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Rick Lannoye

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What's Wrong With Christian Fundamentalism?

A Weekly Video Series

Why There Can Be No Heaven

If There's a Hell

Why "Prayer" in School

Is Really Just Preaching

Introduction

I was a Fundamentalist for over 20 years (one reason why I have an insight into what is going on with them). And I was not just a "pew warmer." I was very sincerely saved, and believed in Jesus with all my heart. As a result, I spent 7 years evangelizing full time, went to Bible college, and studied the Bible rigorously. I visited 100s of different Fundamentalist churches. And as a result, I can tell you, first hand, that the promises of Fundamentalism are most assuredly false.

If a Christian is someone who is trying to follow the example of Jesus, why not do as he did? Over and over, the gospels tell us that Jesus reached out to sinners, and tried to tell them God loved them. Never do you ever read that he tried to force anyone to stop sinning. In fact, you read the opposite. His constant opposition was not from sinners, but from the religious! The Jewish sect of the Pharisees, for example, put so much emphasis on outward behavior, but Jesus' message was about changing hearts. Fundamentalist Christians, however, have an enormous need to "stomp out sin." They claim they are "standing up for God," standing against behaviors that "offend the Almighty." They would, if they could, change our laws to criminalize what they call sins. But God has no need to stomp out sin or sinners. It’s not like anything people do can in any way hurt (the meaning of the word "offend") him! He needs no defending, and his self-esteem doesn’t depend on how many people believe.

Fundamentalists are upset that not as many people believe as they once did. It troubles them that more people get to do those things they call sins without shame or fear. Some even miss the good ol’ days of burning people at the stake! More, are saddened by the fact that people can't be forced to attend church with the threat of fines. But they're not too upset by what goes on inside people's hearts. Sure, more people would probably attend church if they were threatened with fines or worse for not going…but does that really change their hearts? Fundamentalists miss having more governmental control in order to punish those who don’t act like Christians. But they fail to realize that, when the religious did have such powers, all they got in return were more fake believers.

Most American Christians are not Fundamentalists. They don’t feel any need to force others to follow the restrictions of their faith. They respect the beliefs of others, and they draw a clear line between social moral violations (theft, murder, rape, assault, acts that concern us all, actions that actually hurt other people against their will), and personal moral choices (whether or not to smoke, drink or have sex outside of marriage, behaviors which, at the very worst, might put one's own health at risk, and therefore, choices that should be privately made on an individual basis).

Fundamentalists tend to be very unhappy, angry and dissatisfied with their lives. Yes, they might put on a happy face at church, but when you meet them outside those walls, it’s a very different story. Many of them struggle to recapture the first joy they had when they first "got saved" or "filled with the Holy Spirit," but never do. They are like drug addicts who are always in need of another fix just to "maintain," but are never able to get that same, initial "high."

Sometimes you hear Fundamentalists try to justify their comingling of social and personal morals by claiming they're only trying to help people to stop hurting themselves. But Fundamentalism is very inconsistent in deciding which personally risky behaviors are "sins." Surely, playing football or skydiving or simply driving an automobile are, statistically, risky behaviors, but you never hear Fundamentalists condemning any of these! In truth, they don’t want to "stomp out sin" to help the poor sinner from hurting himself. Instead, they clamor in their crusades for laws which would fine, imprison or even execute those caught sinning. Were their political agenda implemented in full, millions of people would suffer far worse at their hands than they ever would from participating in the behaviors for which they would be so harshly punished. Ironically, Fundamentalists end up denying the very teachings of the Savior they claim they're following more faithfully than anyone else. They condemn the kind of people whom Jesus forgave, they have no toleration for types Jesus ate with.

The only rational explanation for the Fundamentalist demand to force others to change their personal behavior is that they secretly wish they, too, could get away with sinning. They secretly envy those who get high, have sex before marriage or dance. They get very bothered when they see others, guiltlessly and with no fear, enjoying the earthly pleasures which their churches say will send them to Hell. Seeing sinners sin only reminds them of just how miserable they really are inside. The Fundamentalist Christian is in a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, he is afraid to sin, for the fear that the angry, jealous and cruel version of God, he’s been told to believe in, will callously torture him with fire in Hell, should he back slide. On the other hand, deep down, he really misses getting to enjoy normal, every day pleasures.

There's actually a very straightforward reason for this war within the Fundamentalist Christian heart--he doesn't really believe what he claims! If he really and truly thought that he was better off giving up those behaviors which his religion says are just as bad as all the other socially accepted moral evils, he would be happy! He would not be envious of, and angry with, the sinner. Instead, he would try to bring them the gospel, the "good news," so they could be as happy as he is! He would, respectfully, try to share his real life happiness, and would want the sinner to be happy too. He would not be spreading "bad news," trying to change the laws so sinners would get fined, put in prison, tortured or executed. His faith would be the kind Jesus taught of, not a bunch of laws and rules, but a change of heart. I do know Christians like this, and they would never try to impose on the free will of others. These real Christians reason that God gave us all a free will for a reason—because he wants everyone to make their own decisions. To try to take over the minds and behaviors of others, by force or manipulation, they would say, is to oppose God’s intent in creation.

What's Really Going On When Fundamentalists Say

"I know Jesus Personally"