Anyone have Christian fundamentalist friends?

[castiron]

Like I mean real honest to goodness friends who you like and would do things for? How do you deal?

[KyndCulture]

1. Nope just family... ugh. nt

[castiron]

6. Yeah, I've got them, too

[KyndCulture]

9. We try to ignore her as much as possible...

it's my partner's mother... she's been in church daily praying for her soul since Katrina... it's all over for her she's just waiting for the "boarding pass" for the rapture..

eeeee-fucking-gads.

[castiron]

12. Oh my. Yes, this is the type I am talking about....

Global warming is the real rapture type stuff.

[KyndCulture]

22. Mom's sideshow church has a website, but it's down right now...

Her church is in a stripmall in West Fargo ND.... it's an "assembly of god" church (although I'm not sure I understand all of that denomination) but she's been an absolute LUNATIC since Katrina hit.

[castiron]

24. I'm sorry for that. My mom's charismatic catholic and she lost

everything in Katrina. She rolled with it and said "lots of good in this change, too."

[Tafiti]

38. I understand AOG.

I grew up in it - my dad was a minister until I was 12, and so was an uncle. Two of my other uncles are still AOG ministers, and almost my entire family are evangelical AOG Christians (i.e. fundamnetalists).

Somehow, I escaped that mental and emotional prison cell - and I'm so happy.

[AtomicKitten]

39. I have fundies and Catholic family members, all Republicans.

Haven't spoken to them since the end of 2000 with the exception of my mother occasionally. The truth is it would take just one word and I'd punch any one of 'em in the face. I also have a Dem sister who was totally suckered by the 9/11 melodrama of patriotism and Bunnypants; I think that was the most repulsive of all. Now she is slowly repenting, but resentful every step of the way. People get cranky when realizing they were duped. One sister is an uberfundie, a huge fan of James Dobson. She's one of those self-righteous faux kristians who spews hate and prejudice.

My son, dog, and two cats are extremely cool though.

[RevCheesehead]

2. I used to.

But once she wanted to really know my opinion - so I told her.
Now I'm one of those "not really a Christian" folk.

[Az]

3. I have from time to time

Its tricky. But its doable.

[castiron]

4. Hmmm. I hope so. I'm considering ending it.

It occurs to me that the difference is .... fundamental. She sees her life and everything in it through religion. I see nothing through it. It is beginning to seem as if the inevitable end is that I am satan and a bad influence for her. My language is strong, I know, but I must really be satan in her view. After all, not only am I not saved, but I actively do not believe anyone else is either.

[Az]

7. Usually they terminate the friendships

Mostly because the groups tell them not to associate with those not part of the group. And if they find out its a nonbeliever.... well.... it ain't good.

[castiron]

10. and it would just be my luck that this

fundie friend is really a radical Jesus-person who does not associate with any organized church at all and actually believes in getting close to the unwashed and unsaved like me. Plus she finds my intellectualisms too good to resist. A real debater, she is.

[Az]

14. Drop Lev 11:6 on her

See what she does with it. There are ways around it. But its always interesting to see how they do it.

A hint. Rabbits don't chew cud.

[castiron]

16. is this the passage she could have in mind when

she says to me that she shouldn't eat pork? I ask because our relationship centers around a food cooperative. I also ask because I'm Bible illiterate and had to Google it and read for the first time. And how is there a way around it (because it is inaccurate or poorly translated?) A-duh!!! Edumacate me.

[Az]

21. Hehe

Lev 11:6 is a dietary law. It says:

Lev 11:6 And the hare, because he cheweth the cud , but divideth not the hoof; he is unclean unto you.

There are many escapes from this that are typically used. But its problematic in this case. This idea is repeated in a later verse in Deut. So its difficult to claim its a translation error or copy error. The people of the time knew the difference between cud chewing and eating droppings. So its not a simple observation problem.

Its simply a case of the bible getting something wrong. A minor issue. But such things tend to irritate those that claim there are no mistakes.

PS Don't hinge your entire case on this issue. It really serves more as a basis to determine how they are going to argue and what resources they are going to hit.

[castiron]

23. Thanks! How do you so much?

[Az]

25. 10+ years of debating and studying

I used to be an operator of an atheist debate channel.

[castiron]

26. Know. Know so much. These darn two beers.

[Az]

27. I saw the know despite its absense

No worries.

[tjwmason]

42. The dietary laws were specifically repealed in the New Testament

Acts 11:5 - as some back-ground there were a number of non-Jews joining the Church at this point, and the question of whether they had to become Jews and subjects to Jewish law was being raised.

I was in the city of Joppe praying, and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending from heaven as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even unto me. Into which looking, I considered, and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth, and beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air: And I heard also a voice saying to be: Arise, Peter; kill and eat. And I said: Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth. And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

Since then Christians have been free to eat pork (thankfully, say I).

[Az]

43. Not really the point of it

The point of mentioning the verse is to determine whether the bible is infalible.

[JVS]

5. That depends on what your definition of fundamentalist is.

One of my mother's best friends, who is like a second mother to me, would probably qualify.

[castiron]

8. Fundamentalist in the sense that all literature

in the house is Jesus-centered, all education is from Oral Roberts University, all 7 children are home-birthed with more on the way, and environmental destruction is really the end-times: God planned global warming.

[bliss_eternal]

17. ...you forgot, home-schooled too!

:hi:

The home birth isn't as much of a requisite as the home schooling, at least that is how it seems. :eyes:

[castiron]

28. Takes guts to drop your child on the living room floor, that's for sure

[JVS]

18. Not that extreme, but if you were to spend 1 hour with her you'd know...

that she belives that Jesus is God. And I don't mean by observing a bumpersticker.

[mitchum]

11. No, and I can't ever foresee it happening

life is just too short

[castiron]

13. and yet my friendship with this particular person

has given me insight into the reality of the dangers (of this type of person) that no amount of reading Salon could. And yet I am the slow-learning type, too.

[rockymountaindem]

15. Yes.

How do I deal? That's hard to say. It just happens. Although we've gotten to a point where we don't talk about very many controversial issues anymore. It's been some time since any of them told me they were praying for my soul.

With some people, the fact that I was Jewish drew them to me. See, fundies like to cozy up to Jews because they think it will make God bless them. Being the only Jew most of them knew, I was the logical choice. Those relationships didn't go anywhere. The fundies I'm still friends with don't accentuate that aspect, which some people did openly.

[castiron]

19. So interesting, as this particular fundie friend is currently cozying

to her own Jewish buddy! It is beyond me, having grown up in the Catholic church and having never had a "relationship with God".

[bliss_eternal]

20. No, not anymore.

I used to. I was related to some, and also had a few as friends. Even tried to do the 'church' thing myself for a while. Wasn't a good fit, for me.

With the family members, I just found them to be total hypocrites. Preaching one thing, living another, while admonishing me for my choices and beliefs. Buh-bye!

When I became unapologetically true to who I was, I found my ideals were completely incompatible to the uber religious of my friends. I was open to maintaining the relationship, and just ignoring these areas. Unfortunately, they seemed intent on 'forcing' their ideals, beliefs and overall retarded way of seeing the world, on me--trying to save me from hell I 'spose. Whatever. I tired of the black and white thinking and the 'my way or the highway' stuff, and moved on.

:shrug:

hth...

[NNadir]

29. Yeah, one.

He's not a close friend, but unlike the fundementalist members of my wife's family, he's not particularly obnoxious.

I've been pretty clear about my atheism and he keeps in touch anyway.

[Nevernose]

30. Yes. Best people I've ever known.

And if they hadn't been brainwashed in their childhood, they'd be Democrats today. At least their values are in the right place, even if they don't back them up at the ballot box.

We don't talk politics. Ever. Unless we're just in the mood to argue, which to my kind of company, is a "pro" in the scheme of things.

[castiron]

32. i have similar feelings about mine, too,

but am struggling because my relationship is business, not family. Real decisions need to be made, like is our organization going to be "officially" Christian...etc. A huge pain.

[Tallison]

37. I assume they don't proselytize

which is irresistible to all the fundies I know. Can't help but question how "close" one could be to a person who believes he or she is justly doomed.

[Initech]

31. Yeah two guys at work that I'm friends with are fundies

We get along great just as long as we dont bring up religion or politics. Same with my boss, he's also a fundie.

[Davion]

33. Yes, I was raised among them and was a former CR officer (shiver)

I still debate with them often on their right wing web site, but I am having a hard time accepting that I used to sound as naive and brainwashed as they still are.

But as wrong as they are, they are still my friends.

[abbeyco]

34. I do and I deal with it

I love her like a sister, but we never talk politics or about our differing views on religion.

Our friendship has seen each of us through some very tough times and I appreciate the times she's prayed for me (I won't let her pray over me or my family) in times of need.

I'm happy with the fact that she has faith in something and she knows not to impress her beliefs on anyone in our circle of friends. I believe in tolerance and knowing that we have our own ground-rules, we don't break our rules and I'm thrilled that she's got my back and I've got hers when we need support.

Tough? Yeah, but I'm happy to have a friend like her.

[5thGenDemocrat]

35. One of my very best friends, Chip, is a fundamentalist

He believes that by his works you shall know him. He believes that Christ loves his liberal and conservative children equally. He believes in the Beatitudes. He believes that the good news of the Gospels should be shared with the world and all in it. He believes in lifting up his fellow men and he believes war is murder.
I love him and am always glad to see him. I think he feels the same way about Polly and me (though we are, after all, living in sin. Who isn't?).
John
I don't find it hard to deal with Chip at all. I wish more Christians were just like him.

[renate]

36. I do

They're the real thing--love thy neighbor, feed the poor, and stuff. So it's all good. I'm religious myself, just not fundamentalist, and although I don't agree with them on many or even most things, I respect anybody's sincerely held (instead of just ditto head) views. I don't have any problems with people who walk the walk instead of just talking the talk.

[pitohui]

40. not any more

the selection put paid to that

you cannot be real friends w. someone who openly despises you & thinks you will burn in hell forever, which is what their "faith" teaches them

[BiggJawn]

41. No.

I really don't see any reason in having "Friends" who get a huge dose of why I'm destroying Murka every Wednesday and Sunday, or have these masturbatory fantasies about "Taking Murka for JEEBUS!".

I don't have any "friends" who are Neo-Nazis, either...

Oops! Shouldn't have said that...That's "bashing"....

Bullshit. That an honest concern. And if you're not a "Chrisitan Identity" Fundy, I wasn't talking about YOU, so CHILL, OK?

[2bfree]

44. Yes............

One of my best friends is one. We know what subjects to avoid but for the most part can discuss most anything with out it being a problem. I am glad that she was anti-war though, not sure if we could have survived that one.

[leftofthedial]

45. a couple of Mormon friends

very fundy