# Calling all fundies **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 27, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700 "2002-08-27T00:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/1 "2002-08-27T00:11:36Z")
Since there are almost 5 roughly fandies on board here, I’d thought I’d poll them (I’m one myself) 1. How did you get saved? 2. What denomination church do you attend? 3. WHo are your favorite authors? 4. Are you a Republican? 5. Do you consdier other sects not-christian? My answers: 1. Hal Lindsey’s book Late Great Planet Earth, read in 1978. No one ever witnessed to me. 2. non-denominational, though I prefer AssembliesofGod 3.John Hagee, Grant R. Jeffrey, and Jack VanImpe 3. No! LOL 4. Yes…a few ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/2 "2002-08-27T06:46:31Z")
Seriously, you got saved from reading Hal Lindsey? No, really? Ummm… Have you read that old stuff of his stuff lately? Doesn’t it strike you as about as accurate as the local paper’s horoscope? He was darn sure he was right, though. I also somewhere have an article in _The Door_ magazine about how he has never admitted that vast parts of his “new” books are reprints of his old ones. I personally saw him make statements about how every good student of Bible prophecy “knew” that a militarily strong Soviet Union was necessary. This was made on TBN (I was just flipping past on the channels, I promise!!) during the coup against Gorbie that lasted, what, all of three days? Hal turned out to be a bit off on that one. 1. I was raised right into it, although that’s not to say that you don’t have to make up your own mind at some point. That point came, definitely. 2. I go to the original big Vineyard, of the late, great John Wimber. (That’s a joke, son.) 3. Cecil Adams (no, I’m not kidding), John Wimber, Oswald Chambers, Charles Finney, William L. Shirer. I haven’t read that many Christian books because it makes me so mad when I read stupid things that it kind of ruins the rest of the book. This is why I never listen to Christian radio: “Well, I think there are fundamental problems with evolution for any Christian…” (Yes, this is an almost exact quote from a very popular pastor from Southern California, whom I respect otherwise.) 1. I try to fight my tendencies toward being a Republican. I think that if Jesus were running the Republican party, there’d be a heck of a lot more action from it to back up the talk of their encouraging of the private sector to participate in the nation’s charity work. 2. I’m not sure what this question is really asking. To some people, Mormons are another sect, while to some, they’re another religion all together. Plus, I try to remember that a person could be hanging out with any group and yet possibly still have his head on straight. I’M NOT A FUNDIE. No matter how hard others might try to shove me in that slot. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/3 "2002-08-27T12:26:39Z")
**vanilla** , do you think that we could come up with a term that is not so offensive to other Christians? Even if you don’t object to the term “fundie”, others do. Also, even if this is a poll, it is as poll for “witnessing”, which we prefer you do in Great Debates. This is the reason I’m moving this. ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/4 "2002-08-27T12:53:05Z")
1. It’s a long, long, long story, but I was brought up in a Jewish household, though not very religious, and got saved when I was about 22. 2. Non-denominational Calvary Chapel 3. Tim LaHaye (just kidding! I’m still trying to get through this last book!) Mark Littleton, Chuck Missler, Josh McDowell. 4. No 5. I’ll leave that up to them to decide. btw **Cardinal** , when I saw that you (jokingly) said you went to that certain Vineyard Church my mouth about dropped! I used to attend the Vineyard here in South Orange County. I started going there when they first opened. I did stay for a few years until things started getting weird. I had some interesting experiences though! ---
**Author:** ![lynn73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@lynn73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lynn73)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/5 "2002-08-27T12:53:51Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by vanilla \* \*\*Since there are almost 5 roughly fandies on board here, I’d thought I’d poll them (I’m one myself) 1. How did you get saved? 2. What denomination church do you attend? 3. WHo are your favorite authors? 4. Are you a Republican? 5. Do you consdier other sects not-christian? 6. I was raised in church always believing in God but didn’t get saved till I was about 20. I started having dreams about dying and in my dream I was asking the Lord’s forgiveness. I started thinking, “what if I don’t have time to ask His forgiveness?” I then made sure and asked Jesus into my heart. 7. At present I attend Second Church of Christ, it’s independent. 8. Hard to say…Lee Strobe, Charles Stanley, Tim Lahaye, Ron Rhodes. I like a lot of them. 9. If I had to pick a party, I guess that would be it I think. 10. I think that within the true church of Christ, there are several denominations. What I consider culsts are mormons, JW’s, buddhists, muslims, stuff like that. (There are lots of other cults too numerous too mention). ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/6 "2002-08-27T14:00:58Z")
A word, please, His4ever: Exactly what day (calendar date please) did you become Jesus Christ? Last I heard, it was the Lord’s decision on who is and isn’t Christian. ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/7 "2002-08-27T14:10:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by dreamer_ > > 1. It’s a long, long, long story, but I was brought up in a Jewish household, though not very religious, and got saved when I was about 22. You were “saved” from Judaism? Please correct me if that is not what you meant, because that’s how it reads to me, and I’m finding it blatantly offensive. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/8 "2002-08-27T14:13:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by His4ever \* > **What I consider culsts are mormons, JW’s, buddhists, muslims, stuff like that. (There are lots of other cults too numerous too mention).** Could you elaborate on what does (and does not) qualify under “stuff like that”? I mean, it must be a pretty broad group, if both mormons and muslims belong to it. ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/9 "2002-08-27T14:24:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > You were “saved” from Judaism? > > Please correct me if that is not what you meant, because that’s how it reads to me, and I’m finding it blatantly offensive. **vanilla** asked “How did you get saved?” “Saved” meaning coming to Christ. I didn’t say anything about Judaism, just that my family is Jewish and that was the kind of household I was brought up in. I still consider myself Jewish, but I don’t want to get into that here. I hope you can see that I meant nothing to be offensive. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/10 "2002-08-27T14:42:16Z")
> [@](#): > > _Cardinal_ > I think that if Jesus were running the Republican party, there’d be a heck of a lot more action from it to back up the talk of their encouraging of the private sector to participate in the nation’s charity work. I think this is the strangest sentence I have ever agreed with (although it’s likely we’d disagree on the details). ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/11 "2002-08-27T15:10:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vanilla \* > > 1. How did you get saved? > 2. What denomination church do you attend? > 3. WHo are your favorite authors? > 4. Are you a Republican? > 5. Do you consdier other sects not-christian? [ol][li]Small time evangelist came to my church.[_]Independent. Our church is a member of WCA (Willow Creek Association) which should give some a sense of my church.[_]I am not much into Christian authors. However, reading Alvin Plantinga has been enlightening.[_]I tend to vote that way. I register that way. But I’ve voted the other way. I don’t label myself that way.[_]I am inclined to believe that some sect’s beliefs are so distinct from Catholic, Orthodox, and protestant beliefs that it is difficult to see how they could be called Christian. However, their eternal state is between them and God.[/ol][/li] HTH. Tinker ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/12 "2002-08-27T15:18:18Z")
**dreamer** : I do think that you meant nothing offensive - it’s just that the word ‘saved’ seemed to me to be somewhat questionable in the context it was used. in your reply, you said: > [@](#): > > “Saved” meaning coming to Christ. I thought that one had to be saved _from_ something - and I read your post as implying that by being saved by Christ, you were saved _from_ Judaism ("being brought up in a Jewish household - although reflecting on this, it’s possible that this isn’t the same as Judaism). Hmm… do you see what I’m saying? What do you think? In being saved, must you be saved from something? If so, would it be offensive to those who belong to a particular faith that one would need to be saved from them? Should I stop hijacking this thread? So again, I do believe you when you say you weren’t meaning to be offensive, but I’m just… y’know fighting my own ignorance with discussion and all. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/13 "2002-08-27T15:23:06Z")
Being ‘saved’ means being saved from sin and death, **gex gex**. It is not meant to identify Judaism as a cult or anything like that. For the record (although I am not a fundamentalist) - [list=1] [li] How did you get saved? [/li] **I was baptized as an infant and raised in the faith. Confirmation is considered in my tradition to be the point at which the person makes a personal, adult commitment to be a Christian.** [li] What denomination church do you attend? [/li] \*\*ELCA Lutheran. I am considered a hard-line, far right conservative there. I am a squishy-soft liberal on the Left Behind message boards. \*\* [li] Who are your favorite authors? [/li] \*\*C.S. Lewis, and many others too numerous to mention. I read a lot. \*\* [li]Are you a Republican? [/li] \*\*Yes, but I don’t consider ‘Christian’ and ‘Republican’ to be synonyms. \*\* [li] Do you consider other sects not-christian? [/li] \*\*Are there other Christians besides Lutherans? Thank God, yes. I think everyone has the chance, eventually, to accept the grace of God into themselves. They may not realize that this is who it is, they may even think of themselves as atheists. But if they say, “Yes”, they are Christian, whether they realize it or not. This is not the same thing as saying that all religions are the same, or that all will be saved, or that Wicca and Buddhism are just as good as Assembly of God. But Christ died for all. It is not my business to decide who gets into heaven and who does not. Thank God, I would doubtless botch that up too. Probably TMI. Sorry. \*\* [/list=1] Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/14 "2002-08-27T15:31:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by His4ever \* > \*\*. . . .What I consider culsts are mormons, JW’s, buddhists, muslims, stuff like that. (There are lots of other cults too numerous too mention). \*\* You seem to define _cult_ as “any religion or sect other than the one I follow.” I just went and looked in three different dictionaries; turns out you got it wrong. You know, H4E, I actually appreciate the fact that you always seem so nice in these debates. People can get pretty angry at you and your beliefs, but you remain pretty unruffled. That will take you a long way here. But still. Have you _really_ ever picked up a book? You can’t just make up your own definition for a word and expect others to engage with you seriously in a serious discussion; you can’t, what’s more, for example, claim that your beliefs are supported, right there in black in white, in the Bible, and then refuse to respond when others point out that, actually, no, that _isn’t_ what it says, or when they point out the contradiction of picking and choosing among the laws of Leviticus, for example, simply say you don’t want to discuss it any further. Again, you seem very nice, but you also, frankly, give the impression of someone who has allowes someone else to do all her thinking for her, because when given the opportunity, here, to process and respond to new information, you seem always to refuse, and to simply reiterate whatever you’ve been told is true by someone else. I hope that the time you spend here will give you the opportunity to learn again (we all start out that way) to think for yourself, and speak for yourself. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/15 "2002-08-27T15:37:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gex gex \* > **. . . In being saved, must you be saved from something? . . .** Non fundie here, but I grew up in Texas, so I’m qualified to speak here. It’s always been my understanding that one was “saved” from sin, the evils of the non-saved world, from Satan, etc.; not from other religions, per se (except insofar as _all_ other religions are part of the evil of the world). ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/16 "2002-08-27T15:40:38Z")
oops– –and saved, of course, from eternal damnation. Can’t leave that one out; major selling point. ---
**Author:** ![ResIpsaLoquitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@ResIpsaLoquitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ResIpsaLoquitor)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/17 "2002-08-27T15:48:00Z")
OK, here’s a question for y’all. I was raised Catholic but kinda fell into a very passive state about the faith for a long time. In college, I joined a youth group, did the altar call thing, prayed the traditional “Jesus into your heart prayer.” Started reading the Bible a lot more and my faith life severely improved. Got bored with nondenominational Christianity. Went back to my Catholic roots and found them a lot more theologically and spiritually satisfying than the nondenominational stuff I’d been getting. (It was good, but couldn’t answer my deeper question.) Now I consider myself a full-fledged, orthodox Catholic. I go to daily Mass, pray the rosary, have a big picture of Mary in my house. Still read the Bible. Love Jesus. Don’t believe I was “saved” back when I said that prayer way back in college, but rather that salvation is an ongoing process which is solidified when I make a final commitment with Christ after I die. So…am I saved or not? ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/18 "2002-08-27T15:49:21Z")
Jesus saves souls … and redeems them for valuable cash prizes! (Er, sorry. Carry on.) ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/19 "2002-08-27T16:01:21Z")
> [@](#): > > What I consider culsts are mormons, JW’s, buddhists, muslims, stuff like that. (There are lots of other cults too numerous too mention). Well, it’s certsinly fine for you to believe that Christianity is the one true faith, but if you’re calling other religons by the belittleing term “cult,” I, too, think you don’t know very much about them. It seems to me that there are at least three good reasons to learn about what other people believe. A. To find out how those religons differ from your own B. To be able to witness more effectively to members of those religions C. To increase your own body of knowledge about the rest of the world. Some good books to read: **Islam: A Short History** by Karen Armstrong **The Essential Koran** , translated by Thomas Cleary **Zen Flesh, Zen Bones** , by Paul Reps **Buddha for Beginners** , Stephen T. Asma **The Dhammapada: Sayings of Buddha** , editor, Thomas Cleary **The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eastern Philosophy** , Karen Johnsen All these books are easy to read guides to different relgions, giving a good overall view of what many non-Christian faiths teach. I find that the fundie books on Eastern religions, like Larson’s **Kingdom of the Cults** , get their facts wrong, which can be a detriment if you are witnessing to a Buddhist, a Hindu, or a Muslim. I also recommend renting the movie **Little Buddha** , which gives a good, basic understanding of the story of the Buddha’s life–if you can get past Prince Siddartha being played by Keanu Reeves. ---
**Author:** ![Tinker\_Grey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tinker_grey/32/8136_2.png) [@Tinker\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tinker_Grey)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2002, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700/20 "2002-08-27T16:06:34Z")
**ResIpsaLoquitor** , You said > [@](#): > > So…am I saved or not? Absolutely. (Tho’, of course, not many Fundamentalists would include me in their membership – not that I’ve asked!) Tinker [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/calling-all-fundies/125700.md?page=2)