Answering a Fundamentalist Christian

[Faithfulservant]

LOL I have yet to see an anti-apologetics website. I wonder why? hehe

[China Cat Sunflower]

How to answer a fundie? You can't reason with fundies. You can grind them into the ground with reason and logic, but it just feeds their persecution complex. The best thing to do is save your breath.

Chris

[wil]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

LOL I have yet to see an anti-apologetics website. I wonder why? hehe

Only a google away...

However I dislike the title to this post as much as the I'm gonna go witness to witnesses one...

The divisive nature just doesn't sit right. If everyone can just play nice or else be happy in their corner...

[seattlegal]

Originally Posted by yogaman

Everyone here has given me great information and insight and I thank you all. Keep it coming.

I do want to clarify what I am asking a little bit more here. And I understand the concept of "McResonses" but maybe more accurately, where could I gather information that succinctly describes the major questions, debates, or beliefs that the average "on the street" fundementalist Christian has so that I could think about what I would say to that person that would be my own genuine thought process based on what I believe?

That's easy. Ask them.

I don't think that the "average" fundementalist really delves deep into questioning their own beliefs but rather parrots what is fed to them, (and this phenomena is not exclusive to fundementalists of course) but it is what they spit out or parrot, the main stuff of there beliefs, that I would like to gather insight into so that I could think about it in relation to what I think.

I would say that the first thing you should do is go out and test your hypothesis about the "average" fundamentalist not really delving deeply into their faith. If you start off with an unproven hypothesis as your base, and that hypothesis is false, the only thing you will accomplish is in building up a false theory.

Right now, I am not looking for lengthy dissertations on the roots of fundementalism or psychoanalytical assessments of the fundementalist but just what the average "on the street" Christian fundementalist thinks about in regard to their faith or belief, the lense through which they see the world. Is there any succinct info out there which I can read so that I can relate their beliefs to mine. With this information, I can then ask myself, "How would I respond to that...?"

I would say that the best way to get this information is to go look for yourself, instead of feeding on someone else's words, taken on faith. Otherwise, you would run the risk of becoming the "parrot" that you assume others to be.

[cavalier]

Originally Posted by yogaman

I don't think that the
"average" fundementalist really delves deep into questioning their own beliefs but rather parrots what is fed to them, (and this phenomena is not exclusive to fundementalists of course) but it is what they spit out or parrot, the main stuff of there beliefs, that I would like to gather insight into so that I could think about it in relation to what I think.

If you want to be understood, you should first try to understand.
Given your apparent low regard of fundamentalists, I would not be surprised if very few of these people (many of whom are intellectual, thinking, and reasoning) want to listen to what you have to say.

I feel I should make it clear that I am not a fundamentalist.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Check around at the book burning, I'm sure you'll find some. Look for the WalMart bags.

Chris

[Faithfulservant]

ROFL!

I must not be fundie then.. I hate walmart... Im a target girl

Also.. I would never burn a book.. I love books. Including Harry Potter

[Pathless]

Originally Posted by yogaman

Is there any succinct info out there which I can read so that I can relate their beliefs to mine. With this information, I can then ask myself, "How would I respond to that...?"

Ha! Well the "fundamentalists" that I used to always run into on the streets of Greenville, South Carolina were always eager to hand me a "tract" from their stacks. So you could go direct to the source and study something like that.

[China Cat Sunflower]

Originally Posted by Faithfulservant

ROFL!

I must not be fundie then.. I hate walmart... Im a target girl

Also.. I would never burn a book.. I love books. Including Harry Potter

Does your pastor know about this?

Chris

[InLove]

Hey Faithfulservant--

When I go visit my Dad, there is a Wally World right around the corner from him, out in the middle of the woods, sorta. LOL--he goes there at least once a day. I love it! (I don't get out much these days).

I would not burn books either--I like finding old ones that have been dismissed by someone, or just plain lost. I like to look at garage sales for them. Once, I let a bunch of vinyl records melt in the sun on the corner waiting on the garbage collectors. I enjoyed it then--now I wish I hadn't done it. It wasn't one of my finer moments, I don't think.

(No--it wasn't the Beatles! )

InPeace,
InLove

[flowperson]

Wayne Cochrane and the CC Riders ? Wayne had such great "BIG HAIR".

flow....

[InLove]

Originally Posted by flowperson

Wayne Cochrane and the CC Riders ? Wayne had such great "BIG HAIR".

Wasn't he a buddy of Jaco's?

(This is what happens to the thread when you step out for lunch, yogaman. )

InPeace,
InLove

[pattimax]

Originally Posted by seattlegal

That's easy. Ask them.

I would say that the first thing you should do is go out and test your hypothesis about the "average" fundamentalist not really delving deeply into their faith. If you start off with an unproven hypothesis as your base, and that hypothesis is false, the only thing you will accomplish is in building up a false theory.


I would say that the best way to get this information is to go look for yourself, instead of feeding on someone else's words, taken on faith. Otherwise, you would run the risk of becoming the "parrot" that you assume others to be.

I think feeding on other's preconcieved ideas and dwelling on past mistakes without forming your own thoughts on the matter is something done quite often. I have been guilty of "Mc-responses" (I love that), but it is sometimes just so easy to do. I am not saying it is right, there are just times in my life when I don't want to deal with it. If a mind is rigidly set on denying fundamental beliefs they WILL do it. (oops, I digress.)

You are recieving some excellent advice ...(although I don't know about the reincarnation thing, but I don't want to deal with it. See?)

[pattimax]

I think I've read this before. It was an accident. There might be threads in my sub-conscious.

[Dor]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

Check around at the book burning, I'm sure you'll find some. Look for the WalMart bags.

Chris

Hehe your out of the loop us fundamentalist have a boycott against Walmart.