Reply #14: "Fundamentalism is Christianity without Christ." [View All]

[bloom]

If Thomas Frank is correct in saying that there were quite a few Fundamentalists who were socialists 100 years ago - it seems more likely that Fundamentalists are simply easily co-opted - if they can be persuaded to a cause. (Than to say that they were always necessarily nihilists). Like a good example of sheeple. Or at least the Fundamentalists of today seem easy prey to propaganda when it's mixed with Patriotic fervor.


As far as, "When you do challenge them, remind them to "turn the other cheek" and "love your enemies"....


As I've recorded before - I witnessed someone doing that very thing - challenging Fundamentalists that way - and the response was "The unsaved are dead already" and something to the effect that" Jesus loves by the sword" (some weird interpretation of Revelation). As far as the Fundamentalists were concerned - they are right - and are not threatened by people interested in "love" at least they are not worried about loving people who are not like them.


The lesson of loving (or at least having some concern for) people who are not like us seemed to be a central message following WWII. The essential liberal message anyway. But you'll see atheists condemning anyone religious just as you will Fundamentalist condemning anyone non-Fundamentalist.

I think it makes sense to condemn people for condemning others for no particularly good reason.