Why are fundamentalist Christians so hated by most people?

Well because to most people who believe in nothing, anyone who uses a guide for they "system" is considered bad. Its why arguing with an atheist is pointless. They have no system to go by. So they can't be judged on it. Well from a technical stand point. Where as we Christians mostly have a system we go by, even if certain kinds of christians have various versions of the same system.

People hate Jesus.

If someone talks about Jesus, people hate them.

If someone denies Jesus and stays quiet, people might just ignore them, as will God.

We need to recognize that fundamentalism is not a Protestant monopoly. The Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches exhibit many of the basic traits of the fundamentalist mind, along with other sectarian groups such as the LDS and the SDA. Of course, fundamentalism is not a Christian monopoly either. Judaism and Islam have their share of the breed. Even non-believers can have a fundamentalist mindset. We must also remember that "fundamentalist" is a term American Protestant fundamentalists chose for themselves a century ago.

I can no longer recall the source of the post below but it certainly is right on the money:

1. Fundamentalism is a preEnlightenment mindset that seeks to turn the cultural clock back 500 years.


2. Fundamentalism is hostile to the sciences. The science it cannot control, it attempts to bend to its own apologetic ends. It is hostile to biblical criticism and progressive theology, rejecting both out of hand. It strives to keep critical and scientific views from public presentation. It has lost its hold on the colleges and universities, except for the ones it has founded and controls.


3. Fundamentalism is moralistic. For those who have static-free transmission from the divine, all issues are black and white. An inerrant Bible or Qu'ran is the channel of that transmission.


4. Fundamentalists are arrogant and authoritarian. It is difficult to be civil when you have a corner on the ultimate truth. An exchange of views with a bona fide fundamentalist is all but impossible. Civility is the victim of arrogance and divine endorsement. This lack of civility produces a lack of humour. Fundamentalists rarely laugh and they never laugh at themselves. The ability to make fun of oneself is the hallmark of the liberal spirit.


5. Fundamentalism is militaristic and prone to violence. It is no accident that the Bible belt in the U.S.A. is also the gun belt. Jimmy Carter wrote “Fundamentalism, means the thinker is absolutely sure he is right ... you don't want to learn new facts, because they might disturb your previous opinions. You become convinced that your truths have come from God and anyone who disagrees with you is wrong, and the next step is that they're inferior, and the ultimate case is they are subhuman. That leads to a lot of the persecution in the world.”


6. Racism. Many fundamentalists are latent racists, or at least segregationists. This seems to be rooted in a view that God has created the separate races and intends for them to remain that way.


7. Lack of ecological sensitivity. This lies in the conviction that humankind is the pinnacle of God’s creation and that we are mandated to rule the earth. Mother earth is ours to plunder.

When all of this comes with “attitude”, the fundamentalist becomes a fundie.

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giftofGod2 said:

At least my point is proven that we are hated.

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What would prove that to you? I suspect that in some quarters fundamentalists are not appreciated very much but hate is an extreme word.

Disagreement with the views and attitudes of some fundamentalists does not equal hate.

giftofGod2 said:

It seems like fundamentalist Christians are more hated than other types of Christians, when talking with certain unbelievers I get this impression. Is there a reason for this?

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Well, Fundamentalism appeared in response to Modernism, setting itself against Modernism. As such it tends to be hostile to modern society (and modern society is hostile to it).

JackRT said:

I can no longer recall the source of the post below but it certainly is right on the money:

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Perfectly put.

I would add that I don't think fundies are hated; more like looked upon with bemused curiosity.

giftofGod2 said:

It seems like fundamentalist Christians are more hated than other types of Christians, when talking with certain unbelievers I get this impression. Is there a reason for this?

I can think of a few scripture references:

Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:22-23, John 15:18-25, Galatians 4:29, 2 Timothy 3:10-13, 1 John 3:11-15, 1 John 4:5-6, 1 John 5:19, John 7:7.

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I am not sure the word 'hated' is appropriate, and certainly not of the people; perhaps some beliefs are not particularly welcome, in my case those which are distinctly unScriptural. I don't hate those who hold such beliefs, but I do believe them to be thoroughly misguided.

Fundamentalism of any kind has more in common with other fundamentalism, whether political or religious, just as moderates have more in common with other moderates. That is simply the way of the world.

Most fundamentalists expect everyone else to be just like them and have little problem doling out their judgement on other people who are not like they are.

giftofGod2 said:

At least my point is proven that we are hated. I suggest looking up the references in the OP.

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Not really.

Also, if someone does not believe that the Bible is the word of God, how can they come to salvation through its message?

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Careful; that sails far too close to works theology. We do not ourselves come to salvation through the Bible; God comes to us.

All are saved by Grace.

NothingIsImpossible said:

Well because to most people who believe in nothing, anyone who uses a guide for they "system" is considered bad. Its why arguing with an atheist is pointless. They have no system to go by. So they can't be judged on it. Well from a technical stand point. Where as we Christians mostly have a system we go by, even if certain kinds of christians have various versions of the same system.

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Good grief. More straw men than you can shake a stick at.

giftofGod2 said:

It seems like fundamentalist Christians are more hated than other types of Christians, when talking with certain unbelievers I get this impression. Is there a reason for this?

I can think of a few scripture references:

Matthew 5:10-12, Luke 6:22-23, John 15:18-25, Galatians 4:29, 2 Timothy 3:10-13, 1 John 3:11-15, 1 John 4:5-6, 1 John 5:19, John 7:7.

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I think it unfair to implicate most people as hating Fundamentalists.

Jesus told us that we would be hated by the world just as the world hated him. Would it not then be fair to say that Christians are able to be hated because they are members of the body of Christ? Rather than target one community within that body as adorned with the label of most hated?

Fundamentalism sticks to the fundamentals of Jesus' ministry. Not a popular idea in a world that is sliding more and more toward darkness. Especially as this being my back yard, America.

I was visiting friends over the past weekend and their teenage son was watching television in the family room.
I ventured in to see what was programming now days since it has been years since I've watched broadcast TV.

I was not all that surprised. The ultra-left wing politic in the secular world of American politics is growing more and more in their pursuits.
And as it appears so far there's no authority that's about to reign that back. The SCOTUS while a 9 panel court has become an impossible to miss activist body. The Congress is left leaning while purportedly against the leftist in the oval office.

We have SSM legalized now, while opposition to that is able to be prosecuted under law, which means our religious liberties are being compromised as the first protected class. When a sex act is considered worthy of legal protection that should have been the first warning of the downward slide.
We have Trans persons able to overcome others civil rights, offend employers, sue employers, individuals, for not complying with any number of new self-identity labels of choice.
We have a homo-gender-affirming activist group allowed entry into public schools, while a pastor seeking the same access is either forbidden or persecuted , even prosecuted for making the attempt.

So when I sat in that family room and watched television for that half hour I wasn't surprised at all to see that the Devil's programming is enormous.
The Exorcist, is now a TV show!
Lucifer has escaped Hell and is now living in, no surprise, the city of angels.
Occult programming is huge on TV now.

And worse, there are humanist pastors tallying thousands of persons in their pews. Because they're preaching the ultra-liberal interpolated wordly feel good doctrine.

Is it a surprise when the fundamentals being reiterated in a world like that is opposed?

The world's going to Hell! If you aren't on the side that greases the slope downward, you're the one in the wrong.

But it is all as foretold. Take heart. God's in charge.

ToBeLoved said:

Most fundamentalists expect everyone else to be just like them and have little problem doling out their judgement on other people who are not like they are.

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I am not sure sweeping generalisations are helpful on either side of this particular discussion.

When I have been close to those with more fundamentalist views they have not sought to judge me; what they have done is to seek to walk with integrity to the best of their ability. They take the Bible seriously, and they take their faith seriously.

They might have liked me to share all of their beliefs, but they certainly did not reject me for not doing so. I was accepted as their sister in Christ, albeit a sister with unfortunate views on some issues; generally those which cannot be proven from the plain words of Scripture.