Hello. My name is Marvin. And I am a Fundamentalist.
I became a Christian in 1977. Trusting Christ as my Saviour has been the single most wonderful thing that has happened in my fifty two years of life on planet earth.
It would seem by some of what I have read lately that it is just unfortunate that it was a fundamental conversion that took place in my life. From the "IBFxers" to the Evangelicals, to the newly "Reformed Christian," it seems that the main stream Christian blogger, you know, the one whose stuff gets read by the larger numbers of relevant Christians, have little to nothing kind to say about a Fundamental Baptist. One blogger, does the kind service of finding and posting the horror stories of those who, like me, were unfortunate enough to have become involved in a Fundamental Baptist Church (but unlike me, are now fortunate enough to have escaped this torment).
I have read that we may be "rabid" and that perhaps the best thing to do when encountering a Fundamental Baptist is just run. I am reminded of an article I read many years ago about the forming of a group called Fundamentalists Anonymous. I dismissed it then. But maybe I just could not recognize the seriousness of this illness.
Perhaps I am still in the denial stages of my disease. I just don't get the problem.
Ok. I will admit that there have been some excesses among Fundamental Baptists. We've had our headline cases of top tier preachers caught in the immoral. And even among those who have done nothing criminal there are certainly cases a plenty of abuses of power. But is that really a problem inherent only to Fundamental Baptists? Isn't that more a problem inherent to humanity in general? Are there not cases sufficient to demonstrate that even among the more relevant religious leader models sin still exists? Aren't there at least a few who would disdain the title Fundamental Baptist from whose presence it would be best to flee?
I am still excusing my disease aren't I? I just don't get it.
And what is wrong with Fundamentalism anyway?
So what if the Fundamental Baptists believe the Bible has no error? Would it be better to believe it has error but hypocritically claim to follow it?
Let's see. What damage had been done (besides that same sort of damage that can be attributed to being human in general and not Fundamental Baptist in particular)?
Just looks like some seriously angry people who have found a popular venue in which to vent.
So I am not an IFBxer. I am more like an IFB+er.
My name is Marvin. And I am...a Fundamental Baptist.
I became a Christian in 1977. Trusting Christ as my Saviour has been the single most wonderful thing that has happened in my fifty two years of life on planet earth.
It would seem by some of what I have read lately that it is just unfortunate that it was a fundamental conversion that took place in my life. From the "IBFxers" to the Evangelicals, to the newly "Reformed Christian," it seems that the main stream Christian blogger, you know, the one whose stuff gets read by the larger numbers of relevant Christians, have little to nothing kind to say about a Fundamental Baptist. One blogger, does the kind service of finding and posting the horror stories of those who, like me, were unfortunate enough to have become involved in a Fundamental Baptist Church (but unlike me, are now fortunate enough to have escaped this torment).
I have read that we may be "rabid" and that perhaps the best thing to do when encountering a Fundamental Baptist is just run. I am reminded of an article I read many years ago about the forming of a group called Fundamentalists Anonymous. I dismissed it then. But maybe I just could not recognize the seriousness of this illness.
Perhaps I am still in the denial stages of my disease. I just don't get the problem.
Ok. I will admit that there have been some excesses among Fundamental Baptists. We've had our headline cases of top tier preachers caught in the immoral. And even among those who have done nothing criminal there are certainly cases a plenty of abuses of power. But is that really a problem inherent only to Fundamental Baptists? Isn't that more a problem inherent to humanity in general? Are there not cases sufficient to demonstrate that even among the more relevant religious leader models sin still exists? Aren't there at least a few who would disdain the title Fundamental Baptist from whose presence it would be best to flee?
I am still excusing my disease aren't I? I just don't get it.
And what is wrong with Fundamentalism anyway?
- Do we really want to believe a doctrine that is not fundamental?
- If our faith is not fundamental, meaning foundational, is it really worthy of our faith?
- Wasn't Christ's real message to the Pharisees to return to the fundamentals of their walk with God?
So what if the Fundamental Baptists believe the Bible has no error? Would it be better to believe it has error but hypocritically claim to follow it?
Let's see. What damage had been done (besides that same sort of damage that can be attributed to being human in general and not Fundamental Baptist in particular)?
- Fundamental Baptists have supported thousands of missionaries around the world, not only doing evangelistic work and planting new churches, but rendering all sorts of humanitarian assistance in places like Sri Lanka, New Orleans, and Haiti.
- Fundamental Baptists have voted alongside other morally and patriotically minded Americans for laws that encourage Biblical principles be followed in our country.
- Fundamental Baptists have urged husbands and wives to stay faithful to their marriage vows, learning to love one another and to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.
- Fundamental Baptists have led programs intended to keep children off of drugs and alcohol and out off the sexual bed until marriage.
Just looks like some seriously angry people who have found a popular venue in which to vent.
So I am not an IFBxer. I am more like an IFB+er.
My name is Marvin. And I am...a Fundamental Baptist.
Marvin McKenzie
From the Field
To my readers:
I would love to hear from you. Leave comments below.
For more than 3700 Daily Visits with God visit Marvin McKenzie’s blogger page. There you will find daily visits going back to 2006.
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(photo from pixabay.com)
