A question for my ex-fundamentalist readers for when you were a fundamentalist: if you happened to have a really good friend who was a non-Christian, what did you think any time that non-Christian was less than perfect? Aka, simply human?
I'm lately wondering that any time I'm simply human around fundamentalist friends -- you know, those moments where you're petty, or mean, or jealous, or hateful. I wonder if the fundamentalist friend sympathizes with me or if a part of the friend is screaming, "God hates that behavior! How can you NOT see how imperfect you are, and thus how much you need Jesus?"
I'm now awaiting a comment that tells me this pondering is really because the Holy Spirit is convicting me of my sins and showing me my need for a Savior.
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5 comments:
I didn't have any non-Christian friends. I had non-Christian family members but they were always viewed as a "prospect" for heaven.
Oh, geez, don't remind me. I was a very nonjudgmental person, of course, because that's what Jesus wanted us to be. But of course, like most Christians, I judged without realizing it. Not only non-Christian "friends", but Christian friends I was holier than. :) I guess in the little things, I was sympathetic, but they had to be pretty little. Because, yeah, um, sorry. I said a little prayer. ;) (But I don't think every Christian is like that, btw. I have never seen that attitude from more liberal Christians, and as I progressed from fundamentalist to liberal, I lost that attitude.)
I don't know your friends. Even in fundamentalist churches there are people who talk the talk and fake the walk. In private, they're no different from their non-Christian friends, and since they're not trying hard to obey the Bible, they're no likely to judge a non-Christian either ... or a ...what were you again?
Personally, I don't think I went around saying, "You shouldn't do this or that."
I acted like the eldest sister with the know-it attitude. And since I knew I couldn't cite the Bible because my friends didn't know it, I put all my counsel in mundane words.
"Let you husband take that job. Men recent it when the wife stops them from going for their dreams."
So what I had was a moral superiority complex. But most times I didn't do it in the name of my religion or of my god.
When I encounter this, I think George Orwell would nod and say, "Yep, doublespeak and doublethink both".
As one who has committed the ultimate sin, though, they are free to hate me personally. And, somehow they are greatful for this luxury.
Laura,
Sorry to bring up painful memories. I wonder if part of that is tied to the idea that even the smallest sin is as disgusting to God as raping a child is?
Lorena,
Right now, I'm a hopeful agnostic who lives with atheistic tendencies.
Your moral superiority complex -- do you think that stemmed from the religion you followed, since you were convinced it was the one truthful religion?
Sarge,
Way to make it easy for them. :)
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