How can you avoid becoming zealous or fundamental in your views?

[chrisstavrous]

Hello
How does one avoid becoming over zealous and moving towards a more fundamental mind set once someone takes the step to be a Christian?

I ask as I want to keep my relationship with God as positive, joyful and liberal and have doubts that Christianity will be right for me for various reasons.

For example;
Has it been so for you or others that the more you study and learn the more tight and 'retricted' your beliefs and behaviour have had to become in line with the teaching you follow?

Have you had to take a step back to perserve what feels right to you in your heat despite what other Christians may see as being scriptual law and requiring obedience?

Is it possible to develop and remain light and joyful with your relationship with God yet be committed?

On a theological level I suppose I am asking where the line between adhering to dogma and choice may lie and how to keep onself in pespective in the modern business world.

* I know words like zealous, conservative and fundamentalism mean different things to different people, but I hope to communicate a sense where a person finds they are obliged to take a fundamental mind set against their gut feeling due to an interperation of the Bible as law.

Be open for correction and improvement of what you think and you wont turn into a fundie.

 

[zelosravioli]

Oliver, I am new here and since my moniker is Zelos your post got my attention. I have to agree with Aiki as he points out that being zealous is a good thing. I love people and want them to know the love of God. I observed that David Moses and Paul had a zeal for God prior to God using them, that speaks for itself. Amen?

 

[OliverC]

I am not clear on why being "fundamental" or "over-zealous" are bad things. From what you've written here it seems you think these things are somehow antithetical to a positive, joyful and liberal Christian life. Why is that?
Selah.

Oliver, I am new here and since my moniker is Zelos your post got my attention. I have to agree with Aiki as he points out that being zealous is a good thing. I love people and want them to know the love of God. I observed that David Moses and Paul had a zeal for God prior to God using them, that speaks for itself. Amen?

Hello Aiki and Zelosravioli
Thanks for both of you answered which I have quoted in brief. Just to answer your questions on my terms. Buried above in other replies are the reasoning why I feel "zelouness" and fudndamentalism are not for me. I am not judging others approaches just trying to find a way to enter a Christian mindset and keep it where I feel I need balance. I will take your comments on board.

Basically if I am to embrace Christ and Christianity then my approach needs to begin gently, which is why I use these terms with a negative sense (a radical or over enthusiastic approach would do more harm for me than good).

Thanks

 

[OliverC]

Thank you all for the extra answers. I have got a lot from them. I am going to move on, leave this thread now and continue to consider my relationship with Christ. I will start a new thread if I become stuck on any points as there is so much support here, it is wonderful! Thank you! I feel I am shedding some pre-conceived ideas which have held me back.

Thanks all! God bless!

 

[TheJust]

Hello
How does one avoid becoming over zealous and moving towards a more fundamental mind set once someone takes the step to be a Christian?

I ask as I want to keep my relationship with God as positive, joyful and liberal and have doubts that Christianity will be right for me for various reasons.

For example;
Has it been so for you or others that the more you study and learn the more tight and 'retricted' your beliefs and behaviour have had to become in line with the teaching you follow?

Have you had to take a step back to perserve what feels right to you in your heat despite what other Christians may see as being scriptual law and requiring obedience?

Is it possible to develop and remain light and joyful with your relationship with God yet be committed?

On a theological level I suppose I am asking where the line between adhering to dogma and choice may lie and how to keep onself in pespective in the modern business world.

* I know words like zealous, conservative and fundamentalism mean different things to different people, but I hope to communicate a sense where a person finds they are obliged to take a fundamental mind set against their gut feeling due to an interperation of the Bible as law.

Know that you know absolutely nothing of God until you have no doubt.

For no word from God will ever fail.
Luke 1:37

 

[OliverC]

Know that you know absolutely nothing of God until you have no doubt.

For no word from God will ever fail.
Luke 1:37

That is a good point. Doubt is what keeps us from certainty.