Fundamentalist Christianity breeds narcissism/bigotry

[Episkopos]

There is NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH to handle! I think YOU can't handle the truth that there's none. When you've been indoctrinated for so long repeating the same old habits, you start to develop a strong egoic identity to the point where you believe you have the absolute truth. You don't! You weren't even born knowing any of this stuff. I understand it gives you a sense of comfort that you think you know but you really don't know anything in the end! This is my entire point. There is a reason why Christianity gets a bad rap and fundamentalists get called 'Bible thumpers'. They're at war with the secular world.

Progressive Christians are what I'd consider to be normal Christians. They see value in Jesus' teachings, but they are not fanatics. Being fanatical about anything is just plain toxic.

There is absolute truth...in a Person. Christ the Lord. The popularity of Christianity is not due to the faithful witness of believers. Most believers do not line up with the truth because of a lack of conformity with Christ.

The conundrum lies with having to believe in the truth but with the right part of us. We are to be humble and fear the Lord. The confusion of many believers is in the error in taking a justification meant for the whole Body as something that is personal to them.

Most believers today remain carnal and in an infant stage based on half-truths and lies they have believed. They have exchanged humility and the truth for a lie that props up their fallen nature. There is a God...but also a devil that is able to fool whoever is not crucified with Christ. People accept man-made doctrines and reject the biblical truth contained in the whole counsel of God.

So what you are witnessing among evangelicals is the great delusion that God has sent into the religious world to confound those who pretend to love the truth...but do not.
There are, however, many simple believers who remain humble and maintain a healthy fear of the Lord.

 

[Jim B]

There is absolute truth...in a Person. Christ the Lord. The popularity of Christianity is not due to the faithful witness of believers. Most believers do not line up with the truth because of a lack of conformity with Christ.

The conundrum lies with having to believe in the truth but with the right part of us. We are to be humble and fear the Lord. The confusion of many believers is in the error in taking a justification meant for the whole Body as something that is personal to them.

Most believers today remain carnal and in an infant stage based on half-truths and lies they have believed. They have exchanged humility and the truth for a lie that props up their fallen nature. There is a God...but also a devil that is able to fool whoever is not crucified with Christ. People accept man-made doctrines and reject the biblical truth contained in the whole counsel of God.

So what you are witnessing among evangelicals is the great delusion that God has sent into the religious world to confound those who pretend to love the truth...but do not.
There are, however, many simple believers who remain humble and maintain a healthy fear of the Lord.

Your post contains quite a few "most believers", "many [believers]", "whoever...", "people accept", "their fallen nature", "among evangelicals", "those who pretend", etc.

Who are you to judge and condemn so many in the body of Christ? Have you done an extensive poll? Have you been around millions of believers?

You set yourself up as a judge of other Christians and condemn them. I have news for you: you're not John the Baptizer. You're pompous and arrogant. If I were you I would ask God for forgiveness and ask Him to give you a new heart of mercy and love.

Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

 

[Enoch111]

You have only stated that which you know.

That should be "You have only stated what you DON'T know".

 

[Jim B]

That should be "You have only stated what you DON'T know".

Which is a logical impossibility.

 

[Philip James]

The Muslims believe their Quran is the word of God. Christians are not the only ones who think their book is the word of God.

Mohammed didnt rise from the dead, and indeed, in denying that Jesus is the Son of God, the Quaran is clearly anti-Christian.

Christ is risen!
Alleluia!

 

[BloodBought 1953]

Mohammed didnt rise from the dead, and indeed, in denying that Jesus is the Son of God, the Quaran is clearly anti-Christian.

Christ is risen!
Alleluia!

The Muslims are very subtle......they say that Jesus is * A* son of god......they will NOT say that Jesus is * THE* Son Of God......the difference between one little article in a sentence .....it turns out to be the difference between Heaven and Hell....

Here’s something for our doubting friend to consider——- “ Satan has blinded the minds of those who do not Believe”......also, “ The Gospel is Foolishness to those that Perish”

As a former flat- out Atheist, I will pray that God open your Heart to the Truth Of His Gospel That can Save you—- you are not NEAR as far gone as I was once....there’s plenty of reason to hope....

 

[Jim B]

There is absolute truth...in a Person. Christ the Lord. The popularity of Christianity is not due to the faithful witness of believers. Most believers do not line up with the truth because of a lack of conformity with Christ.

The conundrum lies with having to believe in the truth but with the right part of us. We are to be humble and fear the Lord. The confusion of many believers is in the error in taking a justification meant for the whole Body as something that is personal to them.

Most believers today remain carnal and in an infant stage based on half-truths and lies they have believed. They have exchanged humility and the truth for a lie that props up their fallen nature. There is a God...but also a devil that is able to fool whoever is not crucified with Christ. People accept man-made doctrines and reject the biblical truth contained in the whole counsel of God.

So what you are witnessing among evangelicals is the great delusion that God has sent into the religious world to confound those who pretend to love the truth...but do not.
There are, however, many simple believers who remain humble and maintain a healthy fear of the Lord.

Which survey did you use to come to the conclusion that "most believers today remain carnal and in an infant stage based on half-truths and lies they have believed." Please stop making absurd statements about the body of Christ. Your opinion of your brothers and sisters in Christ is very sad.

 

[David H.]

Matthew 7:1-5, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[fn] whom you are to judge? God judges[fn] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (I Corinthians 5:12-13, ESV)

It is not arrogance to point out heresy, neither is it arrogance to judge those inside the church who are being Hypocritical. We are in fact instructed to do this and it is an act of love and in the spirit of love that we are to reprove and rebuke those in the church who fall into error, which is our human nature to do. If you are about to walk off of a cliff, what is the loving thing to do, to warn you loudly or to remain silent and hope you see you are heading over a cliff?

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. (Proverbs 9:8)

 

[Jim B]

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[fn] whom you are to judge? God judges[fn] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (I Corinthians 5:12-13, ESV)

It is not arrogance to point out heresy, neither is it arrogance to judge those inside the church who are being Hypocritical. We are in fact instructed to do this and it is an act of love and in the spirit of love that we are to reprove and rebuke those in the church who fall into error, which is our human nature to do. If you are about to walk off of a cliff, what is the loving thing to do, to warn you loudly or to remain silent and hope you see you are heading over a cliff?

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. (Proverbs 9:8)

You give yourself license to condemn other Christians? And use a quote from Proverbs to prove your point? You should be ashamed of yourself! BTW, I have news for you: you are not the great apostle Paul. You are mean and deluded and use God's word to back up your hatred.

If God so loved the world -- John 3:16 -- what is your problem?

 

[Jim B]

The OP says that fundamentalist Christianity breeds narcissism and bigotry. Judging by the posts of some that is clearly the case. "The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8

Nothing more needs to be said.

 

[marks]

There is no objective morality, there is no absolute truth.

Is this "absolutely true"?

What makes you so sure? Why wouldn't there be a certain reality, and other ideas are false?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Only narcissists think they know the absolute truth.

What do you know of narcissists? You would call God Himself a narcissist based on the above. And to whom has God revealed Himself?

Much love!

 

[marks]

Which survey did you use to come to the conclusion that "most believers today remain carnal and in an infant stage based on half-truths and lies they have believed." Please stop making absurd statements about the body of Christ. Your opinion of your brothers and sisters in Christ is very sad.

I find we need to distinguish between those who believe and are saved, and those who "agree", but have not been reborn. Those who are not actually the body of Christ will not look or act like His body. But we don't impugn and malign those who are. At least we should not!

Much love!

 

[marks]

For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church[fn] whom you are to judge? God judges[fn] those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (I Corinthians 5:12-13, ESV)

It is not arrogance to point out heresy, neither is it arrogance to judge those inside the church who are being Hypocritical. We are in fact instructed to do this and it is an act of love and in the spirit of love that we are to reprove and rebuke those in the church who fall into error, which is our human nature to do. If you are about to walk off of a cliff, what is the loving thing to do, to warn you loudly or to remain silent and hope you see you are heading over a cliff?

Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. (Proverbs 9:8)

Making vague overgeneralizations makes the speaker feel better, but accomplishes little more than that.

This wasn't "warning a person", that's personal, based on knowledge. Overgeneralizations are at once inaccurate, and more revealing of the speaker.

Much love!

 

[marks]

The OP says that fundamentalist Christianity breeds narcissism and bigotry. Judging by the posts of some that is clearly the case. "The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love." 1 John 4:8

Nothing more needs to be said.

And there you have it.

Much love!

 

[David H.]

You give yourself license to condemn other Christians? And use a quote from Proverbs to prove your point? You should be ashamed of yourself! BTW, I have news for you: you are not the great apostle Paul. You are mean and deluded and use God's word to back up your hatred.

If God so loved the world -- John 3:16 -- what is your problem?

Mighty "condemning" comment there chief... But of course you do not see it that way, do you?

All humans are hypocrites; the biggest hypocrite of all is the one who claims to detest hypocrisy.-Peter Wastholm

 

[Jim B]

Mighty "condemning" comment there chief... But of course you do not see it that way, do you?

All humans are hypocrites; the biggest hypocrite of all is the one who claims to detest hypocrisy.-Peter Wastholm

I don't know of Peter Wastholm, but pulling a one-sentence quote from someone is absurd. BTW, the quote is self-contradictory.

Nowhere in the Bible -- God's Word -- does it say that all humans are hypocrites.

 

[bbyrd009]

the biggest problem with believing that Bible is Word imo, is that you believe you have identified Word, and so will no longer seek It

 

[David H.]

I don't know of Peter Wastholm, but pulling a one-sentence quote from someone is absurd. BTW, the quote is self-contradictory.

Nowhere in the Bible -- God's Word -- does it say that all humans are hypocrites.

The question is do you see your own hypocrisy? You are condemning the fundamentalists for being condemning. Self deception fails to allow you to see this in yourself, and it makes you look really foolish when you do this. I say this in all love....

 

[Jim B]

The question is do you see your own hypocrisy? You are condemning the fundamentalists for being condemning. Self deception fails to allow you to see this in yourself, and it makes you look really foolish when you do this. I say this in all love....

No I don't see my own hypocrisy.

If you knew the meaning of the word "condemning" you wouldn't make nonsensical statements.

You write that I'm "self-deceived" and "foolish" and you think that "saying all this in love" bears any relation to reality? Suppose I lovingly called you a self-deceived idiot?