Fundamentalism?

Fundamentalism?

What is a fundamentalist?

I have been around many atheists, and anti-Christians, who use this term against Christians in a negative way.

I am a literalist, and I have been born again through Christ, and have turned away from my sins, and I continue to lead my life that way. Does this mean I am a fundamentalist?

Thoughts please :)
 
Hi, MVM!

Here's an explanation. Hope this helps. ^^

Fundamentalist Christianity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
MVM??? :eek: LOL. Its "MWM"!!!!

Thanks for the link. I've read that article before on Wikipedia, but I suppose it applies to me a bit. But in my opinion, I think the word has just lost its meaning, and it sunk down to a deragatory (sp? :D) term to just throw insults at Christians.

Thanks anyway though ;)
 
MVM??? :eek: LOL. Its "MWM"!!!!

Thanks for the link. I've read that article before on Wikipedia, but I suppose it applies to me a bit. But in my opinion, I think the word has just lost its meaning, and it sunk down to a deragatory (sp? :D) term to just throw insults at Christians.

Thanks anyway though ;)

Oops, sorry about the typo! :x
 
Thanks for the link. I've read that article before on Wikipedia, but I suppose it applies to me a bit. But in my opinion, I think the word has just lost its meaning, and it sunk down to a deragatory (sp? :D) term to just throw insults at Christians.

Your welcome. I use Wikipedia a lot because they are pretty much the only place with decent explanations! :D

I kind of try to stay away from labeling myself as Pentecostal or New Fundamentalist or any of those other things because - well, I am not exactly sure why. :D
 
What is a fundamentalist?

I have been around many atheists, and anti-Christians, who use this term against Christians in a negative way.

I am a literalist, and I have been born again through Christ, and have turned away from my sins, and I continue to lead my life that way. Does this mean I am a fundamentalist?

Thoughts please :)
I'm a fundamentalist. So, I can actually field this one for you. :)


A fundamentalist Christian is a Christian who upholds the belief in strict and literal interpretation of the Bible, including it's naritives, doctrines, prophesies, and moral laws. It's unfortunate that the term is often given a negative connotation. The term "Fundy" is often used as a put down, or used as a similitude to the word "fanatic".

These fundamentals are called doctrine, or "standards" by F.C.'s. (we all have standards that we live by.) Adherence to standards is often called "legalism", often used as another negative connotation.

So, to answer your question, if you called yourself a fundamentalist, according to the description you gave of yourself, it might be wholly accurate. I wouldn't have a problem with you calling yourself that. But, whether you do or not, is up to you. "Literalist" will probably draw less fire. ;)

*forgive me if there are any spelling errors or my post is hard to understand. I'm very tired and in a great deal of pain. And I really should be off the computer. But, did want to answer you, as I have the background to do so.
 
So, to answer your question, if you called yourself a fundamentalist, according to the description you gave of yourself, it might be wholly accurate. I wouldn't have a problem with you calling yourself that. But, whether you do or not, is up to you. "Literalist" will probably draw less fire.

Yes I agree!

Thanks for the answers guys :)
 
I consider myself a conservative Christian, mainly because labeling myself a "fundamentalist" usually garners the same negative reaction as does an Islamic fundamentalist. I guess in the world's view, it's guilt by osmosis.

As a conservative, what do I believe? I believe that Christ died for my sins, and rose again. I believe that Jesus is both God incarnate, and man. I believe that man is not "basically good." I believe that man is evil, and in desparate need of a saviour. I believe that as a Christian, I should imitate Christ even though I fail miserably day in and day out. But because of my relationship with Christ, I can keep my accounts short. I believe the Bible was inspired by God, and even though physically written by sinful man, it is free of any defect.

The rest is just details. :D
 
As a conservative, what do I believe? I believe that Christ died for my sins, and rose again. I believe that Jesus is both God incarnate, and man. I believe that man is not "basically good." I believe that man is evil, and in desparate need of a saviour. I believe that as a Christian, I should imitate Christ even though I fail miserably day in and day out. But because of my relationship with Christ, I can keep my accounts short. I believe the Bible was inspired by God, and even though physically written by sinful man, it is free of any defect.

The rest is just details. :D

and a big AMEN for this one!!!
 
I believe in the literal translation of the Word. I think that if we don't believe the Word of God then we shouldn't be calling ourselves Christians. A lot of people believe only partially, or think it's all just stories and believe what they want, but really isn't that just like the non believers? They choose what they want to believe and throw out the rest?

The first thing we need to understand about God is that He is infinite and He is able and willing to send a message through time to you and I. He is capable of keeping that message correct and perfect as the day it was written. If we have a hard time believing this then I would ask you again, Are you a Christian? If we are to accept anything written in the bible to be true then we must come to the conclusion that God is perfect and He is able and willing to keep His Word perfect as well. If you don't think God can do this then let me ask you again, Are you really a Christian? If you doubt anything written in the bible then you doubt the validity of God the father God the son and God the Holy Spirit because as it is written:

John 1:1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
 
Fundamentally one cannot go wrong sticking to the fundamental truths of God's Word no matter what the opinions of the lost world.:D
 
Hi everyone.

Fundamentalism, liberalism and conservatisim plus others are all parts of God's Word.

You'll find when reading It, God teaches us to boldly stand firm on His Literal Word- (fundamentalism), while being loving, forgiving and willing to work with people, even those who hate you, as peace makers- (liberalism). God teaches us not to cast our pearls before swine, yet use what He Blesses us with wisely- (conservative), while still helping others more than they expect to bless others as God has Blessed us- (liberal).

As such, God teaches us then, a balance we are to hold to, in knowledge and wisdom of God, for how to apply such principles of His leading as required.

Its not good to be too strict any one way, for the fact you severely limit or allow too much acceptable, how God can be manifested thru us as the witness of Christ- like manner. You can see all the above principles applied by Jesus during His Ministry, lead by the Father thru the Holy Spirit, when to get openly tough in speech or actions, yet knowing also when to stay meek and unassuming.

Yet Jesus always, no matter His demeanor, spoke and taught and demonstrated the gifts and annointings, with great authority.

Today, both Fundamentals and Liberals catch it from the secular world for the extremists of both types carrying thier way too far.

God Bless!!

Jesus demonstrated the perfect balance of how to be the witness of the Holy Spirit guiding us, while holding to absolute literal Truth and actions inline with those spoken Truths.
 
It must be the political connotations that give the word liberal a bad taste in many mouths. If we use it in the sense of generosity I am all for it. If it is used in interpretation of the Word I am diametrically opposed.
As far as strict fundamentalism or complete adherence to God 's Word I am all for that without giving an inch. Perhaps all this is just a matter of semantics after all.
 
If this post is a little long bare with me.

I am a Fundamentalist too, guilty as charged. I actually hail from an Independent Baptist, KJV-Onlyist crowd that sings traditional hymns from the Hymn Books. We use every instrument but the drums (refraining from all percussion and hard-sounding beaty-type instruments), and my Pastor holds this point of view that the drums directly affect a person's emotions to causes them to have thoughts and feelings that are not pleasing to the Lord (in effect, the exaltation of one's self or getting excited for the wrong reasons and he said we do not need to encourage ungodly thoughts wherever possible). So we use the milder instruments in worship services, the more peaceful-and-gentle-sounding ones: Piano, Guitar, Organ...we do actually allow all kinds of flutes and trumpets but sadly, no one in our congregation knows how to play any kind of flute or trumpet so any flutes and trumpets that enter in come from the outsiders, from people visiting our church. The flute and trumpet is usually brought in by travelling temporary-stay guest singers, choirs, and groups -- if we ever see any of those!

Looks like there was more of my kind of breed on here than I thought. I mean Fundamentalist when I say that, oh yeah, and Conservative too. I'm Conservative as well.

But I am going to have to agree with one of our previous posters, in that the Bible is not all fundamentalist, not all conservative, and not all liberal. The Bible is all three, like a prism of color or a rainbow. By studying it I have found that pattern to be true:

1. God makes war in HIS righteousness and HE judges sin (conservative).

Revelation 19:11 -- And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

2. God also sends rain on the just and on the unjust and pardons us when we don't deserve it (liberal).

Matthew 5:45 -- That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Romans 9:15 -- For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

3. GOD's Word is Absolute (fundamentalist).

John 1:1 -- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Matthew 24:35 -- Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

His words not passing away is sound proof He is ABSOLUTE, they being always established so no one has the power to move them or affect them in any manner.

If all of this may seem like a contradiction then...

Ecclesiatses 3:1 -- To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

1 Corinthians 14:40 -- Let all things be done decently and in order.

A lot of fundamentalists believe that it is wrong to dance, period. In any form, anywhere. Perhaps some of you reading this do as well.

I have since then, thankfully, renounced the belief that all dancing is ungodliness because it is good to dance to the Lord. And perhaps only in that context is dancing ok. I say this due to my studies on King David and his warfare, how he danced before the Lord and how the Lord punished Michal Saul's daughter when she thought it was lewd and wrong and she despised him for that reason and told him to stop...the Lord shut her womb up really fast and she was not able to have children as a consequence (obviously the dancing pleased HIM and was right in HIS eyes).

As an Onlyist I am using the King James Version. Please follow along in these verses with me...

2 Samuel 6:14-23 -- 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart. 17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in his place, in the midst of the tabernacle that David had pitched for it: and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. 18 And as soon as David had made an end of offering burnt offerings and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts. 19 And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, as well to the women as men, to every one a cake of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine. So all the people departed every one to his house. 20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself! 21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. 22 And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour. 23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

When I say dance, I mean to the LORD, not in a worldly way. Not in a Satanic way. Not in a self-pleasing way or for one's own glory. And as for the kind/type of dance that was undergone, the Scriptures tell us so. King David "leaped" and there was "shouting" so it was a lively and a loud kind of dance. Then the King gives the context of the dance: "It was before the LORD." As for David being almost naked as he was (he was only wearing a linen ephod, the rest of his skin was all bare and exposed, which was why Michal was appalled -- if we saw someone walking the streets in broad daylight only wearing a pair of underwear it would definitely strike a controversy, media coverage, and perhaps even the attention of the police), the mystery of why GOD allowed David to dance almost nude is beyond me, but not wrong if GOD so allows. Perhaps it was the underlying motive, and David's praise genuine from the heart. So I will not question the LORD my GOD in HIS wisdom.
 
The world see fundamentalists as extremists. Radical Islam has had a lot to do with this perception.

It is ok with the world if we call ourselves christian but stay luke warm and just practice christianity out of cultural reasoning. As soon as we start to adhere to biblical doctrine and start to show a passion for God and start to obey His will, then the world gets uncomfortable.

Jesus said we must be the salt and the light of the world, so who really cares what the world brands us as long as we are obeying the one true living God.

There is only one truth and that is Jesus Christ, the rest are wrong!
 
I used to be glad to call myself a fundamentalist until I heard terrorists being called fundamentalists. My first church was called Fundamental Baptist.
 
I used to be glad to call myself a fundamentalist until I heard terrorists being called fundamentalists. My first church was called Fundamental Baptist.

A word is just a word. Nothing changes the meaning until you decide that it's changed. They were not the first fundamentalists I can guarantee that.:)
 
A word is just a word. Nothing changes the meaning until you decide that it's changed. They were not the first fundamentalists I can guarantee that.:)

Maybe "A word is just a word", but if people think of terrorists when I say I'm a fundamentalist, I don't see how that can be a good thing, and maybe it's only me that thinks of that. I'd rather just say I'm a Christian. Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians are one only in name and not in actions, and it brings a reproach upon the name of Jesus and Christians. I've heard, "If that person is a Christian, I don't want to be one." I've known unsaved people who lived a better life than a lot of people who claim to be Christians. God's people need to start living as though they ARE God's people.
 
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