Are Jehovah's Witnesses fundamentalists?

by Celestial 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Celestial

  I Googled the phrase and a Q & A from their official media web site appeared within the first few hits:
  
  http://www.jw-media.org/aboutjw/article32.htm
  
  Are you fundamentalists?

  While we have strong religious convictions, we are not fundamentalists in the sense that the term has come to be used. We do not believe that every passage in the Bible is to be interpreted literally. We do not pressure political leaders to promote a certain point of view, nor do we resort to demonstrations and violence against those who disagree with us. The Bible teaches Christians to be kind, good, mild, and reasonable—qualities that do not allow for the kind of fanaticism that is sometimes associated with fundamentalism.—James 3:17.
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  ZeusRocks

  There are a few definitions of what a fundamentalist is.

  One definition is "strict adherence to any set of basic ideas or principles". If you went by that definition, then I would class the Watchtower Society as fundamentalists at least in some core teachings (not everything since they like to change their minds every so often).
• 

  Phizzy

  No, they do not have fun. Now, the mentalist bit.........
• 

  Wizard of Oz

  Just before my wife and I became estranged, an ex witness wrote a book,"SEX in the SECT". I suggested that where there was smoke there was fire, but NO; "She must have done something to get disfellowed and is carrying a grudge. Jehovah's people aren't like that."

  FUN- DE-MENTAL

  I think that's a meaning for Fun of/with the Mentally Different. Yeah I've decided; They are Fundementalists orrite!!

  L'n'T.........woz
• 

  breakfast of champions

  Yes, they are.

  And I love how when the dictionary doesn't provide a definition that fits their worldview, e.g. "generation" or "fundamentalist" they feel free to come up with their own. Pretty neat trick!
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  leavingwt

  They're a high-control group who believe the Bible is without error.
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  undercover

  I love how when the dictionary doesn't provide a definition that fits their worldview, e.g. "generation" or "fundamentalist" they feel free to come up with their own. Pretty neat trick!

  Yea... I've noticed on many of these FAQs that the WTS redefines the term (fundamentalism, only JWs to be saved, creation, etc) to whatever they want it to mean so they can answer in a way that puts them in a more positive light, yet never really answers the question.
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  simon17

  Easy test for Christian Fundamentalism:

  Do you believe the Genesis account is literal? If yes, then you are. If no, then you're not.

  JW's fall into a very weird in-between area and basically get stuck with the problems of both sides. They strictly believe some of the ridiculous stories to be literal (Flood real, man 6000 years old, Adam and Eve real people) but then randomly interpret some of it figuratively (Earth *could* be billions of years old, or at least "many thousands" lol).
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  Diest

  I would agree with what Simon Says.
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  Knowsnothing

  Disfellowshipping? Fundamentalists.

  Also, this statement is misleading:

  We do not believe that every passage in the Bible is to be interpreted literally.

  A fundamentalist does not mean you interpret every passage in the Bible to be literal. The key is which passages they interpret as literal, such as the impossible Flood.