Christians in different parts of the world..

[Trytostaydead]

Just reading through this forum, I noticed that a lot of people know a lot of fundamentalist psychos, though I'm wondering whether in part it has something to do with culture as opposed to religious beliefs.

For instance, I'm a Korean American in Southern California. For Korean Americans, church is a big part of life, especially if you're a 2nd generation growing up in the States. A lot of my friends and colleagues are really hardcore Christians, but they're neither insane, psychopathic and are probably some of the smartest people around (proof is held in the annual National College Board releases), at least in the United States. Furthermore, they're extremely nice and considerate people.

So when people on this board are using "fundamentalists" encompassing those who adhere strongly to the Bible and ranting on about them, I have a hard time understanding the hatred given the people I associate with that would probably be considered "fundamentalists" by some on this board.

[General Zod]

the vast majority of the time the hatred isn't so much for a fundamentalist's beliefs, but rather for their willingness to shove it down other peoples throats and spouting nonsense as involatile fact despite evidence to the contrary. most of the people on this board don't give a fuck what you believe as long as you don't try shoving it down someone else's throat.

[Coyote]

The problem also comes from using religious idealogies to press political interests that only help their own particular theistic goals.

[salm]

Over here in Germany it´s like this. The number of believers is decreasing. Most people still have an official religion (Religion is recognized by the authorities here) but that doesn´t mean that they´re believers.
Some people in the cities still go to church on a regular basis while lots of people go to church regularly out in the sticks.

Churches are selling property at the moment because they´ve got too many churches for the decreasing number of believers. You can see banks and similar things in churches, the fashion designer Lagerfeld has a fashion studio in a church and churches rent church walls to companies to place adverticements there. I´m doing a project for uni at the moment in which a church will be transformed into a brothel.

There are some fundies here, people with really strong faith, but they tend to keep their crap to themselves.

I know of one case in a highschool near my own highschool where a fundie teacher would say a whole bunch of crap about other religions, hand out christian propaganda. He got suspended.

There is a subject in school that´s called "religion". Catholics go to catholic religion, protestant to protestant religion. Or can choose ethics instead. Religion is somewhat strange. It does teach the whole faith thing but also offers other alternatives. For example religious songs are sung in religion.
I went to lutheran religion for several years. We´d sing (or yell) religious songs, then the teacher would tell us something about christ and then the class ussually turned into either a physics or history class. I guess this subject really depends on the teacher. Then at the age of 16 i payed my 25 deutsch marks and was no longer lutheran and went to ethics class.

One more notable thing is that the catholics tend to be more conservative than the protestants.

All in all, you don´t get bothered by fundies if don´t activly seek them out.

[The Spartan]

The problem also comes from using religious idealogies to press political interests that only help their own particular theistic goals.

Or worse, the ideologies they press cause demonstrable harm, for example, the ever volatile sex education argument. Particularly here in the south and the midwestern states.

[The Spartan]

All in all, you don´t get bothered by fundies if don´t activly seek them out.

Oh, if only that were true here. Downtown there is a particular street corner at a movie theater and the most convenient way to reach the theater from the parking garage is to pass said corner.

Guess who sets up there. Yep, Fundamentalist Southern Baptists. They yell that everyone is going to hell. Praise Jesus! (two different guys... need to work on their timing ) I usually just try to avoid them, even if I have to go slightly out of my way. I don't go downtown to get into arguments, I go there for a movie and nice dinner.

I was thinking though, the next time I run into them, of going Sgt. Hartman on their asses. Just riffing off of his most abusive dialogue and having some fun.

Or I could bring some Bible verses for them to look up that might cause their heads to explode. Though they probably would just claim that I was taking them out of context or some other such nonsense.

As yet another alternative I can tell them that yes, I am in fact an agent of Satan but that my duties are largely ceremonial. Kudos and thanks to whoever's sig I got that from. Sorry, can't remember at the moment.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

So when people on this board are using "fundamentalists" encompassing those who adhere strongly to the Bible and ranting on about them, I have a hard time understanding the hatred given the people I associate with that would probably be considered "fundamentalists" by some on this board.

Read my rant on page 5 of the Missionaries Should Die thread. Fundamentalists have hurt a lot of people I care about.

[Castor Troy]

I often get that feeling from certain members, that people who hold strong religious beliefs are "fundies", when in fact "fundies", or fundamentalists (I officially hate the word "fundy") are people that take the Bible literally, as well as technically being a Protestant movement.

Anyways, stick to your beliefs, and more importantly, make sure you're doing the right thing. It's okay to question your religion, even asking a Priest about some of the stuff would be a good thing to do.

BTW, are you Catholic? If so, try to pick up a Catechism. It might help you.

[Guardsman Bass]

So when people on this board are using "fundamentalists" encompassing those who adhere strongly to the Bible and ranting on about them, I have a hard time understanding the hatred given the people I associate with that would probably be considered "fundamentalists" by some on this board.

Usually, when we refer to 'fundies,' we are talking about obnoxious, annoying, and loud Biblical literalists who don't understand science. We don't deliberately harass Christians unless they ask for it.

[Surlethe]

Just reading through this forum, I noticed that a lot of people know a lot of fundamentalist psychos, though I'm wondering whether in part it has something to do with culture as opposed to religious beliefs.

I grew up Catholic, and we're not really "in-your-face" like the aforementioned Southern Baptists. I think that has to do with the Catholic Church not really needing to proselytize, and having had two millennia to temper its inflationary zeal, whereas many of the fundamentalist Protestant groups haven't yet outgrown their tremendous drive to expand. It also might have to do with social inertia: the Catholic Church has a sixth of the world's population in it, and the Protestant churches together total only about half of that (linkz0r), so perhaps the Protestant churches have less of an incentive to just coast peacefully along, existing.

My $0.02, anyway.

[Guardsman Bass]

Just reading through this forum, I noticed that a lot of people know a lot of fundamentalist psychos, though I'm wondering whether in part it has something to do with culture as opposed to religious beliefs.

I grew up Catholic, and we're not really "in-your-face" like the aforementioned Southern Baptists. I think that has to do with the Catholic Church not really needing to proselytize, and having had two millennia to temper its inflationary zeal, whereas many of the fundamentalist Protestant groups haven't yet outgrown their tremendous drive to expand. It also might have to do with social inertia: the Catholic Church has a sixth of the world's population in it, and the Protestant churches together total only about half of that (linkz0r), so perhaps the Protestant churches have less of an incentive to just coast peacefully along, existing.

My $0.02, anyway.

With a billion Catholic people, you guys can afford to be lazy.

[dworkin]

It's reporting bias. The guy who sells me coke and chippies may well be a christian as could be lady at the magazine shop. I don't know and so I don't care or get worked up about it.

The majority of Kiwis treat religion pretty much like Mike desrcibes the Federation does: Religion is a private matter, often treated in the same manner as bowel movements, something you do, preferably alone.
But then there are the idiots. Like fundies everywhere, if you smack them down they take it as 'signs of persecution' and so wierdly come back for more. This is probably why everyone else is quiet on their faith because otherwise they associated with the jackasses.

These guys get laughed at. A lot. If there's one thing a zealot cannot stand it's laughter from the audience.