Definition of "Fundie"

[seanD]

For those Christians on Tweb that use the term "fundie" to describe other Christians (you know who you are), can you tell me what you believe the definition of a fundamentalist Christian is as opposed to a Christian not a fundamentalist and why you believe you're not a fundie Christian.

[Christianbookworm]

A fundy is someone who refuses to look at the historical/social context of the Bible and insists on reading it like it was written yesterday, in English, and in a culture exactly like their own. They also tease out personal meaning from every single verse even when it doesn't make exegetical sense. They may also have legalistic tendencies.

[seanD]

A fundy is someone who refuses to look at the historical/social context of the Bible and insists on reading it like it was written yesterday, in English, and in a culture exactly like their own. They also tease out personal meaning from every single verse even when it doesn't make exegetical sense. They may also have legalistic tendencies.

That's too broad and abstract. Christian fundamentalism seems like a basic Christian that accepts most of the tenets of orthodox Christianity, so the term confuses me. There has to be a more specific and identifiable characteristic that would cause one Christian to call another Christian a fundie with the intent to use it in a very disparaging way about that Christian. If I was with a group of blacks and they identified another group of blacks as the N word, this would obviously be very bizarre to me, so much so that I'd want to know specifically what sets this second group of blacks apart from the other group.

[Pentecost]

I'd be perfectly willing to identify as a fundamentalist if it weren't for all the negative connotations behind it. Instead, I identify as an Evangelical, or more likely but different in meaning, a Pentecostal.

[Cow Poke]

I've never really used the word "fundie" to describe other Christians, so maybe I'm one of the "fundies".

It seems to me, in some odd way, that a Christian who calls another Christian a "fundie" may be unconsciously admitting that they themselves are not really living the Christian life.

A "fundamentalist" is somebody who practices the "fundamentals". In a way, it means "by the book". When I'm on an airplane, I WANT my pilot to be a fundamentalist - I don't want him playing with the controls wondering what would happen if he "rotated" at 80 knots instead of 120, if that's what the book said was optimal. I don't want him setting the flaps at 40% when the procedure calls for 10%. I don't want him trying a rate of descent greater than what the manufacturer of the plane has certified. I WANT him flying that plane "by the book". I WANT him to be a fundamentalist!

I'm a personal soul winner, because I believe Jesus really meant "I will make you fishers of men". I get some blowback from "fellow Christians" when I talk about that, or when I challenge others, because I'm into "credentialism". No, I'm just doing what I believe the Bible teaches, and what Jesus has called me to do. Maybe that makes me a "fundie".

Or maybe a "fundie" is somebody who literally believes Genesis is the story of Creation.

I really don't know, but those are some thoughts.

[tabibito]

Generally, people who self-identify as fundamentalists do claim to believe and follow the Bible. In practice, they generally believe and follow what some preacher or other tells them is in the Bible, replete with the preacher's eisegesis.

[rogue06]

I've never really used the word "fundie" to describe other Christians, so maybe I'm one of the "fundies".

It seems to me, in some odd way, that a Christian who calls another Christian a "fundie" may be unconsciously admitting that they themselves are not really living the Christian life.

A "fundamentalist" is somebody who practices the "fundamentals". In a way, it means "by the book". When I'm on an airplane, I WANT my pilot to be a fundamentalist - I don't want him playing with the controls wondering what would happen if he "rotated" at 80 knots instead of 120, if that's what the book said was optimal. I don't want him setting the flaps at 40% when the procedure calls for 10%. I don't want him trying a rate of descent greater than what the manufacturer of the plane has certified. I WANT him flying that plane "by the book". I WANT him to be a fundamentalist!

I'm a personal soul winner, because I believe Jesus really meant "I will make you fishers of men". I get some blowback from "fellow Christians" when I talk about that, or when I challenge others, because I'm into "credentialism". No, I'm just doing what I believe the Bible teaches, and what Jesus has called me to do. Maybe that makes me a "fundie".

Or maybe a "fundie" is somebody who literally believes Genesis is the story of Creation.

I really don't know, but those are some thoughts.

I'm generally a bit uncomfortable with Christians calling other Christians "fundies" as way of an insult or put down. Fundamentalists were those who sought to get back to the basics -- the fundamentals if you will. Unfortunately the term has become a pejorative.

[Cerebrum123]

I've never really used the word "fundie" to describe other Christians, so maybe I'm one of the "fundies".

It seems to me, in some odd way, that a Christian who calls another Christian a "fundie" may be unconsciously admitting that they themselves are not really living the Christian life.

A "fundamentalist" is somebody who practices the "fundamentals". In a way, it means "by the book". When I'm on an airplane, I WANT my pilot to be a fundamentalist - I don't want him playing with the controls wondering what would happen if he "rotated" at 80 knots instead of 120, if that's what the book said was optimal. I don't want him setting the flaps at 40% when the procedure calls for 10%. I don't want him trying a rate of descent greater than what the manufacturer of the plane has certified. I WANT him flying that plane "by the book". I WANT him to be a fundamentalist!

I'm a personal soul winner, because I believe Jesus really meant "I will make you fishers of men". I get some blowback from "fellow Christians" when I talk about that, or when I challenge others, because I'm into "credentialism". No, I'm just doing what I believe the Bible teaches, and what Jesus has called me to do. Maybe that makes me a "fundie".

Or maybe a "fundie" is somebody who literally believes Genesis is the story of Creation.

I really don't know, but those are some thoughts.

jpholding is a YEC, but he still uses the term. It's usually against those who are unwilling to look at things like historical, and social context. They don't consider the original languages. There also tends to be a strong anti-intellectual component as well.

Despite all of this, I consider myself a Fundamentalist based on the original understanding.

[Cow Poke]

I'm generally a bit uncomfortable with Christians calling other Christians "fundies" as way of an insult or put down. Fundamentalists were those who sought to get back to the basics -- the fundamentals if you will. Unfortunately the term has become a pejorative.

Yeah, when the Southern Baptist Convention was "drifting left" in the 70's and 80's, a bunch of us fought to get us back to the fundamentals. I was personally called, by one of the liberals, a fun-DAMN-mentalist. I wore it as a badge of honor. At one of the Conventions (I think it was in Atlanta) during one of the fights over inerrancy, one of the liberals got carried away and, referring to the Bible, yelled "It's JUST A BOOK!!!!!" Audible gasps were heard throughout the convention center, and that became a rallying cry for the "resurgence" -- "The Bible is NOT 'just a book'".

To my knowledge, the SBC is the only major denomination that has ever drifted left, and come back to conservative roots.

[mossrose]

I started a thread about why I am one in The Rolling Pin a while back.

[seanD]

The impression I'm getting I guess is that the ones using that word as a pejorative against another Christian is just using the term wrongly in order to set themselves apart from the Christian they disagree with.

[One Bad Pig]

I'm generally a bit uncomfortable with Christians calling other Christians "fundies" as way of an insult or put down. Fundamentalists were those who sought to get back to the basics -- the fundamentals if you will. Unfortunately the term has become a pejorative.

As far as I can tell, fundamentalists have a tendency to take the doctrine of sola scriptura to the extreme of looking at nothing but scripture (and that quite often only the King James Version). The root problem, aside from a willful ignorance of context, is that there is no way to come to a consensus on just what the fundamentals are without establishing an extra-biblical authority.

[tabibito]

The impression I'm getting I guess is that the ones using that word as a pejorative against another Christian is just using the term wrongly in order to set themselves apart from the Christian they disagree with.

Either that, or there is perhaps a difference between a fundamentalist and a "fundamentalist". I wouldn't use the term "fundie" with reference to a fundamentalist, but I might use the term with regard to a "fundamentalist".

[Paula]

I've always considered "fundamentalist" to have three definitions:

1)the original late 19th/early 20th century conservative protestant group that was reacting to liberal influences by emphasizing the core beliefs in the Bible (the fundamentals)
2)not associated with the above group but basically having the same convictions (emphasize core beliefs)
3)a derogatory term for someone who is anti-intellectual, literal-minded regardless of context, and possibly conspiracy-minded. Doesn't have to refer to a Christian and can refer to other religions, atheists, and other beliefs.

So I don't think there are necessarily two groups of fundementalists. There is an actual group of Christian believers who emphasize the authority of scripture and the fundamentals of the faith but aren't opposed to things like contextual studies of the Bible. This sort of fundamentalist can defend the faith with evidence and reason. This group understands there are complexities involved and will welcome questions and challenges as opportunities to further deepen their faith. After all, God created the universe so all truth really is God's truth. So no believer should fear. I would consider myself part of this group as I do hold to the core tenets of the Christian faith (i.e. Jesus's deity, the Trinity, the physical resurrection of Jesus, etc).

The third group isn't really a group but more of a faulty mindset or approach. With these sorts of fundamentalists: questions are to be feared, everything is a conspiracy, everyone else is extremely evil, everything has to be approached in an ethnocentric literalist way, etc. And the reason I don't consider this a group is because you can have people converting from one religion to another, or from a religion to atheism, etc, and their mindset remains the same.

[seanD]

I agree that #1-2 is the correct use. #3 is an improper use by which to separate one Christian from another that they disagree with by using it in a derogatory way. Kind of like a black person distinguishing himself from another black by using the N word in an improper way, or not in a way the term was originally coined.