Fundamentalism is detrimental to society

Well met. Let us start by examining your claim, and thus we will establish your burden of proof. You stated: "fundamentalism of any sort is dangerous". I am a Baptist minister, and you could call my denomination "fundamental", I am actually an "Independent Fundamental Baptist". I teach and preach Orthodox Historical Christianity. I definitely qualify for a "fundamentalist". Your burden of proof will have to include that my particular religion is dangerous. Let's see if you have. In your first claim #1 you said "A religious text which (in most cases) long predates our lifetimes is dictating how we think and interact with others in the modern world. This holds true for fundamentalists (vs. say, progressives), even when the manuscript contradicts science, reason, or itself. Sometimes, subcultures are even created around fundamentalism, and may even begin to supersede the teachings of the manuscript. Feed the poor, or yell at them? Educate our youth, or lock them up? Pay for prisons and bombs or pay for healthcare and education? These and issues like abortion, evolution, and "free marketL are all divisive issues right now, mostly due to fundamentalism.". None of these things you just mentioned have anything to do with my fundamentalism. I do not "yell at the poor, lock up the youth, argue about prisons, healthcare, education or bombs". As for abortion, evolution and free market, these are all political arguments that DO demand a debate, but just because you are on one side of the debate and your opponent is on the other, does not make them "dangerous". As a matter of fact, a fundamentalist could say that your point of view is "dangerous" to the unborn child. That, is a different debate, that is already ongoing. I will leave that topic to its own debate. You used this website as an appeal to authority: http://infidels.org... however, this is not a source of authority, it is a website based on opinion and fact. I would like to point out that nothing can be proved by opinion, or personal feelings. In your second claim, the main thrust of your argument was: "fundamentalists only converse with others with the single goal of converting people to their own faith." My mother is a Mormon. There is no talking her into leaving that religion and following the Bible. I assure you that when I visit with my mother, my "only conversation" is not that of conversation. The same can be said for the rest of my non-Fundamental family and friends. I WILL tell them the Gospel, and I will pray that they come to Christ. After that, I leave it to God. The end. My very presence on this site, as well as my account on Plenty of Fish and OkCupid ( both are secular dating sites ) refute your third claim: "Fundamentalists segregate themselves from the rest of the world by going to "Christian" schools or "Muslim" schools, concerts, coffeehouses, bookstores, dating sites, and etc., where they surrounded themselves with people who only agree with everything their parents ever told them (who probably got it from their own parents). In this way, an entirely separate reality is created for that person which they believe is the reality that everyone else lives in as well." I was unable to find an authority on the site that you listed "http://www.simplypsychology.org...; that was backing up your claim. On to #4. "Fundamentalism is used to control people" I am not under any control, as an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church has no "leader". As a matter of fact, all of Orthodox Christianity is set up the same way. We have no Pope, Prophet, Leader, etc. We are a Priest before God with only Jesus Christ as the High Priest. We are under the control of God. That's it. "It works so well, that many American "Christians" advocate war and protest helping the poor" I have not met any Christians that do either of these things. "Radical" Christians go out and feed the poor. In my truck, at all times, I have a bag with food, water, toilet paper, clean socks and some other things that I hand out to homeless people. I do not know any other Christians that would not do the same. You are mistaken, or creating a straw man. "Then you have people like the Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons who basically just waste years of their lives knocking on doors" This is a feeling you have, that they are wasting years of their life. Ask Presidential candidate of 2012 Mitt Romney if he wasted "years" of his life, when he was on his mission. He will say no. http://en.wikipedia.org... This is just another opinion on #5: "Fundamentalists believe in talking plants or a magic golden plates, and place all their eggs in such baskets. They sit around waiting for the kingdom or the empire or whatever instead of living to their full potential." Who are you to say what my full potential is? By the way, I am doing everything BUT sitting around waiting for the Kingdom. When I was a hopeless Atheistic drunkard, I was siting around waiting for death. As a Born Again Christian, I am active in the community, I feed the hungry, help the elderly, heck I even take stray shopping carts into the store with me when I go shopping. This 6 "Fundamentalism gives people unrealistic hopes and expectations." You also mentioned that we sit around waiting for God to do something for us. Christianity stresses that this life is all about the choices that you make. Free will. We believe that the outcome of a situation belongs to Him, however it is up to us to do the work. Have you ever heard the term "God helps those that help themselves"? Finally, #7. "Fundamentalists agree with other people who are fundamentalists, no matter what they say or do." This is 100% untrue. I do not agree with fundamentalist Islam, Mormonism, or any other religion. I conform my entire life to the New Testament of the Bible. We are under 2 laws: Love one another & Believe in Jesus. That's it. Thank you for your time.