Why has Christian Fundamentalism been making a comback?

[boc120]

As a proud to be one evangelical (you know, born again) Christian, I think that I could be of some assistance on this topic. The reason that the evangelical movement is growing and vibrant is because things have changed. It is not a solemn, go to church and never think about God again until next Sunday type of thing. It is a way of life where God is at the center of your life. Once you accept Jesus into your life, He starts to work through you to reach out to others so that as many as possible may be saved.

[Zero]

boc120, to discover the real answer to this question, when and where were you taught that bullshit (as in your age at the time), and how did they manage to convince you that your religion actually had any realistic merit to it when there's really no historical reason to believe jesus existed at all?

[boc120]

Ok, it was not quite two years ago when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. One of my best friends was already a born-again Christian and he told me about a Christian radio station and I started tuning in. I listened carefully to the sermons that were on, and I decided to accept Jesus. I am now 18, so I was a late 16 year old then.

Also, there are more then one historic Roman documents that report a disturbance caused in their province of Judea by a Jesus that was preaching a new religion.

[Lagmonster]

The reason that the evangelical movement is growing and vibrant is because things have changed. It is not a solemn, go to church and never think about God again until next Sunday type of thing. It is a way of life where God is at the center of your life.

A small percentage of the population has always lived that way; The fact that you're all fresh and giddy about your beliefs doesn't explain why anyone other than you is willing to buy it.

If you want to add to the discussion, it might help if you explained your emotional state, financial state, family upbringing, parental and peer influences, and other things you were going through when you converted that put you in a position where you would consider fundamentalist beliefs to be reasonable.

Nobody just reaches into thin air and drags out a belief; there are specific cultural and social and personal reasons why people throw logic to the wind and put themselves at the daily whim of an invisible entity.

[Molyneux]

As a proud to be one evangelical (you know, born again) Christian, I think that I could be of some assistance on this topic. The reason that the evangelical movement is growing and vibrant is because things have changed. It is not a solemn, go to church and never think about God again until next Sunday type of thing. It is a way of life where God is at the center of your life. Once you accept Jesus into your life, He starts to work through you to reach out to others so that as many as possible may be saved.

You...just pretty well described a virus-type meme. It doesn't necessary have anything to do with the merits of your religion - it spreads itself by its very nature. You're infected, and the infection makes you want to infect others (evangelism).

[Nephtys]

As a proud to be one evangelical (you know, born again) Christian, I think that I could be of some assistance on this topic. The reason that the evangelical movement is growing and vibrant is because things have changed. It is not a solemn, go to church and never think about God again until next Sunday type of thing. It is a way of life where God is at the center of your life. Once you accept Jesus into your life, He starts to work through you to reach out to others so that as many as possible may be saved.

Let me present another possibility. People are damned complacent in their lives, and don't know how to give credit when it's due. Everyone living in the western world for the most part at the least is granted a life far better than most of the rest of the world. Even the poorest. Now, the average middle class citizen in East Bumfuck then, has no motivation to actually LEARN WHY. Instead, they are shapable putty for charismatic bullshitters such as Pat Robertson.

Accepting Jesus into your life? Saved? That's the thing. People want to feel 'like the good guys'. And part of this is assuming everyone else is the bad guy. Whatever happened to 'humble before god', when the Evangelicals say they know who is going to hell, and that they know their way is right?

boc120, you're just a trolling fucktard. Accepting Jesus has nothign to do with how good or moral you are. Only your own choices do.

[SirNitram]

Also, there are more then one historic Roman documents that report a disturbance caused in their province of Judea by a Jesus that was preaching a new religion.

No there aren't. No such historical documents have been verified to be authentic. I can say this with such absoluteness because, well, it'd be the Imperial find of the mileenia, the biggest, most important thing to be uncovered from Rome since the city of Pompei.

[Magnetic]

Once being a fundi, only being out of it a few months, I can understand where boc120 is coming from. There are many churches that have increased in excitement recently. My church is one of them. Much better music, going away from the traditional 'piano and organ' music to more modern forms. I play the bass at my local church (though when I'm playing for myself, for fun, I mostly do jazz). And up until about a year ago, I would have debated the 'young earth' and 'noah flood' theories as absolutely true.

Here's my take on it. For the average person, the church teaches ideas that many find to be truth, because good speakers tend to be trusted. They trust that what they need to receive from God comes from either the pastor on Sunday, or a devotional book that tells you which scripture passages you should read that day. Few people will actually sit and read the Bible themselves cover to cover. Okay, so here we have a pastor that searches for the words to give the congregation for the coming Sunday. He does so, and people are blessed, along with the power of music that has previously prepared them for the message.

Here's the thing (and I take this from my years of church going). When the pastor spoke on certain topics, such as the incident with the 10 commandments and the golden calf, it was pretty much the same story. Preacher after preacher. (I'm coming to the point). Never once did I ever hear that God originally wanted to kill them all "in his anger" and Moses talking him out if it. Nor did I ever hear that, after Moses talked him out of killing, Moses (upon seeing the golden calf) ordered his men to go throughout the people, killing. And never did I hear that some 3000 of them were killed.

The story of the Walls of Jerico, Sodom and Gomorah, the Flood, etc. all were slanted in a way that made the acts seem to be holy. I guess that was the brainwashing part for me.

I end this thought with something I saw on a Chick Tract. It was concerning the Flood. There is a specific frame that shows the ark and the land being flooded. In that scene, there in the water was the arms of an unseen person (only the arms were out of the water), holding up a small baby. It is things such as that which I had never even considered, via the religious slant that I grew up with. But after actually searching out these things, whether here, or elsewhere, my Christian beliefs have changed considerably.

Purpose of this post in regards to the topic of this thread, . . . . when people are given the 'white washed', 'watered down' view of Biblical events, they are more apt to embrace it as truth, . . . . . and feel exonerated for 'all the horrible things they had done', and that they no longer have to face the torment of Hell. Sorry about those billions of people that are born, live, and die everyday in those unholy lands. Too bad they weren't born in Christian dominated countries. Oh well. I'm saved!

[boc120]

Thats interesting. Well, I live in Iowa. I come from a normal middle class family. Obviously I was raised in a Christian family, but so are by far most people in my area. All too many of these though are Christian in name only though, just going to church on Sunday (if that). I went to a Christian rock concert not too long ago where the lead singer challenged us to read the entire New Testament, which I am in the process of. (about two-thirds through so far). One of my closest friends is a saved Christian and my other closest friend is not yet, but considering it. I plan on being a minister when I grow up. I am in my senior year of high school and have a 3.998 GPA (trig last year got me my first A-) I also have read Genesis and Exodus, along with some of the prophetical books at the end of the Old Testament, and plan to read the rest once I am done with the New Testament.

[Nephtys]

Thats interesting. Well, I live in Iowa. I come from a normal middle class family. Obviously I was raised in a Christian family, but so are by far most people in my area. All too many of these though are Christian in name only though, just going to church on Sunday (if that). I went to a Christian rock concert not too long ago where the lead singer challenged us to read the entire New Testament, which I am in the process of. (about two-thirds through so far). One of my closest friends is a saved Christian and my other closest friend is not yet, but considering it. I plan on being a minister when I grow up. I am in my senior year of high school and have a 3.998 GPA (trig last year got me my first A-) I also have read Genesis and Exodus, along with some of the prophetical books at the end of the Old Testament, and plan to read the rest once I am done with the New Testament.

Good for you entirely. That little snippet about yourself has 'sheltered' quite bluntly written upon it. Christian in name only means for the most part, that they (for some CRAAAZY reason) figured a giant worldwide flood was impossible, the Earth was not only 6000 years old, and that everyone was not born from one guy and his wife who was made out of a rib. They're also known as, reasonable people.

You need to seriously watch that movie 'Saved' for a good perspective on this stuff, kid.

[Duckie]

Note- This is not flame bait, though it is rather blunt. This is a serious challenge to faith.

You are a serious practicing Christian who hasn't read all of the bible? It's time to read the whole thing, then. Christian Rock "dare to be saved" concerts and churchs in rural Iowa won't teach you this holy truth:

You've read Exodus. Now that you have the backstory, skip Numbers because it's boring and read Leviticus and Deuteronomy and the so-called Historical Books (Joshua to 2nd Kings), and read them good. No skimming over the numbers slaughtered, the virgins raped and/or captured, babies killed, and cities utterly destroyed. Extra credit if you add them up to form a total fatality count according to biblical literalism.

It's enlightening to see it that way, no? Those are the most shameful parts of the Christian religion, and they deserve to be read.

Afterwards, think of this quote from the Prince of Peace himself, too:
Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish but to furfil." --Jesus Christ

[SirNitram]

Purpose of this post in regards to the topic of this thread, . . . . when people are given the 'white washed', 'watered down' view of Biblical events, they are more apt to embrace it as truth, . . . . . and feel exonerated for 'all the horrible things they had done', and that they no longer have to face the torment of Hell. Sorry about those billions of people that are born, live, and die everyday in those unholy lands. Too bad they weren't born in Christian dominated countries. Oh well. I'm saved!

That's pretty much most fundamentalism in a nutshell.. Honestly, reading some of this stuff is crazy(To say nothing about the author in my wanting to vomit.. repeatedly.. at the prose...). God is talked down from mass murder by Moses, a mere 'mortal'. Talking snakes(Seriously? Talking snakes.). The entire Book Of Job where we get God explaining how to be your own salvation.(Incidentally, if I've understood the section right, modern man can fufil the whole thing.) The fact that the First Sin is knowing about Good and Evil.. And that knowledge came from a Tree, not God. And on and on. Hell, Revelations is the whackiest. We've got a dude with a sword in his mouth. Swordswallowers are cool, but not my choice of retribution.

I read the whole damn thing when I was.. Hrm. Eleven? Twelve? I couldn't fathom Christians afterwards. The Flood and Sodom and Gonorreah really baffled me.. If a man blew away a city with 100% fatalities, we wouldn't call him 'All loving'.

[Justforfun000]

Matthew 5:17: "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the Prophets. I have not come to abolish but to furfil." --Jesus Christ

furfil? Hmmm...that's an interesting Biblical word. I must have missed that....

Sorry MRDOD..I couldn't resist.

[Morilore]

Hum. In the church I went to during my adolescence, there were two types of services, called, uninspiringly, "worship" and "praise" services. The "worship" services at 8:00 and 10:30 were in the main sanctuary and very traditional: traditional music, recitations of the Lord's Prayer and that one spiel "I believe in God the Father, I believe in blah blah blah." Very solemn. The other service, the "praise" service at 9:00, was where all the young and impressionable went to hear rock music. My mom hated those services (mostly because she thought the music was trash), and I have the strong impression that they were more "fundamentalist" and fanatical than the "worship" folks.

I also remember going to my cousins' "Assembly of God" church once when we were visiting. It was downright scary. Alot of chanting, clapping, and crying. The preacher was crying the whole sermon. Altogether too emotional. I remember to this day a rant about how "at least the starving children (sob) in Africa (sob) know what they want. No one here knows (sob) how much they really need (sob) the presence of Lord Jesus (sob)."

Were those the sorts of churches I went to as a runt, I fear I might have been a fundie moron to this day.

[boc120]

As to the reason that the numbers of evengelicals are increasing, people today are faced with things like terrorism, gay marriage, and a lack of certainty about the future. Then they see people who know the score, who are in possesion of absolute truth (the Word of God) and want some of that certainty for themselves. We proclaim the good news of Jesus and how they need not fear death, as those who are without hope (athiests) do. We know that death was beaten by Jesus, and that now it is just a door to the eternal life in heaven for the believer. We are called to proclaim the good news because we don't want to lose people to hell. Say a friend of mine did not believe, I would tell him the good news, and if he never repents of his sins and accepts Jesus, then he will be eternally separated from God. (end up in hell) Which is why I pay attention to these forums, so that, even though I have been nothing but ridiculed, God doesn't want to lose even the people on this forum.

[Lord of the Abyss]

As to the reason that the numbers of evengelicals are increasing, people today are faced with things like terrorism, gay marriage, and a lack of certainty about the future.

As opposed to WWII, the Cold War, the Great Depression, and the Civil War ? Life has never been perfect, it's always been uncertain. Compared to a lot of periods, we are doing quite well. And gay marriage is hardly something to get worked up about.

Then they see people who know the score, who are in possesion of absolute truth (the Word of God) and want some of that certainty for themselves. We proclaim the good news of Jesus and how they need not fear death, as those who are without hope (athiests) do.

The "Word of God" isn't even plausible, much less absolute truth. Certainty doesn't make you right. And atheists do have hope; I have hope that someday in the far future religion will be utterly destroyed.

We know that death was beaten by Jesus, and that now it is just a door to the eternal life in heaven for the believer. We are called to proclaim the good news because we don't want to lose people to hell. Say a friend of mine did not believe, I would tell him the good news, and if he never repents of his sins and accepts Jesus, then he will be eternally separated from God. (end up in hell) Which is why I pay attention to these forums, so that, even though I have been nothing but ridiculed, God doesn't want to lose even the people on this forum.

God doesn't exist, and if he did we should be trying to kill the bastard, not follow him. Have you read the Bible ? Frankly, it should be relabeled "The Book of Evil". Being "eternally separated from God" sounds like a reward.

[boc120]

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But what do athiests have hope for when they die? I have found that people who are athiests worry much more about dying than someone who knows that they will go to heaven when they die.

[General Zod]

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But what do athiests have hope for when they die? I have found that people who are athiests worry much more about dying than someone who knows that they will go to heaven when they die.

Absolutely nothing. Most atheists acknowledge that there's nothing after you
die, which is why we're so worried about it. This is the only shot we've got, and most of us don't want to risk it for some imaginary after life.

[Lord of the Abyss]

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But what do athiests have hope for when they die? I have found that people who are athiests worry much more about dying than someone who knows that they will go to heaven when they die.

Yes, and if I thought I was immune to bullets, I'd worry less about getting shot.

It's attitudes like yours that lead to things like suicide bombers. Why not get yourself killed, if you go to heaven ? Why worry about killing people ? The guilty will go where they deserve, and the innocent will go to paradise ( so you're actually helping them ! ). "Kill them all, God will sort them out".

Even if you're ( hah ! ) right, I don't want to go to heaven, I want to be as far away as possible from the Sky Psycho. If you proved to me the soul exists, my first question would be "how do I destroy it ?" .

[Nephtys]

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But what do athiests have hope for when they die? I have found that people who are athiests worry much more about dying than someone who knows that they will go to heaven when they die.

It's not a matter of what you want to believe. It's a matter of looking at all facts rationally, and then coming to the conclusion that, however desirable it is, a paradise in the clouds is not a very probable thing.

[boc120]

Attitudes like mine do not lead to suicide. Evangelical Christians do not kill people with suicide bombs, I'm afraid you are confused, you are thinking of Islamic terrorists. While it was necesarry to clear the promised land for the Israelites after they left Egypt, the Jews have their homeland back in modern times now, just as God promised them that they would be returned to their land. It is not the policy of (real) Christians to kill people.

[The Original Nex]

As a proud to be one evangelical (you know, born again) Christian, I think that I could be of some assistance on this topic. The reason that the evangelical movement is growing and vibrant is because things have changed. It is not a solemn, go to church and never think about God again until next Sunday type of thing. It is a way of life where God is at the center of your life. Once you accept Jesus into your life, He starts to work through you to reach out to others so that as many as possible may be saved.

And how is that actually fulfilling? I wouldn't want to devote every minute of my life to a narcisistic, genocidal, deity, who only loves you if you follow his conditions. Its foolishness.

[General Zod]

Attitudes like mine do not lead to suicide. Evangelical Christians do not kill people with suicide bombs, I'm afraid you are confused, you are thinking of Islamic terrorists. While it was necesarry to clear the promised land for the Israelites after they left Egypt, the Jews have their homeland back in modern times now, just as God promised them that they would be returned to their land. It is not the policy of (real) Christians to kill people.

There's plenty of people with that mindset that do though. The vast majority of Islamic radical suicide bombers bomb people with the thought that they're performing their gods will and will be rewarded with a place in heaven. Many fundies may not kill themselves to get to heaven quicker, but several do share the attitude that if they have a promised kingdom awaiting for them, why the fuck should they do anything about their problems on earth?

[Frank Hipper]

I'm sorry that you feel that way. But what do athiests have hope for when they die? I have found that people who are athiests worry much more about dying than someone who knows that they will go to heaven when they die.

Nothing happens after you die, why in the fuck would I worry about it?

Existance is what's important; there is no existance after death, and living your life for what happens after death is gross delusion, the closer you examine that fact the more insane it appears.

Just because a person believes in something does not mean that belief is validated, believeing something exists in contradiction of anything substantiating it is loony.

[The Original Nex]

Attitudes like mine do not lead to suicide. Evangelical Christians do not kill people with suicide bombs, I'm afraid you are confused, you are thinking of Islamic terrorists.

Aren't the folks who threaten to (and indeed have) blow up abortion clinics of your faith? That sounds a shitload like terrorism to me.

While it was necesarry to clear the promised land for the Israelites after they left Egypt,

By slaughtering the indigenous tribes. . .

the Jews have their homeland back in modern times now, just as God promised them that they would be returned to their land.

Oh yea, and look at all the good that's caused.

It is not the policy of (real) Christians to kill people.

So the folks who carried out the Crusades weren't "real Christians"? At that time, Catholicism was the dominant form of Christianity, and your faith didn't even exist. So who were the "real Christians" then?