So why is it that 'fundamentalists' are supposed to be so devoted to the fundamentals of their specific faiths but they all seem to massively miss the mark and tear their faiths into little bitty pieces in the name of their vision?
Let's take 'Christian' Fundamentalists. What (aside from faith in one God and redemption through Jesus Christ) is the fundamental commandment of Christianity?
'Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Think about any group that labels itself or you would label as 'Christian' Fundamentalist. Any of them feel loving to you? They don't to me. They feel and act like they're all about judging everyone else in the world who isn't *exactly* like them to be wrong and damned and causing all of the 'evil' that they see everywhere around them.
Did Christ say only love those people who look and act and think and believe just like you, otherwise they're fair game to be spat on and kept from their rights and shoved into the dirt and told that they're freaks or unnatural or damned? Maybe the fundies have a different copy of the Bible than I do...
It's amazing how different the world would look if we took Jesus seriously, huh?
ReplyDeleteDo you think many fundamentalists have gotten so caught up in keeping rules (do I listen to the right kind of music? read the right version of the Bible? dress modestly enough? wear my hair in a godly way? attend the right church the appropriate number of times per week? blah, blah, blah) instead of living like Jesus did (loving and serving others)?
Maybe when people start getting caught up in rules, they lose sight of what Jesus wanted. "I desire mercy not sacrifice." Trying to keep rules frustrates me and makes me irritable over time. How do I know I'm measuring up? Perhaps in their nitpicky way of trying to DO all the right things, they have lost sight of the heart of Christ.
My pastor has said Baptists know we are saved by grace through faith, yet we often live our lives as if salvation is dependent on us. When we abide in Him, walk with Christ we do good works (John 15). Maybe some are spending too much time trying to be good by their own efforts instead of relying on Christ to work through them.
Also it seems when we start getting too political, we often let politics trump our spiritual beliefs or we try to mesh the two by justifying it somehow that Jesus for sure would have the same political stances that we do no matter how hateful they may be.
I'm just speculating out loud here trying to figure things out. It's what I like to do: try to understand why people do what they do including myself.
Thanks for the post.
Susanne,
ReplyDeleteIt's not the 'rules' that make them go wrong, exactly. In my opinion, of course. I mean, there are always rules to any faith. And many people/groups that I think of as 'Christian' Fundamentalists don't follow rules in the way I think of them. Like Muslims or Jews or even Catholic and Orthodox. There's having rules and then there's being nuts - in my mind anyway. :)
It's this mindset of reactionariness. They see that the whole world is against them and they're clinging to this modern interpretation of some 'perfect' age that never existed and in the process they're losing the core of the faith and what makes it good and revolutionary and world changing.
They've focused all their energy on haranguing others and seeking 'blood' metaphorically speaking for the most part. They are trying to force this vision that they have of the end of the world and are very self assured that they are the new chosen people. But if you actually look at them and look at how they act and what they do then I think it's really in question as to whether or not they have the spirit of Christ within them.
The combination of (as you pointed out) politics and religion seems to either attract these people or create them, I'm not really sure which. But it's a *bad* combination, regardless.
Hmmm, I am pondering your thoughts in the comment. I am not sure I ever considered it from that perspective as I approach it more as a group of often legalistic people with many of the rules I mentioned above. Maybe it's because I am more familiar with these types as I probably would be considered fundamentalist to many. I guess it depends on how you define it!
ReplyDeleteI do try to remember Jesus called us to love and serve others instead of being nutty about all those who are different from me. I think Satan loves for us to focus on our differences and demonize the 'other' for being different. I have to watch myself so I don't let this happen as it seems to be so easy to divide/hate/demand our way rather than unite/love/serve.
You gave me much to think about and I think you described it pretty well for many. I won't say all because - contrary to what you think - there are some very loving (self-described) fundamentalists out there.
Yes, really. :)
Susanne,
ReplyDeleteIt's all about the labels. When I say Fundie or 'Christian' Fundamentalist I'm talking about these people: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_fundamentalist
I don't view people who are 'legalistic' as fundies automatically though I guess the two things could go together. The people who are 'legalistic' tend to be very focused on getting everything just right within their own practice and yes they can get very judgy too, but it's....it's a different feel to it. I feel so much hate coming from people I think of as fundies. I think it's just that we're diametrically opposed in so many areas (me and them) that I can't see them as anything other than 'against'. And I suspect that many of them are only 'for' certain things because they believe that they'll spark the apocalypse by doing it. Like they can manipulate God and His timing.
See, I would never think to describe you as a 'fundamentalist'. You just don't have the attitude that I see in them. You may share some ideas, theologically, but you don't (to my knowledge) act the way they do. It's not just belief but the way they act on the beliefs that makes them fundies and nutbars.
". And I suspect that many of them are only 'for' certain things because they believe that they'll spark the apocalypse by doing it. Like they can manipulate God and His timing."
ReplyDeleteYes, this is so crazy. As if we can do something to hasten or delay God. Hmmm.
Thanks for your explanation! :)