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True, most will not care...and Jesus tells us that.
But a few will--I've met some of them (Jane Fonda is one of note)--and it's only those few we're looking for.
If you're any sort of fundamentalist you aren't looking for Jane Fonda as a notch in your gospel gun.
Quote:
I had no intention of going public about my spiritual journey and in no way wanted to be tagged with the fundamentalism that Born-Again Christianity has come to be associated with. I found myself having to defend my action before I was entirely sure what it meant. I did feel reborn, I couldn’t deny that, but it had nothing to do with the perceived doctrines of fundamentalist Christianity.(from her website, emphases mine).
If you're not a literalist, then yes, she's one of those atheists who grew up indifferent to faith and never really explored it one way or the other. Good for her; whatever gets her through her days so long as it's respectful of others, which it appears to be.
If you're any sort of fundamentalist you aren't looking for Jane Fonda as a notch in your gospel gun.
If you're not a literalist, then yes, she's one of those atheists who grew up indifferent to faith and never really explored it one way or the other. Good for her; whatever gets her through her days so long as it's respectful of others, which it appears to be.
I missed where I said I was a fundamentalist.
Fundamentalists (that is, the modern American strain--which is NOT what "Fundamentalism" meant when it was first coined in the late 1800s) are actually a minority in the overall world Christian community.
Fundamentalists (that is, the modern American strain--which is NOT what "Fundamentalism" meant when it was first coined in the late 1800s) are actually a minority in the overall world Christian community.
Thanks RK, I didn't recall what your flavor was and said that mainly for the plentiful fundie lurkers here.
I actually don't mind when an existentially unmindful / indifferent person becomes more attentive and aware and thoughtful, even if that means they leave a default atheism and take a journey through theism as a result. Not every atheist is what they are based on reflection.
I can tell that Jane is thoughtful now because of her serious efforts to consider these matters and her instinctive rejection of patriarchy and other baggage that goes with literalism. Were she to live long enough I think she would simplify back to atheism in the end, because ultimately life can be adequately explained and infused with wonder without the supernatural. But theism is an identity as well as a belief, and sometimes it's costly to change identities, costlier than it's worth.
Religion is a very personal thing and proselytizing is a quick way to offend. This is even the case between various Christian denominations. Fundamentalists don't want mainline Christians trying to convince them that not everything in the Bible should be taken literally and that evolution and global warming might actually be scientific facts. Mainline Christians don't want fundamentalists trying to convert them. Catholics don't want Protestants trying to convert them and vice versa. All Christians would have an aversion to a Muslim trying to force Islam on them. Atheists don't want any religion foisted on them and faithful people are usually uncomfortable if atheists attempt to try to convince them there is no God.
All in all, religion is so personal that people need to be open to having that conversation for it to be productive. If they are not, they will be offended.
Before her conversion.....Did you ever consider forgiving her?
Actually, no...and that's to my chagrin.
I'm sorry to say that I would never have bothered to speak to her of Jesus even if I'd had the chance. I didn't believe it when I first heard of it.
But someone more obedient than I did speak to her.
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