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Christianity is not just about being part of the group. That's where a lot of the heartburn comes from, I think, over the definition of who is and isn't a "Christian". Many people seem to think that being a Christian is simply attending church. The Bible defines being a "Christian" as someone that has trusted Christ as having paid the penalty for their sins. It's not JUST about being part of a group. Of course, with trusting Christ, we are expected to submit to him and live according to God's commands in the Bible.
But if a person trust's Christ but their life doesn't quite conform to whats expected in the evangelical community, they can be viewed as not a true Christian or at least backslidden and be ostracized from the club.
Of course, the standard you have to conform to varies depending on what church you attend and how legalistic it is. There is so much judgmentalism and self-rightousness in fundamentalist Christianity. You are always being watched and judged, and after the service if you say, do, or wear something that isn't right, people will be talking about it over Sunday dinner.
True Christianity isn't conformity, but much of what passes for Christianity in the United States is. In addition, its adherence to a right-wing political ideology.
Where I live, the presence of fundamental Baptist churches is overwhelming and you are expected to conform. Around here, if you are atheist, gay, "liberal" non-fundamentalist Christian, or even if you voted for Obama you keep it to yourself because many people are very, very nasty to those who don't check off all the right-wing evangelical/fundamentalist boxes. This isn't true Christianity, but its reality throughout much of the Bible belt, especially in rural areas and small cities.
Yes, that describes the fundamentalist mentality, which is spreading beyond the Southern Baptist into many large churches. I have also noticed that many small town born people from Baptist backgrounds have that sort of tribal mentality. Some of them "act" nice on the surface, but you know there is a demon just below the surface.
Christianity is not just about being part of the group. That's where a lot of the heartburn comes from, I think, over the definition of who is and isn't a "Christian". Many people seem to think that being a Christian is simply attending church. The Bible defines being a "Christian" as someone that has trusted Christ as having paid the penalty for their sins. It's not JUST about being part of a group. Of course, with trusting Christ, we are expected to submit to him and live according to God's commands in the Bible.
Yes, that describes the fundamentalist mentality, which is spreading beyond the Southern Baptist into many large churches. I have also noticed that many small town born people from Baptist backgrounds have that sort of tribal mentality. Some of them "act" nice on the surface, but you know there is a demon just below the surface.
I think this is because a lot of the large evangelical non-denominational megachurches are just Southern Baptist rebranded.
That tribal mentality you speak up comes from the Baptist "doctrine of separation", which teaches that Christians aren't to associate closely with non-believers.
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Wasn't Jesus talking to a group of Jewish folks when he said this? So are we to believe the Jewish folks are Christians?
On the surface that might be true. But is it their religious beliefs that cause them to do this, or is it just because they are good people doing good things? You could name even more atrocities done by the same exact people. There have always been clearly defined limits to the amount of goodwill Christians offer. And to whom they will offer it. Whoever they think deserves their charity, they might consider. One step forward, two steps back. And they evolve with society because their minds are conformed to THIS world, while always slightly behind society morally.
And you can't deny that it takes a certain conformist attitude to accept a faith defined by the largest majority mass. The mark of the beast.
My word. You just don't miss an opportunity to traffic in stereotypes, do you? Or, more to the point, painting an entire group of people with some outrageous Jekyll/Hyde personality. Doing the first is lazy. Doing the second borders on immoral, and certainly is not the product of an enlightened mind. I'm guessing homespun philosopher just trying to stir the pot here. I know an attention grab when I see it.
Just on the off chance that you're loopy enough to actually be sincere in your question: Atrocities? A person who runs a soup kitchen runs out and is secretly an axe murderer? A person who volunteers for everything under the sun who secretly runs a sex slavery ring? A person who regularly helps at a woman's shelter is actually a heroin dealer in disguise. Is this really what populates your imagination?
First, let's get something straight. In today's secular society, except in a handful of backwaters, there is no stigma to not attending church. None. You are not pilloried on the public square. You're not dispatched to the nearest dunking pond. You are not shunned. And even in those very select places, you would likely be ignored by only the most fervent of fundamentalists. In fact, in plenty of places, it's more of a stigma to attend church than to not attend church. I mean, tell your son's soccer coach that he will be unable to attend Sunday morning practice because he's serving as acolyte that day and you'll see exactly what I mean.
The last time I checked, this was 2015, not 1955 or even 1635 Boston. So the vast majority of people who roust themselves from bed on a perfectly good weekend morning to hie themselves to church aren't there to fulfill some kind of personal brand for the world to see, but out of conviction in their hearts. And please don't bother with doing a Google search to find mass murderers who also were faithful attendees at Our Lady of Whatever. For even if you find a handful, they would be the tiniest of minorities, the anomaly among those who seek to make the world a better place.
Second, I'm so tired of people who want to critique the faith but cannot even bother to get their vocabulary correct. If we were going to draw a diagram, with all of Christianity encompassed with a circle, Fundamentalists would be one part of it, and not even the majority of it. You have the Catholics, the Anglicans, the Lutherans, the Greek and Russian Orthodoxies, and a host of others who would not fit the Fundamentalist label, no way no how. And even the Fundamentalist label doesn't really hold up when looking at individuals. But that doesn't fit your pat thesis, that somehow requires that Christians in general and Fundamentalists in particular are nothing more than a mindless, howling mob just itching to go out and run amok the minute the 10:45 Sunday service is over with, kind of a Westboro Baptist with 200 million adherents. Do you understand how ridiculous you sound?
Third, regarding these 'limits' of goodwill and charity. Let's talk specifics rather than your throwing out some vague argument in hopes of sounding profound. What limits are you talking about? If you're talking about doing narcotics in a homeless shelter? Okay, those are limits. Then again, those are legitimate limits that would be enforced in any secular charity, too. Are you talking about expecting people to do their part in getting back on their feet? Huh. Secular organizations would expect the same as well. For it is not an act of charity to just give an addict or homeless person his heart's desire. There is a distinct difference between helping and enabling. Perhaps you should understand where the demarcation line is between the two.
I have shared many times here ,that God intends a personal relationship with believers .
A relationship of both instruction and guidance in a person's lifestyle and daily walk.
But the fact of the matter is apparently , no one want's to hear that,
I suspect because it is a level of responsibility no one want's to face.
Yet This is what Jesus came to provide those that "love God", not religion, ego ,self.
So long as people are determined to ignore God's provision/investment, they will never see His blessing. religious or not.
God resists the proud, and gives grace the the humble.
Blaming and making excuses are not going to fly come judgment day ,since God is looking at the heart .
How christians have behaved is so easily forgotten, that these are people just like your self whom are STILL going through transformation in their own life .
Some have more work to do than others.
One's character does not change over night .
Each individual must come to their own point of yielding to God on their own.
Did you get your degree in medicine while in grammar school ?
So why do you expect a christian to be perfect ?
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
My, but this sounds a bit familiar...wonder where I have heard this before??
If we were going to draw a diagram, with all of Christianity encompassed with a circle, Fundamentalists would be one part of it, and not even the majority of it. You have the Catholics, the Anglicans, the Lutherans, the Greek and Russian Orthodoxies, and a host of others who would not fit the Fundamentalist label, no way no how. And even the Fundamentalist label doesn't really hold up when looking at individuals.
Many of the church members AND individual churches listed among those are fundamentalist in many ways, having no difference from Southern Baptists in their essential doctrines.
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