The Jail of Christian Fundamentalism

In the film “The God Who Wasn’t There,” Brian Flemming questions the existence of Jesus Christ. Flemming argues that the biblical Jesus is a myth, a legend based on fairy tales that were never supposed to be seen as historical accounts.

Any true believer who has ever seen his or her life rise from the mud of misery to the sky of excitement in Christ will throw Flemming’s assertions in the dumpster. But what’s intriguing about the documentary is that along with interviewing Christians outside a Billy Graham crusade, Flemming also returns to the evangelical school he attended in Southern California for a confrontational interview with the headmaster.

Flemming claims that he was raised under the foot and stool of Christian fundamentalism, but that after receiving so many beatings from Christian fundamentalism’s whips and billy clubs, he ran away. Eventually, he says, he found a quiet, loving home in atheism.

Flemming is not the only atheist or agnostic or believer who has abandoned Christian fundamentalism. If we were to survey all the disappointed who have shed this sect, we would find that they are more numerous than all the shrimp and all the crabs which inhabit the seas.

So what is it about Christian fundamentalism that repels saints and sinners alike? What is that one feature that embarrasses even the angels? What are some of the qualities that make it quicksand to every honest soul trampling through the swamps of worldly wisdom searching for true faith?

In essence, Christian fundamentalism is a maximum security prison. However, most of its inmates are innocent. Though offering freedom in Christ, through deception and distortion of facts, Christian fundamentalism deprives sincere pursuers of truth access to that freedom. It is a mean form of slavery – a nasty, pathetic warden who uses mass threats to keep its prisoners from escaping.

Three qualities of Christian fundamentalism shine their headlights on this atrocious behavior.

First, Christian fundamentalists are legalistic. Their strict, excessive adherence to the letter of the law strangles the life out of scripture. They coil their interpretations and misinterpretations around the Bible’s throat like snakes. He suffocates under their ever tightening squeeze, such that he can hardly breathe the logic of freedom in Christ, because the gospel “consists not of the letter of the law, but of the spirit of the law. The letter of the law brings death, but the spirit of the law gives life.” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

Second, Christian fundamentalists are moralistic. They loot morality of its practicality and power by deafening the ears of society with the constant thunder of “You must do this.” and “You must not do that.”

Their moralizing lacks love. Their feelings are as rigid as logs. They keep a logbook of morals containing hundreds of thousands of pages, such that the only two moral principles which really matter, “Love the Lord your God … [and] Love your neighbor.” (Mark 12:30-31), are neither noted in the table of contents nor referenced in the index.

And to top it off, many Christian fundamentalists don’t even follow their own rules or keep their fellow moralists accountable for their own sins. It’s this hypocrisy, among all sins, that lures Christians into atheism.

Third, Christian fundamentalists are cultic. Like the worshipers of Hitler and some grotesque follows of Elvis Presley, Christian fundamentalists have a thing for idolatry. The scriptures are quite condemning on this issue: “People … who worship idols … will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1Corinthians 6:9-10).

Yet, Christian fundamentalists carve loopholes in their dogma for their favorite televangelist or preacher to slip through. Thus, Pat Robertson’s greed is ignored, Joyce Meyer’s materialism is overlooked and James Dodson’s bigotry is disregarded.

How dare they play lotto with the world of faith! How dare they! But, as with all cults, they do!

Though Christian fundamentalism ruined Flemming’s faith, the true believer need not frown or tremble. Christian fundamentalism may be legalistic, but we are free; it may be moralistic, but we belong to the Spirit; it may be cultic, but we are protected by the might of Christ.

Because of these assurances, we boldly proclaim that liberty in Christ Jesus is the best promise a just God can ever declare.