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Hello, I am not a fundamentalist, I am a human being

When I wrote my post There is a standard for your vote, I expected disagreement. It is not a shock that some people don't like it that I honestly believe that many on both sides of politics have been ignoring parts of the Bible, and that it is possible to sin in casting your vote. However, upon reading this article that was recommended as an antidote to my error, I must admit that I am somewhat shaken. If any of my readers honestly believe that fellow Christians can be put into boxy categories like "fundamentalist" and "Mainstream evangelical", we are asking different questions and will arrive at different answers. I have an idea that the fundo box has a picture on it, which looks something like this . . .




My continual attempt on this blog and in the whole of life is to ask one question: "What does the Bible say about this matter?" and after that "How does that apply to how we live as Christians, and particularly to how I live?". My assumption in doing so is that the Bible does speak to all areas of life and that we can understand it. Any advice I receive from Christians, and any opinion that is given, is filtered based on the questions "Is this the conclusion the Bible would lead us toward, if we were using that as our main reference point?" and "Does this person have a biblical reason for what they're saying?".

Asking these questions often puts me in conflict with ideas that are being pedalled on both sides of the political spectrum. It also doesn't help with trying to fit nicely into a Christian box, even the one with the fundo picture on it. There have been many times when I've had to repent of immense anger and anxiety about the actions and ideas of Christian "conservatives". Yet the questions above are the only ones I know how to ask. They are the basis on which I attempt to fear God, not man. They are the basis on which I offer any conclusions about the Christian life, and upon which I consider changing any position I have taken. They form the shape of my very self. Sorry, I don't have any other questions or answers to offer.

John Dekker  – (November 11, 2008 at 11:28 AM)  

I didn't like the categorisation in Mikey's post either - but then, I've never really been either a fundamentalist or an evangelical. I'm Reformed. :)

And yes, Sherrin, those are the right questions to ask.

Whitney –   – (November 11, 2008 at 1:21 PM)  

I agree, Sherrin. Nicely written.

-Whitney

Sherrin  – (November 12, 2008 at 1:16 PM)  

Yes, Reformed - another label I'm sometimes unsure of the meaning of :). It seems to mean so many different things to different people . . .

Thanks for your encouragement, Whitney!

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