Eight ways evangelicals are driving Americans to atheism

[Jonathan_Burke]

@Eddie

Very, very few of the fundamentalists I have met pay much attention “historic creeds and confessions.” Most of them belong to small sects (SDA, JW, Christadelphian, etc.) which reject much of historic Christian doctrine, or go to small congregational-model churches which have very little in the way of a denominational confession (compared with the Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican etc. confessions).

Ok so you seem completely unaware of the Charismatics, Pentecostals, evangelicals, Baptists (especially the Southern Baptists), and other large, denominational, confessional churches.

@Eddie

On historical-critical method… And their reaction is entirely logical.

Yep, this flags you as a fundamentalist. Everything about your theology, your hermeneutical approach, your opposition to evolution, and your opposition to the historical critical method, just screams “pre-modern”.

@Eddie

Yes, most fundamentalists reject evolution.

Indeed.

@Eddie

But their rejection, regardless of any scientific arguments they offer, is required by their method of reading Genesis. Since I don’t subscribe to that method, I am not bound to reject evolution. And I haven’t. You have failed to provide even a single statement of mine that rejects “evolution” understood as “descent with modification” (a definition Joshua accepts as a reasonable one).

You can’t conceal the fact that you reject evolution.

1. You’re an outspoken cdesignproponentist.
2. You argue consistently against evolution.
3. You defend ID as opposed to evolution.
4. You refuse to accept the modern evolutionary synthesis.
5. You repeatedly use weasel words to try and make it sound like you don’t reject evolution, when all your actions show otherwise. Hiding behind a minimalist definition of “descent with modification” highlights this distinctly.

@Eddie

I would not say that fundamentalists in principle (though often they do in practice) put “theology” ahead of science.

But often they do in practice; you said it right there. And you do the same. You’re a fundamentalist.

@Eddie

My question stands. I know of no theological position expressed in any denomination or confession which does not put at least some things beyond debate for those who subscribe to it.

My original comment was this.

Evangelicas are strongly encouraged to ensure their theological conclusions agree with evangelical creeds and preconceptions,and strongly discouraged from independent thought which may result in disagreement with mainstream evangelical thought.

You asked " How is this different from any brand of Christian theology?". I gave you several examples of Christian churches and groups which don’t follow this, which permit independent thought even if it disagrees with the church’s confessional theology. You didn’t address any of them.

Now you’re retreating to " I know of no theological position expressed in any denomination or confession which does not put at least some things beyond debate for those who subscribe to it". Very telling.

The rest of what you wrote is typical pre-modern (even pre-Renaissance), thinking; “Obey the church, obey your theological masters, believe the creeds, you have no business thinking for yourself, obey, obey”.

[T_aquaticus]

@Patrick

What is your opinion of this?

I think there is something more basic going on. I think it has more to do with how people came into the faith to begin with. This is my own speculation on the matter that involves some ill-formed armchair psychology, so everyone can feel free to disagree.

I think there are those who join the church because of tradition and a need for authority. Some of them grew up in the church, and they may be there just because of life’s momentum. Others are looking for something to guide their lives, and they latch onto biblical authority as a set of rules to follow. These types of people can be chased away from the church if the actions of other Christians and certain theologies call that authority and tradition into question.

Then there are those who have a spiritual or religious experience. For them, it isn’t about the physical church or the human congregation. I think this group is much less susceptible to the problems listed at the website you cited.

Like I said, these are my own flawed and probably wrong insights into the issue, but perhaps others can find a nugget of wisdom in there somewhere.