There are two questions here.
1) What are the peaceful, correctly practising, Christians doing about fundies ruining the Christian practise and reputation?
2) What should we nickname the peaceful Christians? It needs to be something that cannot be misunderstood as being fundementalistic.
2007-10-21 08:29:16 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
There are those who speak the whole word of God, and those who sugar coat it so they don't "hurt anyone's feelings" or don't want to be "INTOLERANT"
You could call the latter COMPROMISING.
Paul ding--The UCC is a PERFECT example of what a Christian should not be! They are compromisers of God's Holy Word, telling people it's ok to sin. God will love you anyway. It's ok to practice HOMOSEXUALITY. God won't mind, He's a loving God who loves everyone, and He'll let you into Heaven anyway! (I used to belong to a UCC church. I know what they preach! It is a den of vipers!) they lie to people, and if you do that, you will cause them their very SALVATION. God is the same today as He was yesterday, and will be tomorrow. HE DOESN'T CHANGE WITH THE WORLD! God is not still speaking and changing His mind. GOD HAS SPOKEN. His words are in His Book. Try reading them sometime.
You can call me whatever you want, but when I see people twisting God's word, then I will STAND UP FOR JESUS, AND LET THEM KNOW. I don't care what people think of me. God is the one I fear, not those who call me names, or throw stones at me. IT IS A FEARFUL THING TO FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD!
2007-10-21 08:45:07 · answer #1 · answered by byHisgrace 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
This question contains its own definition and stereotype. To answer is to accept the asker's viewpoint.
Ask any athlete or musician and they will tell you that a knowledge and mastery of the "fundamentals" is essential to success. The same is true for all intellectual disciplines as advanced reasoning cannot take place unless one has mastered the basics upon which all else depends.
Jesus said "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:37. While Christians are to study the Bible diligently, 2 Timothy 2:15, they are to avoid speculation about controversial points, Titus 3:9; 2 Timothy 2:23, which would keep them from focusing on Jesus' clear directives. Matthew 28:18-20.
I prefer the name used by the early Church - Christians. Unfortunately, that will not keep those who wish to cast aspersions on the faith from being cynical or worse.
Seek God's praise, rather than popularity in this life. John 12:42-43.
2007-10-21 18:11:00 · answer #2 · answered by Wayne C 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Interesting avatar. But that being said.....
Two groups? Only two groups? Surely you are joking. There are many more characteristics than the two you mentioned. There are Christians who are PEACEFUL---as a matter of fact, they wouldn't do anything to hurt your feelings. Not even tell you the truth if it would save your life. Those are the REAL GOOD FEEL GOOD CHRISTIANS where never is heard a discouraging word.
Then you have the judgemental folks who say if you drink, swear, smoke, play loud music, dance, chew tobacco, or fall into bed with anything that breathes you are going straight to hell in a handbasket. These are the legalistic folks in Christianity who want to burden you down with the LAW. You could call them the LAW & ORDER group. God gave you and law and that was an order. These folks couldn't love you if you gave them a vital organ.
And then there are the Christians who are going to suffer through your insults, your barrage of hatred, your diatribes and your insults. They are going to plead, cajole, persuade and love you. They are trying to help you understand that Jesus is the lover of your soul and no matter how many times you try to say no----they love you enough to risk their reputation to tell you the truth. They are the prayerwarriors of your life who will continue to seek the Lord on your behalf until the Lord answers their prayers. So I guess I would call these "fundies" prayer warriors.
Just my opinion. Thanks for asking. God bless. (btw---you want to stay clear of those REAL GOOD FEEL GOOD Christians. Cos you may never find Jesus with them in your corner.)
2007-10-21 15:54:23 · answer #3 · answered by oph_chad 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Just my opinion, but I think the people who you call fundies or harmul Christians are people who have no real experience with God and no real understanding of the Gospel. Their leaders try to combine the old and new covenants by taking the parts they like from each.
Many of these people are in church because of someone else and have no real faith of their own. They are putting on a show and following the blind crowd of pharisees.
As for a nickname for peaceful Christians, why not use Jesus' own teachng:
Matthew 5:9 (King James Version)
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain
9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Call me a peacemaker. =)
2007-10-21 16:20:33 · answer #4 · answered by Guardian 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I believe that if a religion represents the truth, it should be able to be practiced fundamentally. If not, it must not represent the truth. That is why I don't believe any of the Abrahamic religions are the truth. I doubt even the fundies keep slaves and practice animal sacrifices. Therefore even they are not true Christians. This would of course make them all a bunch of hypocrites. They pick and choose what to take literally and what to take metaphorically. They decide which dogmas need to be believed and followed. There should be consistency and unquestionable, unambiguous truth; but there just isn't.
2007-10-21 15:47:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The "no given name yet" Christians are already called "mainline" Christians.
1.) The United Church of Christ produced a television advertisement promoting the fact that *all* were welcome in their churches. (See the link below.) However, the television networks refused to sell them advertising so they could run it, because they were afraid of the fundamentalists.
2.) The fundamentalists make a big deal about who's really a christian, and who isn't. Mitt Romney, for instance. I don't like him because he's about 17 times as slick as oil on teflon, but there's no real question that Mormons are christian. On the other hand, prominent fundamentalist leader Tony Perkins announced on MSNBC this week that "this is no time to turn the other cheek", which is a - dare I say it? - FUNDAMENTAL refutation of Christ's teachings.
3) Mainline is a good word. It generally is taken to mean the seven sisters - the Episcopal Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the American Baptist Churches, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the United Church of Christ, and the United Methodist Church - but nobody gets carded at the door.
2007-10-21 15:35:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 2⤋
What can I do about the fundamentalists who preach hell and brimstone? I've told some of the ones here that they are doing more harm than good with their attempts to convert others.
Really, if I say more, then I am being a hypocrite, for I tell people all the time to live and let live...to accept and respect others' beliefs.
Thank you for recognizing that one cannot lump all Christians into one group. We are individuals.
Basically, we are good people who love God.
I appreciate it.
2007-10-21 15:36:11 · answer #7 · answered by batgirl2good 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Why if there are so many different Christian religions, do you feel it necessary to lump them all into two groups? Not all of any group think the same way. You should never generalize. That is what leads to hate and bigotry. Your question reads to me that you are a bigot towards anyone who does not see it your way.
2007-10-21 15:43:28 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I believe that the peaceful ones are the ones who live and practice what they believe (Hence Believers) while the "fundies" Shout and prod and in the end push everyone away from what the believes call their true faith. I think that should work.
2007-10-21 15:41:57 · answer #9 · answered by Rev. Kaldea 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Excellent question. Peaceful Christians should shun all who willfully sin under the name" Christian!"
2007-10-21 15:36:26 · answer #10 · answered by sandra b 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋