# Again, a few "Christians" who give the rest a bad name **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 5, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390 "2003-07-05T16:30:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/81 "2003-07-06T03:41:27Z")
> [@](#): > > I was surprised that gobear seemed to be saying ad hominems were fine and was seeking clarification. And again, please cite the post where I said that. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/82 "2003-07-06T03:42:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Millen \* > **Diogenes the Cynic** , I also reported you last night for using “fundie” in another thread. Millen, while your enthusiasm to help the staff is commendable, please do not feel that it is necessary to alert us every time you see the word fundie in a thread. We are aware of the issue. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/83 "2003-07-06T03:49:15Z")
Millen, speaking as a semi-fundie my own self (Moody Bible Institute, class of '95, glad ta meetcha): 1. You are 100% right about the anti-fundamentalist bias among some on these boards. 2. You are half-right in perceiving that some people use it as an insulting term. 3. You are 100% wrong in thinking that reporting people to the mods for piddly shit like this is the way to go. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Millen \* > \*\*In each my two reports, I have stated that I would prefer that the offender not be banned. \*\* Dude, this is like saying you called the cops on your noisy neighbors at 9 p.m., but stated you prefer they not be executed. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/84 "2003-07-06T03:56:36Z")
I thought I already quoted this: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*“Fundie” is just shorthand for “fundamentalist Christian.” It is not hate speech. Hate speech is attacking people for their gender, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation, not for ideology. If we outlaw “fundie” then we should outlaw “Pubbie” for Republican," “Commie” for Communist. and so on. \*\* I read the second sentence as saying that it is OK to attack people for their ideology, and I took religion as included under “ideology.” ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/85 "2003-07-06T04:03:32Z")
And as I already said, attacking Christians _qua_ Christians or \*\*Jews _qua_ Jews is uncool. However, the tenets of one’s faith, such as the necessity of stoning homosexuals to death or spreading lies to destroy someone’s business, can be jolly well questioned. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/86 "2003-07-06T04:10:36Z")
Okee. Clarification sought and found. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/87 "2003-07-06T04:17:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Millen \* > \*\ ***Diogenes the Cynic** , I also reported you last night for using “fundie” in another thread. \*\* _ **Reported!** _ * * * On a serious note, if you’re trying to win anyone over to your side, or trying to “open our minds” to your view, you’re going about it the wrong. Trust me, I tried a little too fervantly on certain occasions in GD and alienated some people from even wanting to discourse with me. Because I used attitude instead of argument. This is what you’re doing. Also, acting like the Moral Police™ will only lead to your frustration. Please take this counsel in the Christian spirt with which I’m posting and learn something. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/88 "2003-07-06T04:46:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*Trust me, it will, **Blonde**. > > \*\* Sigh. I was simply trying to make a flippant statement to diffuse a heated argument. It never freaking works, and I will never learn. At any rate, have a great weekend, all. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/89 "2003-07-06T04:58:22Z")
_I_ prefer “Funda-Loonie”. Let there be no question about the insult intended. ---
**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/90 "2003-07-06T05:07:49Z")
When I’m in the mood to be offensive, I go for “Fundamentalcase” myself. It seems to scan nicely, and there’s no room for ambiguity. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/91 "2003-07-06T06:40:41Z")
Hypochristian. I think it rather appropriately sums up the problems with many of those who self-identify as Fundamentalist Christian (with noted exceptions, of course). ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/92 "2003-07-06T07:54:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > The reference is from **South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut** , a movie whose theme is that oversensitivity to language causes more problems than it cures. As amply demonstrated by Cartman’s use of cuss-fu. 😉 No, I have nothing more to add. I’m just watching the whole bruhaha with bug-eyed fascination. Riffing off the **South Park** movie is all I can offer at 1:00am. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/93 "2003-07-06T07:56:54Z")
:smack: Posted to the wrong thread…! I’m up later than I thought… ---
**Author:** ![Esprix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/esprix/32/7899_2.png) [@Esprix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esprix)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/94 "2003-07-06T09:26:00Z")
No, no, no - “JEEZER” is the offensive term, not “fundie.” At least get offended at the right terms here. Esprix ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/95 "2003-07-06T11:02:56Z")
If you came to this Board to make enemies, mission accomplished. 😛 Now _go fuck a duck!_ ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/96 "2003-07-06T11:03:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Millen \* > **Diogenes the Cynic** , I also reported you last night for using “fundie” in another thread. **Millen** , you forgot to add, “and it will go on your Permanent Record.” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/97 "2003-07-06T11:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grienspace \* > \*\*Sure, but 99% of religious bashing is against the fundamentalists by this board. \*\* Well, probably not that high; the Roman Catholic Church came in for a good deal of invective here in recent months due to the whole pedophile-priests shebang. But still, let’s look at a few things: 1. Within the context of Christianity, “fundamentalist” is pretty much synonymous with “believer in Biblical inerrancy.” 2. The Bible contains many passages whose straightforward reading contradicts the straightforward reading of other Biblical passages. 3. Accordingly, “Biblical inerrancy” appears to be an oxymoron. 4. This board is about fighting ignorance. That’s enough, right there. But the real deal is: 1. Despite the fact that this board has many posters from around the world, most SDMB posters are Americans. 2. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution dictates that there shall be no establishment of religion. 3. In the United States, Christian fundamentalists are prominent in their repeated efforts to have the state promote their beliefs. They may not be the only religious group that has ever tried to do this here, but other religious groups that used to play a more active role in this field have pretty much thrown in the towel. 4. It seems that the vast majority of American posters here support a strong interpretation of the Establishment Clause. 5. So the fundies catch the heat. Big surprise, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/98 "2003-07-06T11:54:23Z")
**Grienspace** and **R.T.** : I think your points are well taken. But there need to be two caveats to the idea that fundamentalists get all the flak. 1. It’s the vocal group who are presuming to dictate the morality and beliefs, and limits to intellectual pursuits, of everyone else, who are targeted by at least the thoughtful members. The person with a _laissez faire_ policy of “Believe what you want to believe, and let me do likewise,” is the target of no one’s ire – except possibly the evangelical atheist who sees his lack-of-God-given Calling as freeing us theists from our bondage to superstition. 2. There will always be confusion from individual use of terms. My good friend **Mean Girl** describes herself as “an inerrantist.” But what she means by this is that, when the Bible is studied with full attention paid to the quirks, limitations of knowledge, cultural setting, etc., of the human authors and a view to what they were trying to convey in the pasage, not merely reading it out of context as though it were divinely dictated and the inferences one reads into the particular words in a random cite are the unquestionable literal words of God, one will not go wrong. She is not presuming that Leviticus is a guide to taxonomic zoology nor that Hosea has the last word on dealing with prostitution – that’s not the point behind them, and she recognizes that. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/99 "2003-07-06T12:28:12Z")
Oh, for God’s sake. I went out of my way to point out that I was not referring to all Christians, but rather a small group of narrow-minded twits who are out to hurt my family. Yes, I called them fundies. If Fundamental Christianity works for you, more power to you. However, if you use those beliefs to hurt my family, in my eyes, you are no longer a Fundamental Christian. You are a fundie. **Poly** put it very succintly: > [@](#): > > “It’s often used to belittle the variety of fundamentalism which engages in hypocrisy, false accusations, refusal to dialogue, and attempts to enforce morality on others, like the people who have forced me away from another board I loved – and such an attitude deserves all the slamming it gets, IMHO. I have read posts by **Polycarp** and **Scotti** , and I have found them deeply insightful, well thought out, and full of wisdom. To me, they are following Christianity as it was meant to be followed. This board is all about fighting ignorance. I find fundies (of any religion!) the most ignorant of all, and I have no patience with them. Now, back to my OP…apparently the pastor is on vacation. My BIL plans to talk to him when he gets back. Neither my SILs nor their husbands went to church today. I’m very sorry they’re being chased away from their faith. Minor nitpick, **Bosda** , there’s no “G” in my name. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ArtyDooDoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/13edae/32.png) [@ArtyDooDoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArtyDooDoo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390/100 "2003-07-06T13:36:33Z")
You know whats really annoying? I’ve had “when fundies attack” stuck in my head for two days now. Theres a thread in mpsims titled “when furniture attacks”. That, and all this fundie talk “don’t say fundie, I will say fundie, fundie means this, fundie means that” it got all mixed up in my head. WHEN FUNDIES ATTACK!!! Also, i’m a Christian who thinks the church members are being totaly non-Christian. I also support gay marriages (my country did it first neener-neener!) so can i be really well liked like polycarp?? please, please?!!?!? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/again-a-few-christians-who-give-the-rest-a-bad-name/186390.md?page=6)