What's with fundamentalist Christians

I am a Christian - have been for years - teach kids in church, deacon, choir member etc. It's a S. Baptist Church with very conservative members.

Here is my problem -

Their are opportunities for workshops for a closer walk with Jesus. But I really don't want to participate - I am afraid I will become like so many of my fellow church members and become anti-government help for - health care for the poor and needy, against - help for the hungry since they are all just lazy - against letting everyone worship as they please - against public schools. Why would people think these are positions Christ would take. Was Christ this kind of conservative thinker?

People who claim Christ act like He would support harassing gays, be for more tanks and bombs (if they are ours), for flying the American Flag above the Christian Flag.

If that is what a deeper walk with Christ means - I don't want it.

I need a little insight here.

 

It sounds to me like you are already insightful. Are you saying you would like a deeper walk? Teach your fellows your insights, it sounds like they could use them.

 

I have the same problem. As I've said many times, conservative fundamentalists do remind me of figures from the Bible--but it isn't Jesus, it's the Pharisees. I don't see how you can read the Bible, take it literally, and not notice that a lot of it is about helping the poor, tolerating the outcasts, doing justice, etc. Leviticus, which generally comes up in discussions of homosexuality, has a lot of good stuff about social justice that never gets quoted. The strange thing is that real Christians put up with this. Jesus wasn't shy about calling a Pharisee a Pharisee (Then, again, look what happened to him). People are always criticizing Muslims for allowing their religion to be hijacked by fundamentalist extremists, but it seems to me the same criticism could be leveled at Christians.

Have you ever considered changing churches? I've been attending Sunday school at the First United Methodist Church lately. The discussion leader happens to be a Southern Baptist, but he's very open minded, which is probably why he's teaching the class in a Methodist church. My main criticism of the church is that it's too timid about taking stands on major issues like abortion, homosexuality and evolution. Our previous pastor was essentially run off for being too outspokenly supportive of gays. But the people in the Sunday school class seem like nice folks, and so far it's working for me. If I stay in it long enough, I'm sure to open my mouth, and then we'll see how Christian they are. The new pastor gave a sermon around the theme "There's too much religion in the world, and not enough spirituality". My kinda guy!

 

Do you attend services or just the Sunday school, bible study. I have found the United Methodist Church to be very tolerant of peoples personal convictions.

 

Mostly the Sunday school, because there's more opportunity for free discussion. But i get to the service occasionally.

 

excellent thread so far!

you could always become a unitarian universalist or a buddhist or something, but that doesn't sound like your thing.

 

Re: Was Christ a conservative thinker?

Depends on what you mean by conservative.

People have a tendency to turn Jesus into themselves (a conservative, a hippie, a capitalist, a pinko, a S. Baptist, a Jew, a Muslim, a pithy scholar). Only from the text and prayer and through the lens that now covers the world since the events at Calvary can we discover Jesus.

On a side note of liturgy, public worship should be unified, but private devotions are more free. There are limits I would argue (no praising Muhammad as an orthodox Christian). But that just may be my Catholic showing.

 

I think you might be talking about Americans rather than fundementalist Christians.

 

Ahhh - we meet again.
It's true that the opinions and beliefs I mentioned are not reserved for fundamentalist Christians - however they do seem to congregate there. Issues such as homosexuality, women's rights etc. seem to be magnified because of the religious context.

The frightening thing is these ideas are presented under the banner of a loving Christ. Could such ideas be implanted in me from intense association with religious people who think like that? I don't think so - I am old enough to have my ideas pretty well set. I have, however, seen it happen. From open and accepting to judgmental and mean spirited - it happens.

 

I'm not a Christian, but I'd say if you are sincerely wanting to get closer to Jesus and the truth and his ways, do it. You know what you think and you can understand God's will isn't necessarily the members' will. You know it isn't what Jesus meant for poor people to suffer when you can help. I think the worst thing you can do is resist if you feel this deep in your heart. You know it's necessary for you. Why are you avoiding getting more involved in the one thing that should matter most to you - Love.

 

I'm not stalking you honest...

I was being a little unfair... I could have been talking about any fairly religious society, tbh.
I'll be fair again, and say I was being overly cynical too.

I think the questions about homosexuality are not just for the fundementalist Christian...they are questions asked by regular christians too.
I'm not quite sure why a "fundementalist Christian" would be: anti-government - against health care for the poor and needy - against - help for the hungry - against letting everyone worship as they please - against public schools.
Perhaps it is just the Conservative element of the people within your church, and not to do with religion at all.
But, I don't know...perhaps they do justify their position with the words of christ.
I'd like to know what they say to justify their position on those issues, tbh.

I would ask if it is the attitude of the actual church you attend or merely the attitude of the majority of people that go there.
I doubt you would get far if it was the general attitude of the church you go to.
I doubt they would tolerate your more liberal way of thinking.
I would wonder why you don't choose another church...there must be more tolerant churches where you live.
Why did you pick that particular church in the first place if they are so different than yourself?

Just based on what you have said, I'd say move church and don't look back.

 

I like the way you said that.

 

I don't either Ddoright.

 

I just got back from that Sunday School class I was talking about, and with our previous discussion in mind, it made me think along lines that go beyond the topic, which was our local public schools. The Superintendant of Schools, who is a member, discussed issues and problems the school district is facing, especially with a dwindling budget. I was getting ready to ask a question when her time ran out (that always happens; I think it's a conspiracy; when I raise my hand, they never call on me until we're out of time!) Anyhow, the question I was going to ask was political and cultural. It seems to me that the root of the problems our school system is facing lie in a state legislature whose world view is rooted in the Bronze Age. At a time of financial crisis, the things this body gives priority to are putting the Ten Commandments on public grounds and buildings, imposing new restrictions on a woman's right to get an abortion, and removing protections against violence toward homosexuals. The latter effort kinda backfired, because in trying to eliminate federal protections for gays, the legislature got its provisions wrong and almost eliminated protections for religious groups, instead! Where schools are concerned, many of the conservative constituents are downright hostile to the public schools, which they view as hotbeds of secular humanism. Any time a budget crisis comes up, the schools are the first to get cut, and any time we get a surplus there's a new tax cut--the reflex solution to every problem, so far as the Republican legislative majority is concerned. I see this as not just a political problem. Its a problem of toxic religion, and Christians need to let these yokels know it's not okay. A Republican candidate for state legislature showed up at my door last week and got an earful. I told him I thought the Ten Commandments should be posted in the offices of the state legislators, and they should be required to check off which ones they keep every day.

 

amen!

 

Capitol idea!

 

Thanks.

I love puns!

 

Thanks for your input guys. In all fairness I must say the my pastor has been at the church for 2 years and I have yet to hear any of the conservative rant from the pulpit - very little on women's rights (ie: abortion) or the sin of homosexuality or the horrors of government - which is probably why I am able to serve there.

It is the general attitude of the congregation. I live in a small southern town in central Florida and I have to expect this kind of attitude - the government is out to get what is mine, people poorer than me are out to get what is mine. If I want to help someone I'll do it myself. This might help someone get a room for the night but certainly not pay for $500,000 hospital/dr bill. No individual or church can afford that.
My feeling is that the church as a body is far, far from the attitude Jesus had toward the poor and the sick and the disabled and the mentally ill.

It trouble me, it truly does. I'm sure I can not change many peoples hearts or minds. I'm not sure I can escape the prejudices of the community - I can teach my kids in sunday school about Jesus though.

I'm not sure where I'm going with this - just venting I guess. I only wish there were more compassion, forgiveness, openness and understanding in the organized church.

 

That is one of the best things you can do.

If the measure you give is the measure you get, then the only thing that can be lacking in any situation is what you have not given.

 

Imagine that....!