Reply #42: Fundies vs Progressive Evangelicals: the Quiet War

[Perky]

I have noticed a recurrent theme on the fundie war as perceived by a vocal minority of DUers that I would like to take on in hopes of finding some more peaceful coexistence here on DU. This is not intended to be be flame bait... i only want dialog. Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions and everyone is welcome to chime in. But I do not want this to digress as so many threads do.


First of all a definition: Is Progressive Evangelicalism an oxymoron. Some would say absolutely. I say "hold on". It is my belief that Jesus was precisely that. He never focused on what today's moral police do (Moral aberrance and moral absolutism) rather spoke of taking care of widows and orphans, the hungry, the poor, but he also healed the sick, cast out demons and brought sight to blind eyes.His intention was two-fold in every instance: Help those in need and evangelize All of which is pretty cool stuff (stuff I might add that non-evangelicals on both the left and the right never seem to get to.)

My religious problem with the fundies is that they have pretty much forgotten the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus' discourse in Garden of Gethsemane as John records it. They would rather deal with society's problems politically than with evangelism which is supposed to be there primary purpose. Jesus had little compassion for the Pharisees who took precisely the same tact. Fundies start from a really stupid and arrogant assumption that America was divinely endowed for a special place in Christian and world history, but don't deal with the sins of the past like slavery and the slaughter and internment of native americans. Worse they think God will rule supreme in the land again if we can just get Him back in the Classroom (Mandatory prayer, Creationism-Intelligent Design, and faith-based abstinence education only). As if a largely secularized institution should be doing their bidding? It is not only arrogance, it is malignant neglect of their prime responsibility to be theme\selves salt and light as Jesus commands. Their tactics so clearly betray the call of Christ to the point where I believe they dishonor God and that is why, thank God, they will never achieve their goals.

Now having said that it's my perception that the driving force behind nearly all of their machinations is a search for relevance in a post modern world )and admittedly funding that quest by raising their rabble by creating skirmishes with various bogoeyman and backing candidate who will do their bidding.) Two issues stun me the most about the approach are:

First, that the candidates they choose or rarely evangelicals, they are typically fairly secularized conservatives who are typically glomming on to an agenda they have no desire to implement. Were that so they would be legislating at the federal level on abortion when Reagan was in the Oval. They certainly should have been doing it during this presidents term.

Secondly, that their quest for relevance centers on political power rather than spiritual power. Jesus taught there is strength in humility; that in weakness we are empowered. These folks are so busy protesting Harry Potter and bad TV that they do not have time or the inkling to simply and humbly pray, worship and enjoy the empowering presence of God. I suspect that is because if they took some time to listen rather than scream at the world they would have to change their tactics.

My Fundie friends are wrong on their tactics and are being duped into believing they can be effective with the approach. I take them on individually in my daily walk...but......

Here is what my progressive friends need to hear as well. The ONLY WAY to effectively confront these folks in terms they understand. I am not saying on their terms...but on "Terms they understand". To this unabashed evangelical it really is simply about Jesus. From my perspective I am not looking to convert a single Fundy to progressive politics; I am simply trying to get them focused on how un Christ-like and counterproductive social fundamentalism is to His Cause.

Some on DU have called progressive Christians out for not standing and railing against the Fundies as a collective countering force. There are two problems with that tact. First: There is no rallying point, there is not leader of progressive evangelicalism in the US. MLK is the closest we have ever gotten to anyone approaching that type of stature the could cross denominational divides. There are Christians who are progressives and even denominations that have a progressive slant, The problem with both is that they tend to promote progressive politics more than Jesus and they are rarely bastions of evangelical fervor.

Because of their lack of evangelical focus, they are typically ignored by the Fundamentalist movement. WHich seems sort of silly because the Fundies have pretty much ignored how their tactics have pushed far more souls away from the Church than they have attracted.

Look FUndies are a scary lot when viewed from the outside..their motivation are typically very genuine and heartfelt but their tactics and hypocrisy are what make people scream. I get that.

Progressives who find themselves among fundies in a religious setting can be very effective, but likewise we also value the community itself and what Christ commands. Progressive evangelicals believe in the power of prayer; we believe in being Christ-like in what we do; We believe in only doing what God instructs us to do. It is not our desire to stand in the middle of the sanctuary and call our friends on the right a "brood of vipers". If it comes to that I am perfectly willing to do so if He instructs me to do so. But you also have to understand that in a religious community friendships run very deep and the price for such actions would be pretty substantial.

So I am content to run my little counter insurgency and wear my bumper-stickers and buttons proudly and simply dare some on to question me about my politics.

I come to DU to find some solace and support as do other Christians whether evangelical or not. I don't feel persecuted here in the least I just wish some of you would be willing to give a little more slack, a little more respect and a little more understanding.