Old Project Avalon Forum (ARCHIVE) - View Single Post

orthodoxymoron · 03-29-2010, 07:16 PM

This website is the result of my conviction that the words which are printed in red letters in a red letter edition of the Bible are fundamental. This, I suppose, is a more refined fundamentalism of sorts, but without all the negative baggage! When the word “fundamentalism” is used, many people think of militants marching in the streets shouting slogans, waving flags, and brandishing grenade launchers! One gets the picture that a fundamentalist is interested only in teaching and enforcing…not reasoning and learning!

On the other hand, isn’t it important to have a basic formulation of truth, including psychology, ethics, and spirituality? It is impossible to properly play a baseball game without rules and referees. It is also impossible to properly live life without a basic system of psychology, ethics, and spirituality. Ideally, the standard should be historical, include the essentials, and exclude the non-essentials!

The Constitution of the United States is a very simple and concise document! In fact, it is mostly structural and procedural in nature. On the other hand, the Christian Constitution, if you will, has historically consisted of all 66 canonical books of the Bible, with all words carrying equal weight and importance. This has created legion numbers of theologies and churches! It has been a Weapon of Mass Confusion! A real Loose Canon! Ex Cathedra proclamations have been necessary to maintain ecclesiastical law and order! Atrocities have even been perpetrated against those with differing convictions! Evangelism has been conducted with the torch and the sword, in God‘s name! If you can’t convince them…torture and kill them!

Liberalism has sought to abort these exegetical monstrosities and diabolical administrative practices, but all too often destroys the mother instead! The whole Bible is often mockingly rejected privately, while being publicly damned with faint praise! It is reminiscent of drilling a hole in your own lifeboat!

Fundamentalist Christians and Evangelicals have labored valiantly to maintain the doctrinal integrity of all 66 books in a harmonious unity! This only works if there are strong, charismatic leaders who accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, get rid of Mr. In Between, and all those who dare question the authority of the church hierarchy and it‘s interpretations and applications of scripture!

Put bluntly, I believe that the Red Letter Teachings of Jesus Christ are fundamental, and that the rest of scripture is important, but NOT fundamental! It is contextual and illuminating, but not authoritative! Is that heresy? To Churchianity…yes! To Jesus Christ…no! Who’s side are you on? Choose you this day who you will serve!

03-29-2010, 07:16 PM	#10
orthodoxymoron Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lunar Base II Posts: 3,093	Re: Red Letter Church This website is the result of my conviction that the words which are printed in red letters in a red letter edition of the Bible are fundamental. This, I suppose, is a more refined fundamentalism of sorts, but without all the negative baggage! When the word “fundamentalism” is used, many people think of militants marching in the streets shouting slogans, waving flags, and brandishing grenade launchers! One gets the picture that a fundamentalist is interested only in teaching and enforcing…not reasoning and learning! On the other hand, isn’t it important to have a basic formulation of truth, including psychology, ethics, and spirituality? It is impossible to properly play a baseball game without rules and referees. It is also impossible to properly live life without a basic system of psychology, ethics, and spirituality. Ideally, the standard should be historical, include the essentials, and exclude the non-essentials! The Constitution of the United States is a very simple and concise document! In fact, it is mostly structural and procedural in nature. On the other hand, the Christian Constitution, if you will, has historically consisted of all 66 canonical books of the Bible, with all words carrying equal weight and importance. This has created legion numbers of theologies and churches! It has been a Weapon of Mass Confusion! A real Loose Canon! Ex Cathedra proclamations have been necessary to maintain ecclesiastical law and order! Atrocities have even been perpetrated against those with differing convictions! Evangelism has been conducted with the torch and the sword, in God‘s name! If you can’t convince them…torture and kill them! Liberalism has sought to abort these exegetical monstrosities and diabolical administrative practices, but all too often destroys the mother instead! The whole Bible is often mockingly rejected privately, while being publicly damned with faint praise! It is reminiscent of drilling a hole in your own lifeboat! Fundamentalist Christians and Evangelicals have labored valiantly to maintain the doctrinal integrity of all 66 books in a harmonious unity! This only works if there are strong, charismatic leaders who accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, get rid of Mr. In Between, and all those who dare question the authority of the church hierarchy and it‘s interpretations and applications of scripture! Put bluntly, I believe that the Red Letter Teachings of Jesus Christ are fundamental, and that the rest of scripture is important, but NOT fundamental! It is contextual and illuminating, but not authoritative! Is that heresy? To Churchianity…yes! To Jesus Christ…no! Who’s side are you on? Choose you this day who you will serve!