What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

[truthpaste]

Gofer Blue recently posted:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by a "fundamentalist". As TP has stated, Christianity is all about faith in a person not a philosophy. To me, as a Christian, faith in Jesus is fundamental so I suppose by that definition I must be a fundamentalist! Unfortunately these days the term fundamentalist has taken on a more sinister meaning - someone who is very judgemental, intolerant and in extreme cases violent to those who do not agree with them (especially in the U.S.A. it seems). These are not the attributes of a “real” Christian.

Do you see all fundamentalists to be the same?
Do you agree with Gofer Blue?
Or do you have another take?

[Jordi Culé]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Gofer Blue recently posted:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by a "fundamentalist". As TP has stated, Christianity is all about faith in a person not a philosophy. To me, as a Christian, faith in Jesus is fundamental so I suppose by that definition I must be a fundamentalist! Unfortunately these days the term fundamentalist has taken on a more sinister meaning - someone who is very judgemental, intolerant and in extreme cases violent to those who do not agree with them (especially in the U.S.A. it seems). These are not the attributes of a “real” Christian.

Do you see all fundamentalists to be the same?
Do you agree with Gofer Blue?
Or do you have another take?

We're using different meanings, interpretation of the word 'fundamentalist'.

The context of our respective use of the word is also very different.

You know this though.

[Tuerto]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Fund-A-Mentalist-Anyone prepared to back Trump Financially.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Religious fundamentalists are usually considered to be those who believe that stories in their religious tomes are literal and not metaphorical.

[jon1959]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Fund-A-Mentalist-Anyone prepared to back Trump Financially.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

I think whilst there are variations on a theme , anyone in 2024 who goes on about what was said by so and so in the bible or Koran and believes all this God business to be true is a fundamentalist

If someone is agnostic about God but just gets on with life then that's fine

[Gofer Blue]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

We're using different meanings, interpretation of the word 'fundamentalist'.

The context of our respective use of the word is also very different.

You know this though.

Do you have a definition?

[goats]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Gofer Blue recently posted:

I suppose it all depends on what you mean by a "fundamentalist". As TP has stated, Christianity is all about faith in a person not a philosophy. To me, as a Christian, faith in Jesus is fundamental so I suppose by that definition I must be a fundamentalist! Unfortunately these days the term fundamentalist has taken on a more sinister meaning - someone who is very judgemental, intolerant and in extreme cases violent to those who do not agree with them (especially in the U.S.A. it seems). These are not the attributes of a “real” Christian.

Do you see all fundamentalists to be the same?
Do you agree with Gofer Blue?
Or do you have another take?

Religious nut jobs wasting their entire lives basically……

[lardy]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

I'd say it's someone who takes a strict and literal interpretation of their texts, often resistant to the way the modern world is developing, and believing their own path is the only true one.

[truthpaste]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

I'd say it's someone who takes a strict and literal interpretation of their texts, often resistant to the way the modern world is developing, and believing their own path is the only true one.

In other words, they wear blinkers, ignore modern ideas and stick blindly to God's version of life, origin and destiny.

I think you've summed up the perception of most people who have faith in science and modern philosophers and are hopeful that the worlds best selling book is a fraud, or at best a relic and unrelated to the truth at all.

The big question is, are they wise to make that assumption?

If that were true, then we would see all intelligent scientists reject the Bible in it's given context, we would be able to discredit large sections of the Bible as outdated and irrelevant, just like many science manuals from decades ago, that are now relics from an era of misunderstanding and ignorance that is shown up by current understanding.

However we DO find many scientists that are successful in their field and also acknowledge the Bible is the inerrant Word of God in all it addresses within it's pages; and that it has never been outdated by new discoveries!
In fact it has led to individuals MAKING new discoveries that science did not know before, and yes I can give you examples should you wish to see them.

So I put it to you, that those that believe in the Bible as fundemantal truth in all it addresses are wise, and those that think that science and human thought alone can answer the big questions we all have are ultimately foolish.

[Jordi Culé]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Do you have a definition?

Yes.

Do you have a definition or are you sticking to a description of Jesus being fundamental to you and you alone as your definition?

[Heathblue]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

A Freedom fighter.

[Gofer Blue]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Religious nut jobs wasting their entire lives basically……

I would answer that by saying that I consider I wasted my life BEFORE I became a Christian at the age of 34. When I look back I can scarcely believe how my life has changed since then. I have done so much in the service of Jesus to share his love in practical ways with others, something I would never have done before, being a pretty self centred, I'm alright Jack, prat that I was. I will not elaborate any further because, as the apostle Paul said, we are to boast only about the Lord (Jesus) alone and not what we have done in his name.

[Gofer Blue]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

Yes.

Do you have a definition or are you sticking to a description of Jesus being fundamental to you and you alone as your definition?

So, what is it then?

Faith in Jesus the person is fundamental to Christianity as whole, not just to me, but to Christians everywhere.

The Bible is not a single book. It consists of two sections, the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT).
The Old Testament is a collection of thirty-nine books about the history and religion of the people of Israel. Each book possesses a unique tone, style, and message. Individually, they include stories, laws, and sayings that are intended to function as models of religious and ethical conduct. Together, through hundreds of characters and detailed events, they represent a unified narrative about God and his attempt to relate to humankind by relating to a specific group of people.

There is a lot of discussion about the OT, about its historical accuracy and whether some of the stories are factual or based on myths and legends. As TP has said thanks to archaeological studies more and more is being discovered about the accuracy of the information therein. Some things we will never be able to prove but the bottom line for me is that the OT predicts the coming of the Messiah – Jesus.

To me the NT, consisting of 27 books, is the all important part of the Bible (TP will probably disagree with me for lessening the importance of the OT!). It describes the coming of Jesus, his life and times and his words and works here on Earth. It ends with his resurrection after being put to death by crucifixion, then the beginnings of the Christian church and what follows on from that.

The OT I accept as the history and religion of the people of Israel i.e. the Jews and I don't get too hung up on the some of the stranger stuff therein as it has little bearing on the way I and others should live our lives as Christians i.e. as a Gentile follower of Jesus subject to the new covenant, rather than an OT Jew under the old covenant.

From Jesus's teaching it is clear that he is far more concerned about the heart of a person (rather than whether we believe in talking snakes etc.), how we love God and our fellow human beings by putting our faith into action i.e. walking the walk rather than talking the talk!

[truthpaste]

Re: What do you understand a FUNDAMENTALIST to be?

So, what is it then?

Faith in Jesus the person is fundamental to Christianity as whole, not just to me, but to Christians everywhere.

The Bible is not a single book. It consists of two sections, the Old Testament (OT) and the New Testament (NT).
The Old Testament is a collection of thirty-nine books about the history and religion of the people of Israel. Each book possesses a unique tone, style, and message. Individually, they include stories, laws, and sayings that are intended to function as models of religious and ethical conduct. Together, through hundreds of characters and detailed events, they represent a unified narrative about God and his attempt to relate to humankind by relating to a specific group of people.

There is a lot of discussion about the OT, about its historical accuracy and whether some of the stories are factual or based on myths and legends. As TP has said thanks to archaeological studies more and more is being discovered about the accuracy of the information therein. Some things we will never be able to prove but the bottom line for me is that the OT predicts the coming of the Messiah – Jesus.

To me the NT, consisting of 27 books, is the all important part of the Bible (TP will probably disagree with me for lessening the importance of the OT!). It describes the coming of Jesus, his life and times and his words and works here on Earth. It ends with his resurrection after being put to death by crucifixion, then the beginnings of the Christian church and what follows on from that.

The OT I accept as the history and religion of the people of Israel i.e. the Jews and I don't get too hung up on the some of the stranger stuff therein as it has little bearing on the way I and others should live our lives as Christians i.e. as a Gentile follower of Jesus subject to the new covenant, rather than an OT Jew under the old covenant.

From Jesus's teaching it is clear that he is far more concerned about the heart of a person (rather than whether we believe in talking snakes etc.), how we love God and our fellow human beings by putting our faith into action i.e. walking the walk rather than talking the talk!

I wouldn't disagree when it comes to the importance of the NT for seeking the truth re Jesus and why we need Him to resolve our greatest problem.
And in the NT I have noticed that over 80% of the answers (people are seeking) can be found in John's Gospel; and this is probably because John speaks more about who Jesus actually is than any other part of Scripture.