In my piece entitled "The Widow's Challenge, Part I", I critiqued the liberal side of the Christian faith that emphasizes social justice and community service over absolute devotion to a Person. By reader response through email and in person (all of which I highly recommend), my comments on what I termed the "liberal side of the faith" were not as clear as they could be.
Mr. Eiseman wrote in his letter to the editor on Monday that he would gladly discuss any subject with me, and then -- notice his hesitation -- even religion. I contend that the secular world has completely misjudged fundamentalists. I shall limit my arguments to Christianity knowing that the topic of religion is potentially explosive and even brings the honest Jon Eisenman to pause momentarily.
Liberal Christianity, and indeed most liberal strands in most religions, formed as a reaction to the orthodox interpretation of Christianity. This branch emphasizes that community service and moral causes are the raison d'etre of the Church. For them, the Scriptures have no meaning in and of themselves, and must be interpreted 'in context.' Like peacocks, they are quite to show their colors to demonstrate that they are not the bigoted and close-minded side of the faith.
This is their attempt to respond to the great challenge of today's world, which is to find something to believe in while believing in nothing at all. The liberal approach provides for those who want to be Christian without discipleship to Christ. When people speak of the sacred and of 'religious values,' or of Christianity as a cause, they are trying to keep a toothless tiger of religion/the sacred around and call it the thrill of the jungle. The liberal religionists, who like divine sanction for their noble causes, rightly recognize that orthodoxy and literalism in interpretation is not conducive to promoting our own personal agenda. Instead, orthodoxy is corrosive to self and draws the worshiper into an intense, personal relationship with the Creator and an overflow of love for the Creator is created, which causes the true worshipper to live for his fellow human being. It is about becoming radically reoriented (read: repentance) from your agenda to His.
Orthodoxy, or to use the pejorative term, fundamentalism, is thus portrayed in the popular imagination as bigoted, selfish and self-righteous. A good number of people who might be attracted to the faith see, not the religion, but the religionist who are hypocritical and course. As Christians in name, and fundamentalists in thoughts, actions, words and deeds, we must deal with the reality of the hypocrites and Pharisaical moralizers who never hesitate to pronounce judgment on others and thus drive them away. These are ones that Jesus warned about; they see corruption everywhere save themselves. Their rulebook is in their hands, disapproval oozing from their pores. Their endless, 'you ought's' and 'ought-not's' cause everyone else expect the equally self-righteous to pale in comparison.
This is compounded by the patronizing attitude with which modern secularists approach religion in general and Christianity in particular. The enlightened, when they are being nice, would like to create a safe-space for those who need their "emotional crutch." For them the old gods are of the ancient regimes and have no place in modern society. Moreover, we orthodox believers are quickly being shut out of the modern social discourse, our external legitimacy being stripped by aggressive secular fundamentalism as the world lies in the grip of fanatical suicide bombers and internal legitimacy challenged by the growing power of the 'new, tolerant (read: socially acceptable), reformed religionists.'
In stark contrast to the popular caricature, Christian Orthodoxy is the most tolerant form of (religious) belief because we don't have anything to fear from the 'outside' world. Archbishop Desmond Tutu communicated this blessed assurance when he said, "We have nothing to fear from (those who do) evil; this is God's world and He's in charge." Orthodoxy does not allow you to meditate quietly in your corner or be content to congregate in the Church and speak of Jesus there; instead, Christianity operates profanely, that is outside the temple (pro-outside or in front of; fanus- temple). This faith demands that you go into the rebellious world and let them know Whom you have discovered.
The fundamentalist knows that the problems of this life do not exist outside of himself but inside. The deadly contamination of sin is not in the physical world. The problems are not alcohol, food or other people; the problem exists in the very core of his being. Martin Luther grasped this when he wrote that it is not alcohol or women that causes a man to sin but only himself. Banning either will not suppress his lust.
The attitude of abject depravity reminds the fundamentalist of the irony and hypocrisy of being judgmental. However, this depravity -- which the grace of God covers -- produces a zeal and an indestructibility on the part of the believer and thus, he will not have to fear the power or success of others. Biblical, orthodox Christianity is the radical lifestyle that has yet to be tried by the millions who profess, and ultimately blaspheme, the name of Christ.
It is on this truth, that fundamentalist Christianity is the most tolerant and non-judgmental religion, that I make this appeal to all the closest ones out there. Liberate yourselves and don't be afraid to let them know. Come out of your closets; out of the veneer under which you hide your faith for fear of being patted on the head (Aren't you go a good boy with that Bible in your hand?). The one thing that the world cannot deal with is the Christian faith, with all the backing of the eternal Godhead, lived out loud, in the open, naked and unashamed.