“…Christians that aren’t fundamentalists are just metaphysical tourists that are only in it for the weekend barbecues and cut-price child day care. Simply put, if you’re not a fundamentalist then you’re not really religious. You either believe it or you don’t. Even fuzzy logic doesn’t cut the mustard because the purported rewards and punishments these religions will promise you are not planned to be dealt out on the basis that you 67% believed in the Holy Spirit. Nor will Satan let you off lightly with a roasting in aisle B of the 3rd level of Hell if you refused to commit murder in 9 out of ten opportunities. It’s in the very core of this dogma that you’re either in boots and all, or you’re out, and you don’t want to be out. …”
~ An excerpt of a comment made by OzJuggler on an article at kuro5hin.org
OzJuggler is not a christian, he’s an atheist. I don’t completely agree with OzJuggler, but there is truth in what he says. A lot of religious folks, let’s say Christians for the sake of example, are afraid of being classified as or associated with the term “Fundamentalist”. And at least here in California, people tend not to like Fundamentalists, regardless of the religion. Even my cousin apologized for referring to me as a ‘fundamentalist christian’ once, while we were having a conversation. It went something like “…oh curse those stupid fundamentalist christians. oh, not that you would be one, I didn’t mean that. I apologize. I know you’re not like that.”
I have two thoughts about what my cousin said. ONE: It’s funny that she thinks I’m not a “fundie”. I mean, she’s known me all of her life, and she knows what I stand for, morally, politically, etc. I should be a fundie to her because I’m fundamentally opposed to most of her moral-sociopolitical views. (In some ways, I could be a threatening(or sadly deluded) fundamentalist to her — the kind who is intelligent and functional in society yet still believes in an invisible creator-god, and bases life on a centuries-old Book written and compiled by multiple authors over a span of 1500 years or so, which are supposed to be the words of this creator-god.)
TWO: This may sound weird, but I feel a bit ashamed that she didn’t associate me with fundamentalist Christianity. Because, this is my point I think, “fundamentalism” in Christianity should literally mean Biblical Christianity — doing it like Jesus did. Not the passive buddha copy that so many think Jesus was, but the real Jesus, the dude who whipped the hustlers outta the temple; the dude who used spit and mud to heal a blind man; the dude who loved someone so much that he actually let the person make the choice to leave and be lost; the Jesus whose first words recorded were “CHANGE!(Repent) For the kingdom of God is at hand!“. The Man who actively pursued his mission and took on a horrible physical torture and death, and yes, ultimately, raised himself from the dead.
Of course the fundamentalism stuff also has some bad connotation to it. Blowing up abortion clinics, bashing homosexuals in word and deed, and general hatred. As with any group or religion, there are always the really bad eggs that seem to spoil the bunch. If Jesus and his followers were around today, would they be doing what a lot of those bad fundamentalists are doing? Based on the historical writings, which are all we have to go by, I’d say NO. They would, however, be offending many, that’s for sure.
Eniguey, I’ve never cared much for labels, and I don’t care if you call me a fundie, a bigot, a commie, a fascist, a conservative, a nazi, a christian, a fool, or narrow-minded. Nothing really hurts my feelings, honestly. But I do understand the importance of words, labels and categories. Humans seem to need them, it keeps things tidy, I guess. So it may be easier not to analyze, investigate, or think in general, simply throwing folks you don’t agree with into tidy little labelled categories. I get that. Sure, go ahead and continue using the labels, but I say, no matter your background or philosophy, just Think. Please.
All I really care about is living how Jesus and his early followers (the ones who wrote the new testament) would want me to live today. No, things don’t always go right, and boy, do I have to lot to work on (temper, anyone? sorry KION/KCBA), and yes, there are many people who won’t like me or other christians, but that’s just the way it is. The Dude said it would be that way.
“…You will be hated for my namesake… They will persecute you.”
~ Jesus Christ.
So, when I come across comments like OzJuggler’s or my cousin’s, it reminds what this Christian thing is supposed to be about. In a sense, OzJuggler is right: there is no middle ground. You’re either In or Out. You believe or you don’t. There must be a fundamental agreement with the cause, religion, teaching, faith, and your mind. You cannot take some of this and some of that. In any religion, it should be all or nothing(or something else).
At least in the JudeaoChristianMuslim religions, we’re not being judged on a curve. it’s a pass/fail test really. You either did your best to follow or you didn’t. You did what Jesus said to do, or you didn’t. You’re either fully devoted to Allah or not. You either followed God’s commandments or not.
Because in the end, you only have two options: Up or Down.
“Because in the end, you only have two options: Up or Down.”
::Efrain::