Does Fundamentalism Make Sense To Fundamentalists?

[Gamecock1973]

I think what is missing from this conversation is the creation of a whole "worldview" which dominates the entire way you think and view reality as a fundamentalist.  Fundamentalists lock themselves into an insulated world of ideas, surround themselves with people who believe the same things as them (thus continually confirming their beliefs), and when they do interact with non-believers (or even other kinds of christians) at work  or elsewhere they are on their guard because they know that EVERYTHING those people say, do, and think comes from the "father of lies."  They interact with these people as little as possible in order not to be corrupted, so they never actually get to know hardly anyone with an alternate worldview.  So do they believe in fundamentalism?  Yes.  Are they believing it because of money?  For 99% no.  Does it make sense to them even in all its absurdities?  Absolutely.  It is a delusion that they are convinced is more real than the actual world around them.  When "anything is possible with god," there is no end to the nonsense one can buy into mentally and emotionally.

 

An example of a fundamentalist worldview I had, which is utterly nonsensical to me now, but I was UTTERLY CONVINCED of-  When I was a senior in high school, I had a lesbian English teacher.  It was openly known she was a lesbian, although she never talked about her personal life or flaunted it in any way.  As a lesbian, I was told by my pastor she was probably also a witch and into witchcraft and I should be prepared to stand up for my faith and "do spiritual warfare" in the classroom (whatever the fuck that means!).  There was absolutely no evidence that this person was wiccan or into witchcraft at all, it was just ASSUMED, because she had clearly given herself over to the devil as a lesbian that it naturally followed she would embrace any sort of "evil" which came her way.  In that worldview, she was probably encouraging every woman she met to have an abortion as well.    It was all utterly ridiculous, but this is the TYPICAL WORLDVIEW of a true believing fundamentalist.  

 

I went into that class a bit terrified of the evil I was going to encounter there, ready to defend jesus!  But not only did she never challenge my faith (egad!), she never tried to push her sexuality or political viewpoints at all.  She turned out to be the best teacher I ever had and introduced me to a love of writing and literature in a new way.  Of course, at the time, my reaction was to pity her for wasting her gifts for the devil!

 

It is not a matter of do people really believe or not, whether it is reasonable or not.  It is how entrenched they are in the delusion and the worldview.  

[directionless]

I think what is missing from this conversation is the creation of a whole "worldview" which dominates the entire way you think and view reality as a fundamentalist.  Fundamentalists lock themselves into an insulated world of ideas, surround themselves with people who believe the same things as them (thus continually confirming their beliefs), and when they do interact with non-believers (or even other kinds of christians) at work  or elsewhere they are on their guard because they know that EVERYTHING those people say, do, and think comes from the "father of lies."  They interact with these people as little as possible in order not to be corrupted, so they never actually get to know hardly anyone with an alternate worldview.  So do they believe in fundamentalism?  Yes.  Are they believing it because of money?  For 99% no.  Does it make sense to them even in all its absurdities?  Absolutely.  It is a delusion that they are convinced is more real than the actual world around them.  When "anything is possible with god," there is no end to the nonsense one can buy into mentally and emotionally.

 

An example of a fundamentalist worldview I had, which is utterly nonsensical to me now, but I was UTTERLY CONVINCED of-  When I was a senior in high school, I had a lesbian English teacher.  It was openly known she was a lesbian, although she never talked about her personal life or flaunted it in any way.  As a lesbian, I was told by my pastor she was probably also a witch and into witchcraft and I should be prepared to stand up for my faith and "do spiritual warfare" in the classroom (whatever the fuck that means!).  There was absolutely no evidence that this person was wiccan or into witchcraft at all, it was just ASSUMED, because she had clearly given herself over to the devil as a lesbian that it naturally followed she would embrace any sort of "evil" which came her way.  In that worldview, she was probably encouraging every woman she met to have an abortion as well.    It was all utterly ridiculous, but this is the TYPICAL WORLDVIEW of a true believing fundamentalist.  

 

I went into that class a bit terrified of the evil I was going to encounter there, ready to defend jesus!  But not only did she never challenge my faith (egad!), she never tried to push her sexuality or political viewpoints at all.  She turned out to be the best teacher I ever had and introduced me to a love of writing and literature in a new way.  Of course, at the time, my reaction was to pity her for wasting her gifts for the devil!

 

It is not a matter of do people really believe or not, whether it is reasonable or not.  It is how entrenched they are in the delusion and the worldview.

Thanks, that is very interesting, because it highlights how fundamentalists and other intense believers can participate in the real world while believing the group's religious delusions that shouldn't withstand exposure to reality.

 

What denomination was that if I'm not being too nosy to ask?

 

I can relate to your description of believing crazy religious things. It seems to happen to all types of Christians - not just fundamentalist denominations.

[Guest end3]

I expect fundamentalists buy in to their teachers and how this associates with their needs at that time.

[directionless]

I expect fundamentalists buy in to their teachers and how this associates with their needs at that time.

Rachel15 started a thread about this link describing the story constructed by fundamentalists and why that story makes it hard to leave fundamentalism. Probably that is a factor too. Fundamentalists can't allow too much questioning without risking their part in the story.

 

I came across this blog yesterday by David Rattigan which had an interesting article about leaving fundamentalism, as he explains that stories are how we make sense of the world around us.

 

http://davidlrattigan.com/leavingfundamentalism.htm

[Flutters]

 

 

I can relate to your description of believing crazy religious things. It seems to happen to all types of Christians - not just fundamentalist denominations.

 

A story about talking snakes, bushes and donkeys, not to mention magic fruit, zombies and rib people leads me to assume that would be necessary.

 

[♦ ficino ♦]

 

 

I went into that class a bit terrified of the evil I was going to encounter there, ready to defend jesus!  But not only did she never challenge my faith (egad!), she never tried to push her sexuality or political viewpoints at all.  She turned out to be the best teacher I ever had and introduced me to a love of writing and literature in a new way.  Of course, at the time, my reaction was to pity her for wasting her gifts for the devil!

 

It is not a matter of do people really believe or not, whether it is reasonable or not.  It is how entrenched they are in the delusion and the worldview.  

I'm glad your school wasn't pressured into firing her.

[Ravenstar]

I think it's easier to believe in fundamentalism than the cherry-picking of the liberal christians… after all, the scripture IS behind you.

 

The Westboro's are fundamental literalists… taken to the extreme, so, ya.

[Deidre]

I think that all Christians justify their faith in that it "makes sense." I justified my beliefs and the Bible as making sense at one time.

Fundies take the Bible literally though so...in some ways, I admire such "faith," despite it being nonsensical. Unlike the RCC, that changes its views on the Bible as it gains/loses membership, fundies don't seem to bend to popular opinion.

 

(I'm not a former fundamentalist)

[directionless]

I think it's easier to believe in fundamentalism than the cherry-picking of the liberal christians… after all, the scripture IS behind you.

 

The Westboro's are fundamental literalists… taken to the extreme, so, ya.

I guess it's hard for me to understand how a person can read the bible and see an overarching story culminating in Jesus. Christians who study their bible often claim to see this overarching story. Those people have studied the bible in depth (Hebrew, Greek, context, etc.) so I wondered if the bible really does make sense.

 

That's why I was asking. I know many here have studied these things in depth while they were Christians.

[directionless]

I think that all Christians justify their faith in that it "makes sense." I justified my beliefs and the Bible as making sense at one time.

Fundies take the Bible literally though so...in some ways, I admire such "faith," despite it being nonsensical. Unlike the RCC, that changes its views on the Bible as it gains/loses membership, fundies don't seem to bend to popular opinion.

 

(I'm not a former fundamentalist)

I'm not sure I have ever believed that Christianity made sense. I was 100% convinced that Christianity was true for a year, but I didn't think it made sense. (I just ignored the fact that it didn't make sense. )