Fighting Fundamentalism

[adisciplinedlearner]

When I was an independent Baptist pastor, I was a very militant, belligerent, fighting fundamentalist. Later, I learned that the spirit of the fighting fundamentalist originated not with my then-heroes J. Frank Norris and J. R. Graves, but with unloving, hateful men like Martin Luther. I asked God to forgive me for having such a bad spirit and prayed that He would make me the most loving Christian that I can be. I am still growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ and have a long ways to go in becoming more Christ-like, but I at least have this as my life's goal.

Fighting fundamentalism is Satanic in nature.

 

[DHK]

Fighting fundamentalism is Satanic in nature.

Love without doctrine is satanic in nature.
A Christian must have both.
There is a command in the Scripture given in the book of Jude.
"Contend for the Faith." Take it seriously.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Yes, we should earnestly contend for the original Christian faith without being contentious. We should not earnestly contend for Catholicism or Protestantism.

 

[DHK]

Yes, we should earnestly contend for the original Christian faith without being contentious. We should not earnestly contend for Catholicism or Protestantism.

I don't. I don't believe in the heresies of the RCC, and Baptists existed before the Reformation. I am not a Protestant.

 

[Salty]

Then can you explain what a predenominational is?

 

[Melanie]

Come on folks.....let us put the FUN back into fundamentalism:thumbs::1_grouphug:

 

[Ruiz]

Protestants existed before the Reformation. Most scholars would say that groups like the Hussites and the followers of Wycliffe were predecessors to the Reformation. I believe substantial evidence of the Waldensians as being more protestant (no evidence of them being Baptist) exists. Augustine's writings were extremely influential to that of the Reformers.

Protestant theology did not merely come about during the Reformation, as it seems some wish to label. Rather, Protestant theology only found the most dramatic rise during the Reformation.

To be frank, I am more Protestant than I am Baptist. The term Baptist includes both heretics and orthodox beliefs. It includes mystics, Baptismal Regeneration believers, modernists, and even many who have denied the trinity. That is only people we know about in the 1500's and before. Protestants is a theology that is more defined theologically.

If I was asked, "Give up the name Baptist or Protestant", I would give up the name Baptist. Why? Besides believers Baptism, there is little else that is defined by the name "Baptist."

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Fighting fundamentalists fail or refuse to display the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives, and they tend to manifest the works of the flesh instead. They generally operate with a "my way or the highway mentality," thinking they cannot possibly be wrong about anything. They often try to lord it over the consciences of other human beings, denying them individual soul liberty and forgetting the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Lord of the conscience. In short, they are religious bullies who rather enjoy throwing their weight around.

 

[Thinkingstuff]

How do you define fundamentalism?

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Ideally, fundamentalism is simply a firm belief in the fundamental or basic teachings of the Bible about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, it includes the conviction that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God.

The spirit of fundamentalism is a spirit of spiritual separation from other professing Christians who are believed to be in error in their beliefs and/or practices. This is where things become much more difficult and perhaps even a little dangerous at times. A Pharisaical way of thinking can take root, causing people to become overly-suspicious of and even hateful toward others who are not a part of their own group.

 

[Dr. Walter]

Ideally, fundamentalism is simply a firm belief in the fundamental or basic teachings of the Bible about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, it includes the conviction that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God.

The spirit of fundamentalism is a spirit of spiritual separation from other professing Christians who are believed to be in error in their beliefs and/or practices. This is where things become much more difficult and perhaps even a little dangerous at times. A Pharisaical way of thinking can take root, causing people to become overly-suspicious of and even hateful toward others who are not a part of their own group.

Would Paul's words in Galatians 1:8-9 toward his oppoents be regarded as unloving in your view?

Would Paul's actions and words in Acts 13:10 be regarded as unloving in your view:

And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

Would Paul's instructions in 2 Thes. 3:6,14 toward a "brother" be re regarded by you as unkind and unloving.

Would Paul's choice of terms in Philippians 3:2 be regarded by you as a lack of charity toward his opponents:


Php 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Do you think that He could have been more loving and charitable in his responses above or were these reactions Spirit directed words and reactions?

 

[Thinkingstuff]

Ideally, fundamentalism is simply a firm belief in the fundamental or basic teachings of the Bible about the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, it includes the conviction that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired, infallible, inerrant word of God.

Do you really want to fight this?

The spirit of fundamentalism is a spirit of spiritual separation from other professing Christians who are believed to be in error in their beliefs and/or practices. This is where things become much more difficult and perhaps even a little dangerous at times. A Pharisaical way of thinking can take root, causing people to become overly-suspicious of and even hateful toward others who are not a part of their own group.

Or do you want to fight the mentality of what is common to Elitist? This is common in Judaism where Juvenal states in his satire

They get themselves circumcised, and fear the Jewish commandments, whatever was handed down by Moses in that arcane tone of his - never to show the way to any but fellow believers ( if they ask where to get some water, find out if they're foreskinless).

Which seems reincarnated in Christian seperatist congregations (known as fundalmentalist) fearing further involvement in the "world" but behaving as Juvenal describes above.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

I wholeheartedly believe in all of the fundamentals of the faith, but I am not in complete agreement with the separatistic spirit of fundamentalism.

 

[Dr. Walter]

I wholeheartedly believe in all of the fundamentals of the faith, but I am not in complete agreement with the separatistic spirit of fundamentalism.

Of course you claim that you "wholeheartedly believe in ALL of the fundementals" but it is that claim that is being challenged in regard to essential salvation, which, must be regarded as a fundemental or nothing else really matters as everything is then reduced to theoretical debate.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Historically-speaking, the fundamentals of the faith basically have been as follows:

1. The verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.
2. The virgin birth of Christ.
3. The virtuous (sinless) life of Christ.
4. The vicarious death of Christ.
5. The victorious (bodily) resurrection of Christ.
6. The visible (personal) return of Christ.

Others have added additional fundamentals, but I believe in the above fundamentals.

 

[Dr. Walter]

Historically-speaking, the fundamentals of the faith basically have been as follows:

1. The verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.
2. The virgin birth of Christ.
3. The virtuous (sinless) life of Christ.
4. The vicarious death of Christ.
5. The victorious (bodily) resurrection of Christ.
6. The visible (personal) return of Christ.

Others have added additional fundamentals, but I believe in the above fundamentals.

You know very well, that is but one version of it.

 

[DHK]

Fighting fundamentalists fail or refuse to display the fruit of the Spirit in their daily lives, and they tend to manifest the works of the flesh instead. They generally operate with a "my way or the highway mentality," thinking they cannot possibly be wrong about anything. They often try to lord it over the consciences of other human beings, denying them individual soul liberty and forgetting the fact that Jesus Christ is the only Lord of the conscience. In short, they are religious bullies who rather enjoy throwing their weight around.

I am a fundamentalist, specifically an Independent Fundamental Baptist. I believe that the further clarification is necessary because of the way the media uses or misuses the term "fundamentalist" today. I am not a Muslim fundamentalist or even a Charismatic fundamentalist. I am Baptist.

Furthermore, the first time I heard the term "fighting fundamentalist" was on this board and only in relation to a particular website, which oft times had nothing good to say about this board. So I have only a negative connotation about that term.

Since a fundamentalist is one who believes in the fundamentals of the faith, and practices them, I would assume that you are not, especially since you come on this board and hold such disdain for them. But that is a pity. I don't know how one can even be saved without clinging to the very fundamentals of our faith, such as justification by faith.

 

[adisciplinedlearner]

Justification by faith can be counted as a fundamental of the faith. Justification by faith ALONE cannot be so counted. It is contrary to the teachings of Christ.

 

[DHK]

I wholeheartedly believe in all of the fundamentals of the faith, but I am not in complete agreement with the separatistic spirit of fundamentalism.

Was Jesus in agreement with you?

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

[Dr. Walter]

Justification by faith can be counted as a fundamental of the faith. Justification by faith ALONE cannot be so counted. It is contrary to the teachings of Christ.

No, it is contrary to YOUR teachings not Paul's. You keep asserting this but have yet been able to defend it from the cheif teacher of it in the scriptures - Paul.