Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with fundamentalism

Express Free Market Parables

beerbajay — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 13:52:53 -0800

When and why in American history did reverence for the free market become caught up with christian fundamentalism? Was it a reaction to the coupling of atheism and communism or what?

How to reveal my (lack of) faith to my fundamentalist Christian Parents?

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:00:28 -0800

I have been struggling for several years how to reconcile Christianity, especially the sect in which I was raised, with the analytic portion of my mind. I realize that I can't. Now the question is, how to broach the subject with my fundamentalist parents, who I am dependent on? Here is some background information:

I am a college student who attends a Christian University away from my hometown. I was raised in a very conservative home and have attended the "Church of Christ" my entire life. The Church of Christ is a denomination which claims to be the true New Testament church set up by the disciples of Jesus. The Church believes in the bible as God's inerrant revelation to man and as the sole guide to everlasting life. Consequentially, the Bible is taken literally which results in poor prospects for homosexuals, women (submission), and sexuality, in general. My family is very devout and attends church 3 times a week (2x Sunday and Wednesday). My father is an elder at the Church and my mother is very involved.

I have always felt trapped and restricted within the church and the university has only exacerbated the issue (daily chapel, required bible class, curfew, no entry into the opposite sex’s living quarters). I feel like being in the environment of this Church has held me back intellectually. Do not question the Bible, accept it. The act of believing things without evidence, of not actively searching out and understanding why things happen, permeated into my thinking about other subjects.

My parents are paying my tuition at the university, although I did not choose it. I feel indebted to my parents, as I probably should and feel like renouncing their belief system will add up to some sort of treachery.

My parents will be crushed when I tell them of my disbelief. I don’t know if I can handle causing so much pain to them, as well as to my grandparents. They will end up questioning how they raised me and may never be fine with it. They will not understand how I could not believe. My relationship with my father is already strained and may not survive this episode. My admission may also cause my father to lose his position in the eldership. One of the qualifications for being an elder, as taken from Titus 1:6, is having “children who believe”.

How do I tell my parents that I am (at best) agnostic?
Has anyone lived through a similar situation/ how did it go?
Should I tell them while I am still dependent on them financially?

I appreciate any perspective you all can give me. Throwaway email: leavingfundamentalism@gmail.com

Fundamentalist/Evangelical

snap_dragon — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 04:41:19 -0800

What is the difference of belief system between conservative Christianity, evangical Christianity, and fundamentalism?

Supporting a recovering fundamentalist

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 14:58:02 -0800

How can I help a friend who is leaving a fundamentalist Christian church? My friend has lost his faith but despite this feels he is a sinner against the god he no longer believes in. Fundamentalist Christianity hasn't been a good experience for him and he doesn't want to stay in his current church, or to explore other sects/faiths at the moment. He is very depressed - I have talked about options for treatment with him, but would like suggestions for supporting someone specifically in this kind of religious crisis. I have never had any faith and am struggling to say anything useful, aware that I can only understand such churches, their theology and hold on people in an abstract way. He doesn't seem to have been well-supported in his church and has no-one he can talk to there. I have read the two books called "Leaving the Fold," but would welcome advice, suggestions for reading (for me or him) or other resources. (For any physically-based resources/groups, be aware that my friend lives in Scotland.)

In search of good religious discussion

bluejayk — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:43:37 -0800

Where can I find serious religious debate/discussion? I'm looking for a place to read and maybe discuss religious views (primarily Christian-based) that don't constantly delve into ranting and/or idiocy. I was wondering how fundamentalists figure Noah got elephants, pandas, kangaroos, llamas and polar bears on the arc the other day. And I wanted to read some thoughtful religious discussion, but I'm not sure where to go.

Apart from the Noah bit, I'm hoping for something without ideological ground rules, but serious, pointed debate with intellectual rigor. Ideally, a place where Christians (liberal and conservative) and agnostics/atheists have actual discussion without anger or bitterness. I may be asking for something that doesn't exist, but I hope not.

Most everything I've found falls into one of categories: 'If you don't accept this you're hellbound, so shape up and start believing' or 'It's all just fairy-tale bullshit, stop talking nonsense' or 'These cultural heuristics need to be seen in the proper meta-historical narrative of the theistic experience to blah, blah, blah...'.

So where should I go? I need some religious debate while wasting time on the internet.

Why do our fundies like their fundies?

phrontist — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:25:28 -0800

Is there some reason that christians support Israel? I was browsing the Rapture Ready message boards, and while I realize they are a bit of a fringe, they seem to be fanatically pro-israel (see this signature), and that sentiment seems to be echoed amongst many other christians I know. I would have figured christians to be mildy anti-israel, as it's inhabitants sort of shunned their prophet/savior. What gives?

christian fundamentalism and it's determinants

stratastar — Thu, 07 Apr 2005 14:43:58 -0800

Regression Filter: For my undergraduate thesis, I am working on determining economic and social determinants of christian fundamentalism. I am having some trouble analyzing the orbit probit regressions that I am running. I am using the time-panel, General Social Survey which has good information on the denominations and charted the individual participation and beliefs (ie how fundamentalist etc)

My hypothesis is that economic factors push certain individuals into church support networks. My advisor is an econometrician and is very good with her econometrics but is not a sociologist: she suggested using an orbit probit (which we havn't gotten to in class.) i'm running the regressions and i'm finding some statistically significant correlations, between certain economic and social factors and fundamentalist beliefs, I just have no idea how to analyze the coefficients. I am using Stata, and the internal analysis: software.

Do people ever go from born-again to, uh, not born-again?

yoga — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 11:21:17 -0800

Born again, fundies, whatever you call them, we've all encountered them. Has anyone out there come across any of them that have gone the other way? From fundie to, um, not fundie? More inside. In my experience, the most hard core evangelical types (3 that I know of so far) all had a wild youth in common. Apparently religion set them on the straight and narrow. Emphasis on narrow, IMHO.

My question is, does anyone know of people who have abandoned the bible-thumping for, shall we say, a less religiously grounded lifestyle/attitude? I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to talk to my sister again.