the "Liberal" mind and thought process is probably closer to the non-believer mind and thought process.

Answer 7

Through my daughter's friend we have recently become friends with some pretty liberal Christians. He is on call on the weekends as a hospital chaplain and makes his own wine, she teaches classes part time at the YMCA and was complaining that she would not teach one because a verse that says to fear god is mistranslated.

No, I really can not explain it.

Answer 8

I guess I would rather call myself a conservative Christian because I believe in the literal truth of the Bible, even though as a new follower of Christ my faith life is not very strong at all times.

I think it is easier for me to understand non-believers to not to follow the teachings of Christ than Christians not following them. I rather have more things common with Christ than with those two other categories but that is only because I have so much to learn from my Savior.

Answer 9

Baptist, I would not ever say I had anything in common with nonbelievers, because I know without a dough that their is a God and Jesus and nonbelievers don't . I also know that God gives us choices and alot of time I choose the wrong thing. But every time God lets me know when I do wrong, and what goes on from their is between me and God.

Answer 10

"You need to convert to the original faith"? What kind of crap is that.

I think liberal Christians are more believers in "don't prosecute me because of what I believe, and I won't prosecute you for what you believe", or they really don't believe they are just going through the motions, because they don't like the strange looks they get when they identify themselves as atheists

Answer 11

There is only one religion and that's God's word and living for him. No denomination of any kind will get anyone into heaven, it's living true to God and keeping the faith.