I am what an outsider would call a "fundamentalist" because I look to the Bible as the source of fundamental truth. I am not a member of a denomination, but rather have associated myself with a local congregation of like-minded Christians. Therefore, I can't address your concerns in any way except what THIS Christian has seen, heard and taught. I think you may be setting up some strawmen in this list, but I'll take it at face value:
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Originally Posted by beedubaya
I was raised Fundamentalist Christian but as I have become more educated through high school and college, I am starting to see through this religion. I am starting to see Fundamentalist Christianity as anything BUT true Christianity. Here are the huge issues I have with it.
1. They continually bash homosexuals and condemn them to hell yet they don't touch on other, more destructive sins such as coveting or marriage and divorce.
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Not where I attend. We discuss all sorts of sins. We "bash" (your word, not mine) the sin, but a thief or an adulterer is in the same situation as the homosexual--in need of salvation which can only be attained through grace and obedience.
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2. They try to make the case that George Bush was put in his position by God himself and if you don't support his policies, then you are not a Christian therefore will not go to heaven.
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I've NEVER heard such a sermon, nor delivered one.
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3. The preach that voting for the Democratic candidate will send one to hell because of the gay marriage issue, while Republicans support the big greedy corporations which is just as evil according to the Bible.
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Again, never heard such, and probably never will, because the group I'm associated with doesn't involve itself with political parties. We do decry the positions some of our leaders take on sinful activity, but that teaching is reserved for the issue, not the party. And where do you find in the Bible that supporting "big greedy corporations is just as evil" as homosexual acts? It may be there, but I can't call it to mind and would like to know more on this point.
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4. They make the case that the earth is only 6000 years old despite all the scientific evidence supporting otherwise. For some reason the six "days" of Creation MUST mean six literal days, while its okay for the word "day" to mean larger amounts of time in other places in the Bible.
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I am a young Earth creationist, because I believe the physical evidence we have points toward such. And why couldn't the God that spoke us into existence do so in six days? While I'm at it, do you have a passage in mind where the Bible uses "day" as it is used in Genesis ("the morning and the evening" constituting a "day") and it does not refer to 24 hours?
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5. Every story in the Bible is literal historical fact. The truth is, many stories in the Bible are in fact ancient Jewish literature. Believing Jonah and the Whale is literal fact is not much different than believing Homer's Odyssey is literal fact.
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The problem with your example is that Jesus Himself spoke of the Jonah episode as fact. Matt. 12:39-40.
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6. They say that ALL drinking of alcohol is sinful. How can this be when Jesus drank wine? The first think they will say is that the wine Jesus drank was really non-alcoholic grape juice. However, not until the Temperance movement and Reverend Charles Welch (Welch's Grape Juice) was making a non-fermented substitute possible. Fermentation was a natural process.
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I don't think you're right on this. I believe the folks back in Jesus' time knew how to squeeze grapes (or other fruits) and drink the juice thereof without it going through the fermenation process. I'm not a Greek scholar (or Aramaic, for that matter) but I've read enough of it to know that at least one of the words can mean either fermented or non-fermented. My Vines book is at the house, and I'll try to remember to look when I get a chance.
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7. Continuing on alcohol, they preach that all positive mentions of wine is only grape juice, while any negative mention of it is the real, fermented stuff. If they are supposed to be taking the Bible as literal word for word fact, how can "wine" mean one thing in one place but something else in another? The idea that all drinking is a sin comes from the Temperance movement of the civil war era, NOT the Bible.
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I HAVE heard sermons that have equated the passing of alcohol through the lips as sin, but I do not agree with that position. However, from Proverbs (20:1 and 23:29) to Ephesians 5:18, we are instructed not to become intoxicated with wine (or strong drink). One can never sin in that area if one does not imbibe in the first place. I personally have never taught that one may not ever take a drink of alcohol; I've taught many times that drinking to excess is a sin, and it is better flee from temptations rather than walk up to them as closely as possible.
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8. They say all gambling and games of chance are sinful, yet it says nothing about them in the Bible.
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Agreed in the specific, but in principle, gambling is a form of coveting. It's unlike the worker that is worthy of his wages--an exchange of labor for money; gambling involves something for nothing.
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9. They require all men wear short hair and women cannot cut their hair. They say its sinful for a man to have long hair, but how can that be when Jesus himself had long hair?
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I'd really appreciate it if you'd show me the verses that tell us how long Jesus' hair was. The teaching in 1 Cor. 11:14 isn't hard to understand--men shouldn't look like women.
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10. They try to enforce their beliefs on others by acting self-righteous in public. My parents, who are fundamentalists, when offered wine at olive garden, they said "We don't drink that sinful drink, We are Christians" in a real stern voice.
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We'd agree that it is unnecessary to say that under those circumstances. But to judge the teachings of the Bible and fundamentalist Christianity from the failings of the adherents is unfair. What you're saying is that an individual, or group of people, didn't live up to the standards. Good--you recognize both the standard and where the follower has gone astray. It does not logically follow that one would therefore reject the standard.
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I'm questioning my beliefs right now, but part of me feels like I'm going to go to hell for questioning it. I was taught growing up to accept it on faith and to question it was a path to hell.
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I heard a wise preacher once tell this story. He met with a man that was married to a Christian. The man was very pleasant, but started the meeting by saying "I should tell you that I don't belief in God." My friend could have gone several way with this, but he took what I think was brilliant path. He said "I've thought about not believing in Him, too, but here's why I do. . . " Recognizing you have a question is not unhealthy--turning to sources other than the authority for answers would be.
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How do I find out true religion?
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By studying. By praying. By talking to others that have been on the same road you now find yourself on. But most of all, by deciding not to be blown about by every wind of doctrine concocted by man. If someone is teaching you something that is not in accordance with the whole teaching of the Bible, then you might want to ask why. For example, if someone looked at Mark 16:16 and said "well, I see what it says, but I don't believe baptism is necessary for salvation," that'd be a good time to try to figure out the agenda behind looking at plain language and saying it doesn't mean just what it says.
I'll stop now, and be glad to respond to you here or privately as you wish.