Why I Love Fundies

From Another Post-- but a poster asked that I push it into a new thread and so here it is: peace

Nothing is Black and White. The fundies are not 100% wrong and there is nothing 100% right. The dawning awareness of living and learning always includes the realization that the world, including faith, is mighty, mighty gray. That's why you can't "fight" them-- with reason, similar tactics, blah-blah-blah.

I have a lot of empathy for these believers, because I remember being in similar groups as a rather thrashing and convulsive time emotionally, spiritually-- I also have a fair amount of respect for them because I admire anyone who will take risk for what they believe, who are looking for meaning beyond consumerism and selfishness.

I won't say this is the definitive perspective, but I've spent a lot of time thinking about this (especially lately, how could it be avoided?)-- What I'm seeing/hearing reminds me of a piece of one of the letters in the New Testament, where Paul is writing to some believers who are having an argument-- the argument is about whether or not it is a sin to eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols. The answer he send them is that if a person's faith is new/weak and they feel it is sinful to eat meat sacraficed to idols-- well, then it is sinful. If a person's faith is older/stronger and they recognize that there's really no magic power and the meat is safe to eat, then they can eat it and it is not a sin. However, if the older/stronger Christian flaunts their eating of the meat and tries to convince the younger Christian they are stupid or wrong, well then that's a sin.

I think that's a beautiful perspective and useful when talking to fundies and pondering where these fundies are coming from-- here the text points out that it is possible for two people believing two different things to both be right and okay in their relationship to God. The cautionary part of the message is to the older and wiser believer-- don't cause another to sin against their own personal understanding. For me personally, that means I would not argue with a fundie; I would not try to prove anything-- I'd just listen for the questions that are surely there and lead to the next "level" (I don't like that word because it seems judgemental, but I need something to imply growth-- I didn't think my fifteen year old was superior to my twelve year old, but they were certainly capable of different things, and yet right where they were supposed to be at any one time).

The part of watching and thinking about fundies that pains me most is how trapped they are by fear. (I know this from my fundie days). They aren't going to read Chomsky or Zinn. They just aren't. Because they fear that these people are agents of deception. There's a lot of warning about the devil roaming the earth like a lion seeking whom he may devour and all that-- it takes TIME to recognize that love is really stronger after all and fear is the opposite of love. Those meat-eating early Christians played this out, too-- it wasn't two people fighting over their superior understanding (although, we tend to think that way and the things I read on this board don't deviate from that pattern). It was fearful/magic thinking ("that meat has evil powers and I don't want to be evil") and powerful/rational thinking ("evil doesn't come from the outside in, but the inside out and what I eat won't make me evil, God/Love is stronger than Evil/Fear, so I don't have any reason to fear that meat and dang! I'm hungry!).

Granted, some folks do seem to get stuck in the adolescent phase of growth-- which is where I think most fundies are. Adolescence is crazy time-- I spend a lot of time with teens and they can be so foolish, so obstinate, so obtuse, so offensive, so thrashingly ACTIVE. But, there are things I deeply admire-- they are so passionate, so motivated, so willing to put themselves on the line for what they think is right/true.

That's why I love fundies. I hope they'll grow along and figure out the fear isn't useful-- in fact, it's getting in their way; it's blocking love. That's pretty plain in all the conflicted messages about life/death going on right now. Hey, if your faith is so strong, why are you asking Bush-- he's not powerful.

Just picture all that committment and energy and passion focused behind solving world hunger or ending war--- YES, we need the adolescents-- and we need to help them grow into the bigger things. We aren't going to bring them there by acting childish and laughing at them or hating them. Patience. Many will grow out of it and be highly productive and progressive in time.

Okay, sorry about the pulpit proclamation here-- I hope I didn't offend anyone. Just my 2cents.

peace

and white. i too am amongst a lot of fundies. kids went to school with them for 6 years. there was a lot of love, there was a lot of good, until passion adn bush riled them up. but, the funny

nothing is black and white, except the fundie that so easily and in comfort lives in black and white. if they didnt base all of life on black and white, we would all get along better, but the challenge in the fundie is their black and what perception of the world. especially as we know nothing is black and white

You do realize, though, that you have just "shat" upon the orthodox Jewish religion aka Judaism.

Its complicated system of rules and regulations was what the Apostle Paul was preaching that Jesus Christ had come to move us beyond with his "perfect law of love" embodying only two commandments, "love God" and "love your neighbor as yourself."

A primary characteristic of fundamentalists (though not necessarily evangelicals) is this tendency to "Judaize" everything. I have long called * an Old Testament Christian. It's an oxymoron, but it fits him and the people who most vehemently support him perfectly.

I was never a fundamentalist, but I belong to an evangelical church which has many members, including the pastor, who really seem to long for the violence and patriarchal control found all through the Old Testament.

but what a beautiful attitude. I find it is sooooooooo frustrating to deal with what I view as a rejection of rational thought from my fundamentalist family members.

While many have been at this a long time, most have joined up to their local fundamentalist church in the past five years ago and, as I know from personal experience, it's a relief, at first, to have all the answers given to you. Over time, though, it is human nature to begin questioning the black and the white. The longer they are reviled, the longer they will remain in an unreceptive defensive mode. Jesus said "blessed are you who are reviled in my name," and many believe that they can be emotional martyrs.

I agree that we need to treat their current beliefs with love and respect and hoping, like we do with our children, that they will use their intelligence for constructive rather than destructive purposes. Indeed I believe that it is all that we can hope for, otherwise, all is lost anyway.

Thank you..
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they are addicted to fear...they'll never grow "out" of it.

Wow, can't believe how your post ignores the fact that they've divided this country in two and turned it upside down to almost the point of civil war and self destruction...

Now, That's why I CAN'T STAND fundies. :puke:

But I got out. How in the HELL did I do that? If someone can explain how I differ from other fundies, please tell me. If I'm not any different, then there is a chance to reach fundies.

Unfortunately, I've met very few who have escaped. The older ones are probably a lost cause. What is the difference???? What is it????

<opinion>

I think my personality, my love of truth, was so important to me that I followed the truth no matter where it led, no matter how much it hurt. My love of truth allowed me to change my mind. It keeps me from being dogmatic and rigid.

I'm not wishy-washy, though. It takes a lot of data to make me change my mind about something I deem important. It took years for me to go from fundy Christian to atheist. Each "truth" was a blow. It hurts to have your world view shattered. Most fundies are way too afraid to confront truth. :(

</opinion>

Yet, I don't consider myself courageous. In fact, as I've come to realize no cloud being is concerned about my life or what happens to me, a lot of fear has entered my life. Religion is a drug to combat fear. Now I have to learn courage on my own. I can't just blindly trust anymore.

So, am I different? Or am I the same as any other brainwashed fundy? If I'm different, what makes me different? How can other fundies be gently herded toward adopting this difference? If I'm no different from other fundies, why can't we reach them?