Why I Am No Longer A Fundamentalist
Posted on Friday, February 2nd, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Why I’m No Longer a Fundamentalist
For those of you who don’t know, I grew up a fundamentalist and was graduated from Bob Jones University with a B. A. in Public Speaking. During that period of time, most of those who went to BJ, as the school was known, were proud to be called fundamentalist Christians. My Father was a fundamentalist pastor. However today I no longer call myself a fundamentalist and over the next week or two would like to give you some reasons why. I came across a list of reasons on the website of Michael F. Bird at http://euangelizomai.blogspot.com and thought that for the most part the reasons were well done. I have re-written some of the reasons, and will spend a bit of time commenting on each one of them. I hope this helps you to see where I came from, and why I needed to leave.
1. Fundamentalists often major on the minor issues, and make minor issues absolute tests for faith and orthodoxy (e.g. drinking alcohol, “mixed bathing� (that brings back some memories), KJV only, etc).
It was very common in my childhood to judge the Christianity of a person based on their view of drinking, the version of the Scripture that they used, or whether or not they stood against “modernism� (whatever that was). As a child I simply thought that these were legitimate tests of faith but as I grew older, I began to wonder about things like love, kindness, care for widows and orphans, feeding of the poor. The fundamentalists were often not very good at these things, afraid that being nice to anyone not like themselves could somehow taint them and make them “worldly.�
2. Fundamentalists often fail to distinguish between what is Biblical Christianity and what is the cultural Christianity that they were nurtured on. Thus the need to ban dancing, makeup, and women in pants.
While I would agree that the Spirit may very well show someone that drinking alcohol is wrong for them. The problem comes when that person takes that conviction and makes it a universal rule for all people. It may not be good for young people to dance in certain places on certain occasions, but there is a great deal of dancing for joy in the Bible, and God seems to be pleased with it. The problem comes when any person takes a personal conviction and makes it a universal commandment. This is the work of a dictator.
Two or three more reasons tomorrow.
Keep the Faith,
DrSamLam
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Comments
1Pastor-E:Saturday, February 3rd, 2006 at 5:17 pm
You mean I can go swimming with my shirt off? Can my wife where lipstick? LMbuttO! I can remember being on a retreat in Okinawa Japan, with a church (that meant well), that made its adults cover their ears when the people picnicing next to us were playing Rock Music. It was comical to see a bunch of adults (some were US marines) packing up their belongings to move away from the poison rock music. In a way it was sad. The church did a lot of good, and many people were helped to find Christ, but a false view of Christianity was damageing to many who could not live up yo or make sense out of the legalism. I learned a great deal from the fundamentalist in my life. I have to say they meant well, and it was their way of caring.
2christopher Jones:Saturday, February 10th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Is there a difference between legalism and wisdom ? Personally, I think it is wise to be conservative on the things that western culture relates to sexuality. It is not a test of authentic faith.
blessings,
cj