Need some help and clarity from you guys/girls
Offline Hey everyone, this is ClubHollis trying to find some clarity on religious issues. Y'all probably won't believe me, and my geographical location probably is no excuse but let me please explain. I'm from the smallest state in the country (USA) RI nestled in southern New England, though i'm fairly well traveled, i never in my life have met a professed fundalmentalist. I have never seen a fundalmentalist church or seen people who subscribed to being one. I've never even met anybody in person who has had experiences with them. When i say that i never met one, i'm not saying that for a definite fact that never have i come across one, if i have they've never mentioned it. Maybe it's a RI thing because it's not even something that could command any respect, if someone mentioned the word fundamentalist there would probably be a snicker and rolling of eyes like something that's "out there" in the midwest "somewhere".
However these fundalmentals people speak of seem notriously difficult to reason with, some type of zealots in general. Here's what i don't understand about fundalmenalist and why in theory it's so difficult to dislodge their irrationality, i think a debate with a fundalmentalist would be much better because we would be on the same page so to speak and be talking about the same god, and the same bible. Here's where the crux of my question is leading to.
In the area i grew up there seems to be some kind of really vague cristianity that i can't seem to penetrate. I don't know if it were ROOK or who, but someone coined the expression quite elegantly as a cafetaria christian. I admit that i haven't read the bible word for word, i've only read the christisms, due to laziness and a lack of interest. I've picked it up and read parts after i've read critisms and checked the bible in my parents house because i don't accept anything uncritically, and the quotations were there plain, for anybody who wants to take 2 minutes to investigate, within the proper context of course. I'm sorry i'm rambiling. Basically is there a some resources, a post in one of these forums, book, website article, or journal that states what this kind of christianity is. I'm honestly very ignorant as to what many christians actually believe because it doesn't seem to be the bible, at least not in the literal sense. It's endlessly frustrating to careful, when christians are ignorant to their own religion, and when i point out all the distasteful and reprehensible precepts and stories, they simply claim not to believe that. Then i press them further by saying "ok so why not just scrap the whole thing?" and then they say they don't go by the bible per ce, it's a vague kind of play it by day run and gun christianity. I don't understand at all, if the bible isn't their revelation than what is? are their any effective strategies to dealing with cafetaria christians? these are the only ones i have known, including my parents, any help would be appreciated.
Just use your head.
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Wow! You've been lucky! Fundies are all over the place. However, they are definitely rarer in New England than say, the south.
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Yeah, you're lucky to be in a pretty liberal area. Central PA isn't realy fundie, per se, but we have a few. And we ARE heavily xian, though most are pretty moderate.
I would like a good breakdown of various denominations and their official positions on various ideological and social issues. I've never seen one. like
Catholic - accepts evolution - anti-gay - anti-birth control - etc.
Maybe with an explanation of their views on entrance into heaven, etc. A guy I know who is a Rush & Bush lover told me my atheism was OK - I'd have a chance to posthumously accept jeebus. I wish I'd have asked his denomination and whether his view was his church's or his alone.
Anyone know if such a breakdown of xianity exists?
You're definitely right about PA. PA is only a blue state because of Philly and Pittsburg! The rural areas are almost as bad as the south.
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[SATIRE]
C'mon down to god's country in southern middle Tennessee.
Our women know that their place is in the kitchen or the bedroom. jesus told me that when the spirit flowed over me right after I got myself washed in the blood. We gotta be fruitful and multiply. It's okay cause the gubment raised the minimum allowable wage for medicaid and food stamps.
I can call in for a week and sit home watching Nascar and rassling.
Thar's a fellow in the country that'll sell you beer and you can use your food stamp card to buy it.
Them kids don't really need to eat at home. That's what they got friends for and boy let me tell you, those 'rich' parents just love having other kids that ain't theirs over at their house all day and half the night.
[END OF ATTEMPTED COMEDY. it got too depressing.]
Seriously, I know people that exhibit one or more of the above traits.
There are people who thank their god for their job at the gas station and think that is where the 'lord' has meant them to stay because they can't/won't find anything better. All in their mid-thirties. god's plan at work.
Church of christ
Various pentecostal
Mennonites in Lawrence county
Baptists (of course) from primitive to southern to missionary and back
I did meet some people on The Farm in Summertown. Their minivan looked like Sapient's car from the back.
I gave them the url's for here and secularity. I think they have practiced 'aversion' to anyone not from their community. Obviously some deep scars from past attempts.
I don't know if this helps paint a picture for you or it's just me whining.
It is pretty here. In the mid-sized and above cities there are some freethinkers but they are few and far between. Some of them might know me. lol. However, if they're in mixed company they won't admit it. I don't expect them to either. It can be a social death sentence to be an atheist in the south. Keep in mind, I'm originally from Indiana so I get the double whammie of being an outspoken atheist AND a DAMNED YANKEE.
I used to have a self-proclaimed 'agnostic' acquaintance but he got a little too spiritual. We just fell out of contact. His wife and he still go to church every sunday for the 'fellowship'.
Yep. Definitely some whining here. lol.
Inevitably, no matter how bad you've got it, someone else has it worse. That still doesn't make life any easier but in a sick kind of way, it's comforting. lol.
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Funny. I spent about seven years there growing up in Lawrenceburg, Waynesboro and Mt.(Un)Pleasant. It's everything you said! Everyone called me a Yankee too because I was born in Ohio.
Well, if you ever come back for a visit let me know and I'll break out the welcome mat.
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Sweet
. I do love southern hospitality.