Fundamentalist
 

In a recent discussion with someone, I came to the realization that the other individual didn't actually know what the term "fundamentalist" meant.

In case anyone didn't know, "fundamentalist" is a term describing a certain sect of Protestant Christianity. It is not merely a pejorative, nor a description of anyone considerably more conservative than yourself.

The term has been used for polygamous LDS sects and other religious groups, to describe a certain demographic who have reacted to the secular or scientific impact on their particular culture.


I have been accused of being a Fundamentalist on this forum quite a few times. I want to make it plainly clear that I am NOT a Fundamentalist, nor does my denomination have any room for the Fundamentalist label.

I'm not a Baptist.
I'm not Reformed.
I do not hold to the verbal inspiration and complete inerrancy of Scripture.
I am not premillenial.

The Fundamentalism Project - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The study concluded that, regardless of the religion, fundamentalism has several commonalities:

Men are to lead and women and children follow. Wives are to be subservient to their husbands. Often, this subservience applies to sisters toward their brothers. A woman's role in life is to be a homemaker.
The rules of their religion are complex and rigid and must be followed. Therefore, to avoid any confusion, children of fundamentalists must be sequestered in an environment of like-minded adherents to the corresponding fundamentalist religion. Especially so in their schooling.
There is no pluralism. Their rules apply to everyone everywhere.
There is a distinct group of insiders and all others are outsiders. Insiders are nurtured and cared for. Outsiders are cast off and fought.
They pine for an older age and a past when their religion was pure, as largely they no longer see it as such. Often, this time never truly existed, but they have a nostalgic view of a Utopian past and they long to acquire it.

And like I said before Kerry, I'm not a fundamentalist. Your additional list does nothing to change that.

And btw, "Fundamentalists" existed long before some study sought to define them. Maybe you should go examine where they came from before you go using the term inaccurately.

I don't know your views on the education of children but from what I've seen you write on here, the rest of the qualities that the Fundamentalist Project thinks define a fundamentalist fit you pretty well.

Do you plan to send your kids to a Christian school?

In my view, a christian is someone who calls himself christian, and a fundie is someone who calls himself christian but labels other self-identified christians as apostates because of some bit of dogma he doesn't agree with.

A few problems here.

Having similar beliefs to Fundamentalists does not make me a fundamentalist any more than being a mammal, liking water, and being intelligent makes you a dog.

The Fundamentalist project doesn't actually determine a Fundamentalist Christian, it only describes the similarities of conservative demongraphics of various religions. The Fundamentalists were already defined quite well, there is no need to redefine them.

And I'd love for you to try to fit me in those categories. You won't succeed.

I think this is recap of the thread:

I think I'll start a thread about why I'm not a _________.

You're a _______.

No, I'm not.

Yes, you are.

No, I'm not because I say so.

Repeat
:D

I apologize, but your view is wrong.

A Christian is not someone who simply declares themself to be Christian. Otherwise I could claim to be anything and by simply claiming it, you'd have to respect that claim. It is what someone believes about Christ which makes them a Christian/non-Christian.



A Fundamentalist is someone who shares belief in the Fundamentals (a pamphlet series). Please stop misusing the term.

The label already existed. The beliefs were already established before anyone on this board was born.

I don't hold to them.

Kerry doesn't know what they are. But he persists in misusing the term.

I don't think we need to go much further. I rest my case. We're getting a fundamentalist definition of fundamentalist. :)

Are you unwilling to answer my question about your children's education?

I don't think one could consider all religious schooling to be considered fundamentalist.

I've never argued it was. The fundamentalist project groups a whole set of characteristics together to identify fundamentalism. It's the only one of the list that I haven't seen Martureo express on here. Hence my question.

To the extent that you have failed to answer correctly the questions prior to that one.

I am unwilling to let you build a case upon assumptions.

If you want to know what I believe ask.