One of the interesting things that I have learned in my time on the SDMB is that some extreme Fundamentalist Christians in the mold of Jack Chick believe that Roman Catholics are not Christian. I’ve also seen sites purporting to explain why other religious groups that are theologically out of the mainstream of Protestantism are not truly Christian (Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Scientists, Unitarian Universalists, etc.).
Something I have not seen in my (admitedly cursory) scans of those sites is any discussion of the third major branch of Christianity, Eastern Orthodox (Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.). I cannot imagine that Jack Chick and others of his mindset believe themselves to be in full doctrinal communion with the Orthodox Christian Church.
Does anyone have any information about how extreme Fundamentalists feel about the Orthodox Church? Does anyone know why they seem to have missed this major Christian group in their efforts to differentiate themselves from those who don’t hold their precise beliefs?
(My speculation as to the second question is that their focus on religious groups that are significant or growing in the United States and their failure to examine the history of Christianity after New Testament times blinds them to the fact that there is another major wing of Christianity to rail against.)
Who? I think the reason why they don’t care is because they don’t live near any. Catholics are poaching on the fundamentalists turf so they have to deal with them. However if not much is known about these churches attacking them would only help them.
I found a site a long time ago, saying that the Eastern Orthodox were no better than the Catholics, but I don’t have it right now, sorry.
Can I look it up?
Well, one might assume that “extreme” Fundamentalists are opposed to anybody who does not believe precisely as they do, including Eastern Orthodox along with Roman Catholic, Anglican, Mainstream Protestant, Coptic, Mar Thoma, and other variants on Fundamentalism in the “they’re all heretics” category.
For what sane and reasonable conservative Protestants think of Orthodox Christians, which you didn’t ask but I’m volunteering it anyway, I’ll direct you to the forum I co-moderate on the Pizza Parlor, at http://thebruces.stormbirds.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?forumid=6
My fellow moderator, Working On It, is a devout Orthodox – Antiochan IIRC. Reviewing threads in which he participates may give you a good handle on attitudes. He’s recently moved and been unable to do a lot of posting, so reset the “Show Posts from” button to a good long time span.
Anyway, my point was that to people like this, the Eastern Orthodox Church wouldn’t even register on the Christianity Scale. Worse than Catholics, because they wear those funny hats. At least Catholic priests dress like normal people.
And the Conservative Baptists think the Southern Baptists are a bunch of Hell-bound Commie Pinko’s. I’ve a relative of the C.B. mindset, and she thinks the John Birch Society is a Left-Wing Conspiracy…
I guess you’d have to define “extreme Fundamentalist Christians”, because there are many subgroups that different people include in the catagory. For example, are Pentacostal Christians considered fundies? I’m NOT referring here to the Denomination, but to the Christians who believe in and practice the experiences found in the Book of Acts, which began on the Day of Pentacost after the Disciples witnessed the ascension of Jesus Christ. Also called the gifts of the Spirit. Or is the term reserved strictly for all the groups of Baptists?
Because…I gotta say this… most of the Fundamentalists I know, (of the Pentacostal type) unless I have the definition all messed up, are not anywhere near as judgemental and condemning as the folks here on the SDMB make us out to be. I know Christians who believe differently than me, of all denominations. There are even, since Catholics were mentioned, those who used to be labelled “Charismatic Catholics”, who practice the gifts of the Spirit, but practice the Catholics sacrements or rituals. (Did I say that last part right?) Though admittedly, I don’t personally know any. What seperates us from Catholics, specifically, is the “laws”, (because I can’t think of another word) that have been added and passed down from Pope to Pope since Constantine.
The essential part of Christianity is not denomination, but Spiritual Rebirth, as explained in John 3. The interpretation of that is probably the biggest difference in Fundie and Orthodox.
Thanks for the link, Guin. It seems that the author of that page is quite out there, believing that not only such heathens as Episcocpalians and Presbyterians are damned :), but that even the Southern Baptists are too flamingly liberal for him.
And Poly, I’m a somewhat regular lurker at the Pizza Parlor, but thanks for the pointer. I did look at some of Coming up for Air’s threads and learned a bit about Orthodox Christianity. Speaking of orthodoxy, I see you lured cmkeller over there for his orthodox Jewish perspective, a fine addition to the cast of characters there.
Anyway, if I wanted to know what a sane and reasonable Christian thought of something, I would have gone directly to you, Polycarp. However, the insane and unreasonable usually makes for a more interesting discussion.
Randy, I realize that my definition of “extreme Fundamentalist Christians” is quite vague. I understand that most Fundamentalists are not nearly as judgmental and condemning as Jack Chick and his ilk. I also know of the sometimes sharp distinction between Pentacostalists and non-Pentacostal Fundamentalists (for instance, author of the website Gunistasia referenced doesn’t think much of the Charismatic Movement, either). I guess my question was what do the judgmental and condemning Fundamentalists (of whatever stripe) think of Orthodox Christianity.
And I have no comment on the relative wackyness of religious headgear. ;j
Oh, great! I was going to write how I found Orthodoxy a respectful and serious sect of Christianity (in the best usage of the term ‘sect’). But Now, you’ve disallowed my response.
As a not-so-casual observer since I am an Episcopalian, it seems to me that all organized religious species and sub-species are compelled to create a stucture with hierarchies, mission statements, tables of organization, and credos. Not to mention codified rules for thinking and behaving; severe penalties for transgression surely follow.
We just HAVE to have our little rules to justify our membership, don’t we?
I have a strong belief that Jesus kept asking people to break out of those ways of thinking. He never ‘laid down the law’ or suggested any kind of formal structure for a church. I’m not a Bible scholar, but I remember his claim to ‘make all things’ new, and ‘I come not to destroy the law but to fulfill it’.
So far as we know he never said a word about most issues that tie us in knots, such as homosexuality, et al, but he did rescue a ‘fallen’ woman from stoning in the village square. Base message was to love God and neighbor.
Oh brother, how we use our precious rules to make a miserable mockery of that message!
hey, those funny looking hats are part of our “cloak of invisibility!”
seriously though the orthodox church, at least here in the usa, is riding under the radar level of most other religions. the only time there is any mention of us, is if we are celebrating major holy days at a diffrent time than other christians. so i would say that extreme fundamentalists don’t think of orthodox christians.
