Creationist/Fundamentalist Mindset:
In a later chapter I will discuss the multiple takes on how scripture is read based on whether one is a fundamentalist or is progressive. Regardless of whether a person is Christian or not, how a person reads the Bible will affect their thoughts on the matter at hand.
I think how people approach people with this type of mindset should try to take the following advice. I am not saying that all Creationists/Fundamentalists fall into this way of thinking, because everyone has different ideas and experiences that lead them to their views on life. This is just what I have witnessed.
1. From my personal experience, creationists have to adhere to a very strict face-value interpretation of what the Bible says.
a. I think there is somewhat of a fear of taking the wrong interpretation. Whenever I see a fundamentalist hearing of a non-literal interpretation they seem to think, “If that part is not literal, then everything else is not literal, meaning fake.” The quotation is mine, not anyone else’s. I just think that is the underlying thought behind that reasoning.
b. There is one particular passage in Genesis in which the snake says, “Did God really say?” When Creationists read this, they see any sort of non-literal reading of the text as twisting scripture and are the work of Satan. From my standpoint, we should look at the time it was written and how that would affect the way it was written. Not to simply suite any wants of mine, but because there could be an actual meaning to why they worded things the way they did. However, that is more of a theological thing which I will save for a later chapter.
- Now, why is taking this into consideration important? I think this is important because it can explain why they can get so emotional about this. For any part of the Bible to be taken as non-literal (with the exception of the poetry in the Bible) can be scary for a creationist. When reading responses to if they were to accept evolution as true here is what they said:
“It would mean Genesis, and most of the Bible in general is false and also Jesus Christ said things that were false.
I don't really understand how people can believe in both evolution and Christianity. They contradict one another. Evolution and Creation have totally different accounts of how life began, as well as two totally different philosophies. If evolution happened to be true, without a reason of doubt, I wouldn't be a Christian anymore, but I'd probably still believe in some sort of god or higher power.
Evolution is the exact opposite and contrast of the bible. If evolution is true, I can simply just live for myself and give into my Earthly desires. I can cheat on my wife, have mass orgies, steal, lie, gossip, and have a love for material good all without ramifications to pay. And why shouldn't you? Why shouldn't you just live for yourself, it would be all about what makes me happy. You see, that is the EXACT opposite of what Jesus taught. That is what is peculiar about Darwinian theory is that it just cannot mesh with the Bible at all and is the exact opposite. If Darwinian evolution is true, we are just merely bags of water with no purpose and no destiny other than the grave. But God does not deal with "what ifs". Love is the most powerful emotion in the universe and will always conquer all and find a way. I put my faith in that love, that it happened to find a way. I can't imagine never seeing my wife or son again, that the grave would separate us. It is that love for them that is so raw and powerful, that same kind of love that put Jesus on the cross. It's not because I am weak, or scared, it is because I believe that love will always find away and conquers all.”
- Now, I have actually seen a reading of the creation account that makes sense with evolution, but I am still investigating that interpretation so I will not discuss it here until I have seen it from all angles. I know that what I just said is not 100% relevant to what is being said, but I think this might stem off future questions. But, I think these following quotations can help explain the deep resentment towards those that question this. I know this may seem obvious of why they would be upset, but I really think that people should keep this in mind. Accepting evolution, for these people and many others, would be losing the foundation of their entire lives. Imagine for a second, if everything that you have ever known, the very core of who you were, was a lie? It would be a scary think to confront, and I do not think we should judge people like this harshly for not being able to handle this fear.
2. When someone has gone through the death of someone close to them, use caution.
a. I have encountered people who have had people die and would use arguments that I would almost immediately find an issue with, but I refrained from saying them. I did this because the explanation that person used was how they say why bad things happen. It did not feel right with me to tear down that view, because that person’s security in life could possibly be destroyed and I would never want to do that. Although in any debate there is a good chance a person’s feelings may be hurt, but in cases such as these I think we should use child gloves in handling this.
3. The overall point to this: is the argument at hand worth causing emotional pain/trauma?
a. Let me explain this further. Some people can handle the debate of evolution and religion, while others cannot. I remember debating with this other individual who says natural selection cannot be real, because that is cruel. And if God made natural selection, then that would mean God is cruel. If God is cruel, then that must mean He is evil and should not be worshipped. Within a few moments I came up with multiple flaws with that argument, but I paused. The way this person was phrasing what they were saying, made it seem like their belief in God heavily relied on this view of nature. Meaning, it would really emotionally damage them, which I do not wish to cause. Is it important to ask questions about one’s faith? Absolutely, but when it has no reason except to be right and would result in deep emotional harm, I do not think it is beneficial. If a person can handle these sorts of questions without experiencing emotional harm then by all means go ahead.
4. This applies more to Christians, but of course anyone else can use this as well. Fundamentalism vs. Progressivism.
a. Fundamentalism, as I have seen it, is a literal face-value interpretation of reading the Bible. Progressivism is researching to see if there is a non-literal reason for things and to look at what is being said within the context a passage was written in. I think most people have a mix of both takes on theology within them, but usually gravitate towards one way of reading scripture.
b. Based on the theology of Fundamentalism, they cannot accept other interpretations or even consider them, while with Progressivism you would kind of have to. I fall into the more progressive side of reading the Bible, and I often became frustrated with fundamentalists. I fell into the thinking of fundamental thinking as wrong and with that line of thought thinking all fundamentalists as wrong, and I was in the right. But thankfully I reviewed my beliefs on that and realized that by doing so, I was taking on the trait I disliked most about fundamentalists, that I was always in the right and everyone else in the wrong. So, to those who are progressive, I ask to not fall into this line of thinking. Just because I disagree with fundamentalists on some things, does not mean that everything they say is wrong. I have learned a lot from fundamentalists, even if it is just learning about a particular argument that I was unaware of and disagreeing with them.
