Arguing with Fundamentalists

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PaulinePresbytr

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When arguing with Calvinists and Lutherans generally I hear better arguments. Arguing with fundamentalists is like playing chess with a pigeon, it knocks the pieces over, makes a mess (if you’ve heard the quote you know what I’m substituting) on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory. Their arguments are totally incoherent and they have no theology whatsoever. How do you get through to them?
 
PaulinePresbytr said:
When arguing with Calvinists and Lutherans generally I hear better arguments. Arguing with fundamentalists is like playing chess with a pigeon, it knocks the pieces over, makes a mess (if you’ve heard the quote you know what I’m substituting) on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory. Their arguments are totally incoherent and they have no theology whatsoever. How do you get through to them?
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Well, it depends on how one defines fundamentalist. There are some definitions that almost automatically entail nothing productive coming from the conversation. Sometimes, communication with them simply won’t work, and that is when we pray.
 
I have tons of fundamentalist nieghbors I have “moved the needle a lot with them”. They used to think Catholics where not Christians now most of them think Catholics are Christian but see things differently.

1- learn thier language, Steve ray is an excellent source for this

2- talk about what they share with us, on theology and morals

3- learn your bible and be able to talk about favorate passages and be able to quote scripture.

4- ill ask them a bible verse and ask what do you think that verse means and will never give the catholic answer unless they ask. I may follow up how do you know that means that?
Or why do you believe differently than your other Christian friend at Calvary chapel and you go to Dallas 1st Baptist??

5- I’ll ask why do you think mark Driscoll and Rick warren disagree on this point is there arguing in heaven??

One of my closest friends is a lapsed catholic current fundamentalist. Most fundamentalist I’ve met are lapsed Catholics within a couple of generations either they, thier parents or thier grandparents where practing Catholics.

When I pray with them I always end the prayer with in the name of the father son and holy ghost to give it an aged feel. They usually say only “in Jesus name” because they simplify everything

I have had not had the pigeon thing happen since I just ask questions unless I’m asked for a catholic perspective

I also give them a lot of holy cards with Jesus they will never turn away a picture of Jesus.

They have problems with a suffering world or Christ suffering on the cross so a holy card with Christ with a crown or thorns or on the cross makes them think

They are my favorate crowd to talk to by far
 
Hmm…I suppose I used to be a fundamentalist, although I never thought Catholics were non-Christians or going to hell. Just never understood the praying to saints or venerating Mary (although sometimes, it seems a bit overboard still…)

But I’m trying to understand and learn more…
 
I have a friend who was Catholic, and she was great about answering my questions, about Mary worship, and praying to saints. She was very kind.
One thing that I think as an ex-fundamentalist looking forward to becoming a Catholic.Is that you can be afraid of being led astray.
So offering to pray with someone,that the Holy Spirit would guide us in all truth is reassuring.
I also believe that this was the time in my life when I honestly began to question all my old beliefs,
and I was open to the truths my friend had shared with me years before.
You never know when God will use you to plant seeds in someones life.
 
SuzanneD said:
I have a friend who was Catholic, and she was great about answering my questions, about Mary worship, and praying to saints. She was very kind.
One thing that I think as an ex-fundamentalist looking forward to becoming a Catholic.Is that you can be afraid of being led astray.
So offering to pray with someone,that the Holy Spirit would guide us in all truth is reassuring.
I also believe that this was the time in my life when I honestly began to question all my old beliefs,
and I was open to the truths my friend had shared with me years before.
You never know when God will use you to plant seeds in someones life.
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Very true, Suzanne. I am on a spiritual journey myself. A few weeks ago I happened to be talking with a co-worker that described herself as “very Catholic.” We ended up having a long, polite discussion about both the Catholic Faith & my Protestant background. I suppose you could call me a “lapsed Baptist” who knows their theology very well for a layman & who got discouraged with church a long time ago. I was very impressed with my co-workers sense of morality & her dedication to her faith. I was also a little surprised at how little she understood about Protestant Churches & theology. She held to her beliefs, but was curious about mine & those I had been raised with. I had always been taught that Catholics were mostly not “saved” with maybe a few exceptions, had little dedication to their beliefs, practiced idolatry & worshipped Mary & the Saints. They were to be pitied & witnessed to when possible or they would likely burn in hell. As I was trying to explain the various points-of-view that various churches espouse, it became obvious to me how ridiculous & fragmentary it sounded. There was no authority or sound moral grounding. I started looking things up on the web & reading books & pamphlets to see what Catholics really believe. I am amazed to see so many have a strong, vibrant, Christ-centered faith which demands much but seems to give back so much more. As I reviewed the subjects that she & I specifically discussed (Sacramental Marriage & Contraception, mostly) I found myself agreeing, largely due to the fact that it led me to look at the issue of what church had authority from God. I am trying to work on a better understanding of it all & having trouble with some things, but God willing I’ll get there.

I guess the point is, you never know when you can make a difference in a positive way. Or a negative either, I suppose, but that’s a different story 😃
 
I had a friend who is a fundamentalist. I found with him he had some fairly irrational beliefs ( he thought sickness is a spiritual attack). He also thought that Christian music was vain repetitions Jesus was talking about.
 
I’ve found that KJV-only fundamentalist are by far the most irrational.
 
Your post reminded me of similar conversation I had with my Pastor who since has retired.

Father asked me; what denonimation is your friend who opposses the Church? I told him he was a Pastor of a non-denominational church. Father was quick to respond; “What? non-denominational! they have no creed, no back bone, no theology, no authority to hold them too, except their own personal interpretations of the bible! these guys are all over the place”…and then Father left me standing there, end of discussion, God bless him, I sure miss his strong faith homilies that always told it like it is.🙂

I wouldn’t argue with them. Sticking to one topic only helps before going on to the next. But this can be difficult at times, because they’re arguments are segmented from isolated scriptures without the view of the whole of scripture.

Starting with where the bible came from is a good starter, because most of them are never taught the history of the bible “truthfully”, besides it is their only authority they hold too.

Peace be with you
 
PaulinePresbytr said:
When arguing with Calvinists and Lutherans generally I hear better arguments. Arguing with fundamentalists is like playing chess with a pigeon, it knocks the pieces over, makes a mess (if you’ve heard the quote you know what I’m substituting) on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory. Their arguments are totally incoherent and they have no theology whatsoever. How do you get through to them?
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You don’t get through them, but pray for them. Let the Holy Spirit do His job.👍
 
PaulinePresbytr said:
When arguing with Calvinists and Lutherans generally I hear better arguments. Arguing with fundamentalists is like playing chess with a pigeon, it knocks the pieces over, makes a mess (if you’ve heard the quote you know what I’m substituting) on the board, and flies back to its flock to claim victory. Their arguments are totally incoherent and they have no theology whatsoever. How do you get through to them?
Click to expand...
Perhaps by asking the same question I asked myself long ago as a former non-Catholic: who established your church, when, and where, and if his name is not Jesus Christ and the time is not circa AD 33, and the place is not Jerusalem on Pentecost…Well you know the rest…🙂
 
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