I AM A FUNDAMENTALIST!

I believe in the Fundamentals of the Christian Faith; the deity of Christ, His substitutionary atonement, and bodily resurrection. I believe Scripture is inerrant, that Christ was born to a virgin and He will come again.
Those beliefs are the foundation of my faith.

The folks I call “fundies” believe in the Fundamentals too. Problem is; they embrace worldly thinking and drag corruption into the church.
They’ve added all manner of external standards to some imagined equation they claim God is ciphering to see if you stack up, for Christ’s sake.
They use scripture, misinterpreted and weaponized, to judge and condemn others.
Don’t let it fool you if it’s introduced lovingly, eloquently, as caring counsel; it is legalism - division of the worst sort.

Fundies attempt to regulate themselves and others in accordance with standards that evidence their failure to comprehend the very Fundamentals.
They highlight their own ignorance and unloving attitudes, living as apostates and hypocrites.

Be assured siblings; these selfsame fundies have an internal dialog that is as corrupt as their counsel. They recognize their own failure. They’re defeated, miserable, wrong-thinking. They really and wrongly believe this crap whilst catigating themselves inwardly for shortcomings and lack of understanding.
Not only do they fall short of their own standards, but pressed to find Scriptural support they cannot.
Saved-by-grace believers forced to live-by-Law is a preposterous contradiction to Scripture.

How can one embrace a duplicitous notion of a “faith” that emphasizes “striving”? or explain the paradox of fundie references to Scripture as “God’s Love Letter” and His “Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth,” (B.I.B.L.E.)?
“Dear Child,” writes the Father, “I love you [this much], now here’s what you’ve got to do to please Me…”

Fundies put the "mental" in Fundamental.
What’s true and worse is that fundies destroy the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

FUNDIE RESTRICTIONS include but are not limited to varying degrees of:
No dancing. No movie theater attendance. No television (in some cases) or only “wholesome” television (like Sky Angel? 3ABN? Highway to Heaven?)
No attendance or activity at bowling alleys, amusement parks, carnivals or sporting events.
No playing cards. No games that include dice. No Bingo.
No secular music. No music with a “beat.” No contemporary Christian music. Some will argue that hymns are inspired and must be sung in their entirety.
Only Bible reading or only Christian books. No fiction. Some like fighting a King-James-Only fight, a ludicrous movement in which there are more than a dozen factions.
No Santa. No Easter Bunny. No Tooth Fairy. Easter must be referred to as “Resurrection Day,” and never affiliated with eggs, candy or gifts.
No recognition of Christmas. For some it’s milder; no gifts, no tree, and/or decorations. Some folks recognize Jesus’ bday with trad’l cake ‘n singing.
No work or commerce on Sundays. No making others work Sundays.
No dining at restaurants where alcohol is served. No commerce with businesses that sell tobacco, liquor, or nudie mags. No employment at, or business dealings with, the aforementioned places.
No mixed bathing (coed swimming.)
Never miss church service.
Witness to everyone. Distribute tracts. Be part of a regular door-knocking ministry.
No ministry and/or membership if you’re divorced. Members who divorce will be put out of the fellowship.
Fundies insist upon delineating the simple biblical notion of modesty in appearance. They want rules for dress and style. Variations abound:
No pants for women. Culottes pass muster for some. Pants only at home, dresses at church. No shorts.
No makeup . No red/colored lipstick. No painted nails.
No bare legs. Stockings always. No open-toed shoes. Open shoes with hose only.
No jewelry. Only a brooch or stickpin. Only pearls. No pierced ears.
No sleeveless shirts. No short-sleeved shirts. Shirts with an “ease” of specified amount at bust and hips. Front panel jumpers always.
No short hair for women. No cutting of hair at all. Head coverings. Hair hidden up under head covering. No “dyed” hair.
Sometimes short-sleeved shirts are forbidden for men. No neckties, or neckties and jacket always at church, or neckties-and-jacket-always-at-church-whenever-a-man-is-ministering. Collared shirts often specified, even as "polo" vs. "dress shirt."
No long hair. Limits on sideburns. No facial hair or moustache only, or full beard required.
No jewelry for men.
Tattoos and body piercing forbidden.

A myriad of attitudes and behaviors are plucked from scripture and touted as commands. Fundies insist it’s our service to generate them, as “fruit” for the Kingdom. Our duty is to examine self, find shortcoming(s) and focus on producing more of what’s needed:

love,
joy,
peace,
longsuffering,
gentleness,
goodness,
faith,
meekness and/or
temperance.

Lists of Do’s and Don’t’s of attitude are as limitless and varying as those for outward behavior and appearance. Find a "verb" in the New Testament...? Someone'll tell you it's a command.

In the interest of time I'm not writing an exhaustive catalog of that nonsense.

Fundies are combative and rigid. They love a good lather but insist their eagerness for argument is heartfelt desire to help.
At their limit, fundies will misuse the notion of separation to disregard and condemn anyone who disagrees.

Hypocrisy is the hallmark of fundie thinking. The truth is fleshed-out in their lack of testimony. There’s no joy, no peace, no victory for the “Christian” who’s so busy acting and dressing like one that he fails to be a believer.