I am not sure if the FALC would consider themselves "Fundamentalist" but the article below certainly helps explain a lot of what I have experienced. It explains how anyone outside of their religion is wrong. Period.
Here is a paragraph that explains so much.
"Religious fundamentalism is what has shaped most of their belief systems. Systems built on a fundamentalist framework are not conducive to introspection, questioning, learning, change. When you have a belief system that is built on fundamentalism, it isn’t open to outside criticism, especially by anyone not a member of your tribe and in a position of power. The problem isn’t “coastal elites don’t understand rural Americans.” The problem is rural America doesn’t understand itself and will NEVER listen to anyone outside their bubble. It doesn’t matter how “understanding” you are, how well you listen, what language you use…if you are viewed as an outsider, your views are automatically discounted. I’ve had hundreds of discussions with rural white Americans and whenever I present them any information that contradicts their entrenched beliefs, no matter how sound, how unquestionable, how obvious, they WILL NOT even entertain the possibility it might be true. Their refusal is a result of the nature of their fundamentalist belief system and the fact I’m the enemy because I’m an educated liberal."
Trying to get this belief system to hear the outside IS near impossible.
While this article may seem a bit "out there" it is completely true in my experience. The bubble they live in is not conducive to any other perspective etc.
This writing has affirmed my journey in trying to shed some light on the topic of abuse within the church. Me, speaking from the outside is immediately doubted. Not because of what I say, but because of their belief system. I knew this...and yet have not been able to articulate it as well as this article. I know it is about politics; but it can be about anything.
Their minds are not open to anything outside of their circle.
In one of my latest exchanges on Facebook, my speaking of abuse and those IN the church speaking of abuse are heard completely different.
My frustrations on this two-sided view point, where I am seen as the devil and the one who wants to take down the church....and the other as kind and wiser, is now more clearly explained.
I don't know how the church, within its belief system, will be able to Heal victims of abuse and/or get the abusers to turn themselves in. (which was suggested from the pulpit)
The article suggested a changing of minds can only happen when it becomes personal.
Someone else had suggested this to me. That change wasn't going to come from the outside; that it had to start inside of the church. After this article, I would have to agree.
The writings on this blog have been for me to understand me; mostly by seeing them, which was where I came from.
It is so very hard to explain and see clearly the closed mind. It is a rock wall of insanity; with no cracks to let the light in.
The beliefs are not founded or based in reality.
Which makes it harder to argue against.
You are not matching wits, you are talking to a deaf wall of righteous beliefs - beliefs in a system without checks and balances or even facts or equality or humanity.
How can you relate or appeal to their senses; when the System cloaks them completely.
I am the problem.
Not their closed mind.
Not their system.
It is easier to see me as being wrong than their system.
For they have built their lives, raised their children and passed on the poisonous mind to each new generation.
What would happen IF they found out they were wrong?
How much of their world would they lose?
Would they too, find themselves standing alone outside of their family?
I may be alone.
I may be seen as mental.
Yet I am forever grateful that somehow I fell out of that fundamentalist mind.
The difference of living in the system of fundamentalist and outside is polar opposites.
Like breathing or not breathing.
Love or indifference.
Freedom and imprisonment.
Those imprisoned in the system can't even blame their jailers, for it is their own mind.
The real war will happen in their minds.
I literally had to write it out on paper how the mind was seeing reality compared to how reality was.
I couldn't trust my mind.
It had been created within the fundamentalist system. In order to get out of it completely, I had to keep writing and seeing it on paper.
This may make complete nonsense to many. But, it was to unravel your sense of the world while being that mental mind.
I have often sat in awe of the journey out of there.
To awaken to the fact that I had based my life upon a world that didn't exist...a me that wasn't real and it was from there I had to reclaim me.
Find me.
It was to wake up in a world that was completely insane and in my case evil.
The devil and the evils of the world were not 'out there' but in here.
In my family.
In the religion.
In my mind.
In the bubble of the fundamentalist mind, church and family.
I have been asking IF I should be trying to go back in to the church and help others in there. If I am being uncompassionate to concentrate on those who are already out.
This is another answer from the universe.
Change will come; when it is personal to them.
Their journey, will happen like mine did. When you can all of a sudden see, that which you didn't see before.
What I know for sure, is that the fundamentalist can only see what those in power want them to see; all else is blind to them.
It will not be IF I can say it correctly or prettier, kinder, with more compassion. It isn't up to me.
Something personal or catastrophic will tumble them out.
I can, without guilt, go and be me.
Completely free!
How difficult it can be, when your feet are not free!
"Be where your feet are" is freedom to me! It is more precious because for so many years I didn't live or was aware of where my feet were. Another quilt that is coming is "LOVE your NoW!"
Today, "Be where your feet are!"
