Comments on: Why Fundamentalists Can’t Read Books

By: Chris Morton

Chris Morton — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 02:55:00 +0000

Interesting concept. The worry seems like a bit much, though, don’t you think? Why would anyone expect you to read just people you’d agree with? I’ve learned a ton from those I disagree with, and I could probably do more to read & listen to them.

By: Warren Baldwin

Warren Baldwin — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:10:00 +0000

I’ve had similar experiences with books I’ve ordered off amazon. I have a preacher friend who will mark sections of a book and write in the margin, “I don’t agree with this.” He doesn’t want others who may borrow his book (which I was doing) and think he agreed with certain material in it.

By: Chris Morton

Chris Morton — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 20:00:00 +0000

I agree with you that having your fundamentals isn’t a bad thing. A lot of it depends on what the fundamentals are. You could argue that the Amish are fundamentalist, and they aren’t hurting anyone.

I do, however, believe there is an important distinction between adherence to fundamental beliefs and being a person/community shaped by the story of Jesus. That’s a much bigger topic.

By: Samuel jones

Samuel jones — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:13:00 +0000

I don’t think being a ‘fundamentalist’ in theory is always bad. I mean, the idea at the start is that some things are so ‘fundamentally important’ that they are worth contending for. I think everyone in every culture believes that about something. The problem that you describe is that the contentious ‘position’ of mind, becomes a ‘posture’ – the habitual, normal position that they stand in/move from and to. It’s really kind of tragic, to let one’s-self or one’s intellectual forebears become one-dimensional, and in a sense define themselves primarily by opposition to people or ideas. Now that I think about it, it’s dehumanizing; not just of others but one’s self.

I hope that lady was at least honest about the condition of the book when she sold it. “Marked to death” doesn’t equal “Excellent condition.”