People use pejoratives about fundamentalists because they're scared of them. I've grown up with lots of gung-ho Southern Baptists, so I know they're harmless, but not everyone knows that. The reason fundamentalists are scary? I've seen a lot of it on FR-- one person makes an argument that relies on history (facts) and analysis (reason) and oftentimes a fundamentalist will respond with quote after quote from the bible, tied together in ways that only another of his own belief system can figure out. It's like we're speaking English and you'all are speaking in tongues.
Like I said, I, personally, know that you guys are nice, harmless, and good people, but not everyone knows that-- many find your behavior baffling, and therefore, scary.
I've seen a lot of it on FR-- one person makes an argument that relies on history (facts) and analysis (reason) and oftentimes a fundamentalist will respond with quote after quote from the bible, tied together in ways that only another of his own belief system can figure out. It's like we're speaking English and you'all are speaking in tongues.Actually, even within a particular strain of theology, we can get our wires crossed. Mostly, it's because we aren't professional writers. We all think our writing is perfectly clear but others may read a particular post and come to a very different conclusion.
Like I said, I, personally, know that you guys are nice, harmless, and good people, but not everyone knows that-- many find your behavior baffling, and therefore, scary.Actually, sincere Christians do tend to scare the unchurched and those of extremely shallow religiousity. It's generally expected. They tend to feel faint when they realize that people actually believe the Bible is the Word of God and live accordingly. That is a very frightening thing to most non-Christians and to those who think the Bible is some sort of Hallmark card from God.