Fundy, fundy-lite, evangelical, mainstream Christian

[Discobiscuit]

From the first thread, AD:

I really appreciate everyone's caring and trying to get me to do form-type things and having hope for me that I haven't had in almost as long as I can remember. I am truly sorry but I can't talk about that aspect anymore. It upsets me too much. I'm crying right now. It's bringing back feelings of total failure as a person and making me feel scolded for it, though I'm sure that's not your intentions. I'm, er, not emotionally stable. I may have a disorder but I do not have the money for a diagnosis. Please, please, let's not talk about this.

I'd far prefer to talk about the guy, daring to go outside waht I was taught, and whether or not my family is fundy, and how fundy they are. I like talking about that--I had to keep it secret for so many years, contributing to my sense of shame.

Self-awareness fail. . . . :angry-banghead:

[Lily]

I. Clothing/Appearance: B. Not for Jeebus, but because I don't like looking like a ho. I do wear tanks, but nothing skimpy and nothing showing a lot of skin.

II. Family Size: A. I fully believe in BC and even abortion. I just like kids.

III. Educational Views: A/B-ish, though not for religious reasons. My gripes with traditional education methods are why we don't believe in school. College is another matter, we're fine with that IF that's what they choose; it's not forced or pushed as the ONLY thing they can do as young adults.

III. Careers and Work: B/C-ish? I believe SOMEONE should be home with the children if possible, but not that it has to be a mom, can be dad, grandparents, something like that. Family. Not always possible, but definitely preferable to daycares and sitters.

IV. Music: C. I crank up the filthy secular rock music whenever I'm in the car, and my kids know all the lyrics too. We go to a Catholic church (husband's religion, not mine) or a UU church and in both, there's all kinds of music.

V. Politics: D, as in big-D Democrat. Actually I'm probably closer to a liberal Libertarian, pity Paul and his ilk have taken over the Libertarian label and corrupted it.

Interesting. By Flora's test for fundie-ness, my lifestyle seems to average somewhere between fundie-lite and mainstream Christian with touches of fundie. But I'm not even religious. Let alone fundie.

[FloraDoraDolly]

See, I dont know. I think about Michelle Bachman and she's not "mainstream" anything. She has to be fundie lite but she doesnt fit the mold above.

Yes, I'd place Bachmann as fundie lite, not mainstream. And no matter what she says about submitting to her husband, she's not fundie because fundie women do not run for Congress, much less President of the United States. Of course, most people aren't going to fit my above profile to the letter-- I wrote it sort of tongue-in-cheek, like those quizzes in women's magazines. I should have included a D category for Atheist Woman, but I didn't think of that until I had finished. :)

[AnnoDomini]

And that's why I cannot vote for Michele Bachmann (well, that among other reasons). I cannot vote for anyone as my President who says she 'submits' to her husband! I vote for a President, not her husband.

[alysee]

It's subjective, but you can tell a lot by the womenfolk...

I. Clothing/Appearance:

A. Fundie woman= Long dress, skirt, or jumper. Long hair, which may or may not be permed. Headscarf optional. Bonus points if she and her daughters are wearing matching jumpers. She equates pants and short hair with crossdressing.

B. Fundie lite woman= Probably wears a dress or skirt to church, but for the most part she looks like any soccer mom you might see at the mall. Under closer inspection, you'll notice she doesn't wear "immodest" clothing, such as low rise jeans or tank tops.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= Might wear a dress to church, but then again she might wear jeans.

II. Family Size:

A. Fundie woman= She has a full quiver, or at least she aspires to birth a full quiver. She does not believe in any kind of birth control. Even natural family planning is a no-no.

B. Fundie lite woman= Anti-abortion, but is OK with at least some forms of birth control. She may have higher than the average number of kids, but rarely more than six.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= May be pro-life or pro-choice. The maximum number of kids is 3-4.

III. Educational Views:

A. Fundie woman= Homeschooling is the only acceptable way to educate children; even Christian schools are too worldly. Some of the more liberal fundies might attend a very strict Christian college such as Bob Jones University or Pensacola Christian College, but in general higher education of any kind is considered worldly and unnecessary.

B. Fundie lite woman= She might homeschool her children or she might send them to a Christian school. If she lives in a conservative community, she might even send her kids to the local public schools. But if so, she'll be forever on the lookout for evil influences such as Halloween pumpkins or Judy Blume books in the library. And if you're a teacher and her kid is in your class, watch out when you get to that unit about dinosaurs in the science book! Higher education is encouraged because Christians need to take over and turn the country back to its original family values!

C. Maintream Christian woman= Her kids go to public school or perhaps a very liberal Christian school. Their views on higher education are indistinguishable from the general, secular population.

III. Careers and Work:

A. Fundie woman= Does not work outside the home, but might have a home-based business. Her husband might also be working at home since he isn't supposed to have a boss or authority figure whose views are different from his own.

B. Fundie lite woman= Believes a mom should be at home with her children but will work if she absolutely has to.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= Might stay at home with her children while they're small, but otherwise has a job or career.

IV. Music:

A. Fundie woman= Listens to hymns and classical music only. Any music with drums is forbidden, even if it's gospel or contemporary worship music.

B. Fundie lite woman= Lets her teenagers listen to Christian rock and even some mainstream music, but will turn it off if she finds the lyrics objectionable.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= They play U2 songs at her church.

V. Politics:

A. Fundie woman= Votes according to her husband's instructions because she isn't sure that women should even be allowed to vote. And of course, they never vote for female candidates because there are no woman presidents in the Bible. If the Republican candidate is too moderate (i.e. Mitt Romney, John McCain), then they support the Constitution Party or some other fringe candidate.

B. Fundie lite woman= She's in her front yard right now as we speak, taking down her Michele Bachmann signs.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= She cares more about other issues than a candidate's religious beliefs. She and her husband do not always agree on the issues and each one votes for the candidate of their own choice.

Note: In most of the above categories, evangelical is akin to fundie lite.

For me it's A, B, B, A, A

Fundie for me...not that surprises me.

[Koala]

Oh wow, again? Someone wake me on page 65.

[ChunkyBarbie]

Nevermind! I am walking away as fast as I can.

[slh12280]

Hmm... I got C, B, C, B, B, C

Kinda in the middle between B and C on some. Guess this means I am somewhere between a fundie lite and mainstream Christian. Probably a conservative mainstreamer or not totally intense conservative Christian. Depends on the issue.

[FloraDoraDolly]

I am revising my previous post to include an additional category-- Atheist woman!

It's subjective, but you can tell a lot by the womenfolk...

I. Clothing/Appearance:

A. Fundie woman= Long dress, skirt, or jumper. Long hair, which may or may not be permed. Headscarf optional. Bonus points if she and her daughters are wearing matching jumpers. She equates pants and short hair with crossdressing.

B. Fundie lite woman= Probably wears a dress or skirt to church, but for the most part she looks like any soccer mom you might see at the mall. Under closer inspection, you'll notice she doesn't wear "immodest" clothing, such as low rise jeans or tank tops.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= Might wear a dress to church, but then again she might wear jeans.

D. Atheist woman= Wears a long, denim skirt one day because she happens to like it but then gives it away to charity (NOT the Salvation Army) when she sees a fundie woman and her six daughters at Aldi's wearing the exact same thing.

II. Family Size:

A. Fundie woman= She has a full quiver, or at least she aspires to birth a full quiver. She does not believe in any kind of birth control. Even natural family planning is a no-no.

B. Fundie lite woman= Anti-abortion, but is OK with at least some forms of birth control. She may have higher than the average number of kids, but rarely more than six.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= May be pro-life or pro-choice. The maximum number of kids is 3-4.

D. Atheist woman= Pro-choice but believes that people who have more than two kids are overpopulating the planet.

III. Educational Views:

A. Fundie woman= Homeschooling is the only acceptable way to educate children; even Christian schools are too worldly. Some of the more liberal fundies might attend a very strict Christian college such as Bob Jones University or Pensacola Christian College, but in general higher education of any kind is considered worldly and unnecessary.

B. Fundie lite woman= She might homeschool her children or she might send them to a Christian school. If she lives in a conservative community, she might even send her kids to the local public schools. But if so, she'll be forever on the lookout for evil influences such as Halloween pumpkins or Judy Blume books in the library. And if you're a teacher and her kid is in your class, watch out when you get to that unit about dinosaurs in the science book! Higher education is encouraged because Christians need to take over and turn the country back to its original family values!

C. Maintream Christian woman= Her kids go to public school or perhaps a very liberal Christian school. Their views on higher education are indistinguishable from the general, secular population.

D. Atheist woman= Her kids go to public school and she complains to the principal about that third-grade teacher who makes her class say the Pledge of Allegiance every day. When her 17-year-old son expresses a wish to play football for Notre Dame, she doesn't speak to him for a month.

III. Careers and Work:

A. Fundie woman= Does not work outside the home, but might have a home-based business. Her husband might also be working at home since he isn't supposed to have a boss or authority figure whose views are different from his own.

B. Fundie lite woman= Believes a mom should be at home with her children but will work if she absolutely has to.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= Might stay at home with her children while they're small, but otherwise has a job or career.

D. Atheist woman= Has views similar to the mainstream Christian woman, but at work they argue over whether the company should put up a Christmas tree in the front lobby. And if there is a tree, it's a HOLIDAY TREE, not a Christmas tree!

IV. Music:

A. Fundie woman= Listens to hymns and classical music only. Any music with drums is forbidden, even if it's gospel or contemporary worship music.

B. Fundie lite woman= Lets her teenagers listen to Christian rock and even some mainstream music, but will turn it off if she finds the lyrics objectionable.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= They play U2 songs at her church.

D. Atheist woman= Can tolerate listening to religious classical music such as Handel's "Messiah" because of its artistic/cultural value, but otherwise avoids music with a religious message or theme. She gets mad at Bono when he starts preaching.

V. Politics:

A. Fundie woman= Votes according to her husband's instructions because she isn't sure that women should even be allowed to vote. And of course, they never vote for female candidates because there are no woman presidents in the Bible. If the Republican candidate is too moderate (i.e. Mitt Romney, John McCain), then they support the Constitution Party or some other fringe candidate.

B. Fundie lite woman= She's in her front yard right now as we speak, taking down her Michele Bachmann signs.

C. Mainstream Christian woman= She cares more about other issues than a candidate's religious beliefs. She and her husband do not always agree on the issues and each one votes for the candidate of their own choice.

D. Atheist woman= Might vote for Barry Goldwater or Richard Nixon if they were still alive and kicking, but won't vote for any current Republicans because even the more secular ones pander to the religious right. When the news media aired those tapes of Jeremiah Wright, it irked her to hear that Barack Obama actually attends church. Why can't Richard Dawkins run for President? Yes, he's British, but still...

[snarkykitty]

I'm really curious where you guys would put my family on the fundy spectrum, so ask me questions to determine where (I don't really know what info to volunteer or where to start).

Gosh, this should have been a warning sign.

Eleven posts and two days later, she pressed:

There must be more questions I haven't thought to answer.

Austin gave her suggestions and she gave us what we now know is one of her "I didn't think of that" answers, and did nothing with the info given to her:

Ok, I have it on my list of things to do to apply to FAFSA (I'll have to get my father to help me with the tax stuff--I have no idea how much money I made last year--I can't read tax forms) and look into some kind of federal welfare type thing. (Ye, I was always taught that using welfare was wrong too.)

She makes some excuses then starts the pity party.

I'll get my father to help me with the tax stuff. They try to convince me I could do it (no one convinced me I couldn't except me) but I absolutely am instantly lost the minute I look at a form. I don't do well with any kind of form, even application forms.

I am doing a course, and have finished two already. The one I'm in right now cost my last $500 (twice as much as I was expecting, twice as much as my other classes), I'm failing it, and if I fail it, I'll have wasted not only the money I spent on the course but the money, time and misery I spent on the prerequisite course earlier this year, because I do not retain the subject well and if I can't move on to the higher level course next semester I'll have to do it all over again. I have no job and no one will hire me. Everyone else has more experience, more everything. This has been my worst year ever.

She then started complaining that people were asking too many questions about her filling out forms, says that she is now freaked out, and that she'd much rather talk about her family and the dude she likes:

I really appreciate everyone's caring and trying to get me to do form-type things and having hope for me that I haven't had in almost as long as I can remember. I am truly sorry but I can't talk about that aspect anymore. It upsets me too much. I'm crying right now. It's bringing back feelings of total failure as a person and making me feel scolded for it, though I'm sure that's not your intentions. I'm, er, not emotionally stable. I may have a disorder but I do not have the money for a diagnosis. Please, please, let's not talk about this.

I'd far prefer to talk about the guy, daring to go outside waht I was taught, and whether or not my family is fundy, and how fundy they are. I like talking about that--I had to keep it secret for so many years, contributing to my sense of shame.

Again she tries to stoke the fires. I don't understand the preoccupation with needing someone to give her a label:

What characterizes a fundy? A fundy-lite? An evangelical? A mainstream Christian? Like, what tips a fundy-lite to a fundy, an evangelical to a fundy-lite, a mainstream Christian to an evangelical? And which category seems to have the most followers in the US?

ETA: Yes, there's no 'one' set of beliefs/actions that make a fundy, fundy lite, etc, but specific examples would really help.

She posted again today, asking people to evaluate her level of "fundi-ness," and when reminded about this thread, she pushes again for people to talk about her:

That was about me, not the definition of fundyism and related levels of practicing Christianity. Though I am curious if you still feel I was brought up fundy.

[synchroswimr]

Yay snarky kitty! Thank you!

[formergothardite]

Gosh, this should have been a warning sign.

Eleven posts and two days later, she pressed:

Austin gave her suggestions and she gave us what we now know is one of her "I didn't think of that" answers, and did nothing with the info given to her:

She makes some excuses then starts the pity party.

She then started complaining that people were asking too many questions about her filling out forms, says that she is now freaked out, and that she'd much rather talk about her family and the dude she likes:

Again she tries to stoke the fires. I don't understand the preoccupation with needing someone to give her a label:

She posted again today, asking people to evaluate her level of "fundi-ness," and when reminded about this thread, she pushes again for people to talk about her:

HEY! AD! OVER HERE!!

Get a therapist, who you can PAY to talk to you, about you, analyze you, listen to your excuses, entertain your delusions. I guarantee that if you are honest about yourself, you could get a whole lot of attention from mental health professionals.

The internet was not created to satisfy your narcissism, nor to diagnose or help correct your neurosis. Everyone needs help once in a while, but you really have gone to the well enough times here already.