>A good number of Christians have more in common with us than with
>fundamentalist ones, & that's what fundies can't stand.
>Fundamentalism is a reaction not so much against us irreligious
>leftists (alas an insignificant minority in the States) as against
>the tendency toward ecumenism, liberalism, historicism, secularism,
>feminism, etc. _within_ mainline Protestant denominations. That is
>why fundamentalism is more common here in the USA where the
>irreligious Left has the weakest presence than in Europe where the
>irreligious Left is still in good shape.
This aspect of fundamentalism has become more pronounced lately. The standard populist script which they've been following for the past two decades sounds hollow to their ears now.
A personal story -- I have a fundie uncle whose local church has broken away from the central authority over various theological matters. They now claim a Rwandan preacher as their authority. They met this preacher through a missionary program and found him suitably inspiring as a leader.
Here are two interesting things about the matter -- 1) They are now organizing an evangelical program to the USA through Rwanda. In other words, they're preaching to their own country through the back door of another nation. 2) When I met my uncle after this happened, he spoke out against a US program which would only provide money if the Rwandans violated their own culture. He call it "neo-colonialism."
I blinked when I heard that. I thought only leftist academics were supposed to use such a word.
-- David