Fundamentalists and cultists.

I grew up Fundamentalist, and I’ve written a few things about my childhood experiences with it.

I’m not Fundie anymore. I have significant disagreements with how they develop their theology, how they define orthodoxy and heresy, the legalistic ways they enforce these beliefs, and the problematic trends in their churches as a result—the gracelessness, the isolationism, the totalitarianism, the abuse, the prejudice and sexism, the terror of devils round every corner. They regularly get cultish.

So often, one could argue Fundamentalism itself is a cult—but it definitely won’t be me making that argument. Because Fundies don’t have to become cultish. I’ve known good Christian fundamentalists!—believe it or don’t, there actually are some. Fundies who push back against bad theology, legalism, gracelessness, fruitlessness. Fundamentalism in itself doesn’t generate these things; its whole point is to preserve “the fundamental principles of Christianity,” and encourage biblical literacy.

Thing is, the way they go about it is almost exactly the same way Pharisees went at it in the first century BC. Their whole goal was to preserve the Law of Moses, biblical literacy, and a devout lifestyle. Of course, legalism and nationalism—and hypocrisy, and a ton of loopholes—also crept into their movement. The parallels between Pharisaism and Fundamentalism are crazy. But not surprising.

Anyway, because of all the cultishness, whenever I tell pagans I grew up Fundamentalist, they immediately leap to the conclusion I used to be a cult member. Because all the Fundies they see on TV are mighty culty. Might be from fictional TV shows where the writers, for dramatic reasons, choose to depict all the worst-case excesses of Fundamentalism. Might be from a crime documentary, which of course profiles criminals who claim to be Fundies, and if their churches foolishly endorsed or even tried to cover up their crimes, they’re definitely a cult. Might be from a reality show which follows “regular, normal Fundamentalist folk,” but because reality shows aren’t all that real, they overemphasize anything weird… and Fundies, and for that matter all Christians, honestly don’t realize how weird we can sometimes get.

So yeah, if all you see are the wackadoos, stands to reason you’d assume Fundies are all like that. And I remind you, it’s not all.

But… it’s many. Too many Fundies actually are like that.

When they’re not cults… but mighty cult-friendly.

The church I went to in my teenage years wasn’t a cult. Still isn’t.

But it does have cultists in it.

Just about every church is gonna have a few. You’re gonna have that one guy who’s really, really hung up on doctrines, and litmus tests, and people who aren’t really Christian who might lead others astray, and raising kids the right way, and voting the right way, and fully embracing “the Christian worldview”—as if there’s only one of ’em.

I had church friends whose parents were entirely cultish. Lots of rules! Rules about everything, ’cause cultists aren’t big on free will. What the kids could or couldn’t do. What was sinful and what wasn’t. Some of the reasoning you could totally understand (can’t go to school dances, ’cause the kids are unchaperoned and rub up on one another), and some you really couldn’t (can’t read the Narnia books, ’cause Aslan practices magic, and magic’s of the devil). Lots of conquering the children’s will; they were expected to obey their parents, especially their fathers, without question. Lots of patriarchy.

To be clear: The church and its pastors did not hand down edicts telling parents to behave this way. But if you wanted to behave this way… well, they’d put you in touch with Fundamentalist “experts” and their resources, and they’d show you how to be the bestest Fundie ever. Didn’t know how to put your kids under heel? They’d point you to James Dobson or Bill Gothard. Didn’t know how to vote? They’d point you to Jerry Falwell Sr. or Gary Bauer. Wanted to know how the Communists and Satanists were secretly behind everything you didn’t like? Yep, they had all sorts of conspiracy-theory literature to tell you why you were right and good to fear everything, to shelter your family from the world, and to rule them with an iron fist.

You could have your own little family cult, in plain sight of everybody else in the church. Some of whom would think, “Well, the Duboises are strict, and a little weird, and the kids are terrified of strangers. But they seem nice.” Others of whom would recognize, “No, there’s something really, really wrong with them,” or “Oh they’re nuts.”

But did the church make ’em go wrong? Not really. The dads, parents (where the wife was all-in on this stuff, as much as her husband if not more so), or grandparents in the actual cult families I knew, sometimes brought their cultishness into the churches with ’em when they started attending. The church leadership never, ever ordered them to embrace these extreme Fundie positions and groups; certainly never under the threat of hellfire. These folks voluntarily went where they went. Chose to structure their families like little kingdoms, where the kids and spouses were subjects and the dad was king (“under God,” but still). Chose a life of harshness and terror, with Christian labels pasted over everything so it didn’t sound as bad as it got.

I don’t believe it’s the Fundamentalism which makes people cultists. It’s the other way round: Cultists are looking for a structured system to put their members under, and Fundies offer just the sort of system they want. In which everything is prejudged right and wrong; in which you don’t have to judge for yourselves because “the bible”—really, the bible’s Fundie interpreters—says so, and you either follow “the bible,” or you’re heretic. If you can somehow manage to get people to think of you as the authoritative bible interpreter, you can make the bible reflect all your own prejudices, and people now have to follow you—sorry, “the bible”—because you speak for God now.

It’s why just about every heretic church is just as legalistic as Fundamentalists. The system just works with the authoritarianism. Works great!

God must be in charge. Never authoritarians.

Which is why every Fundamentalist needs to be on their guard against authoritarianism. Against people who want to seize power from God, and lead his people astray for their own personal gain. Against their own control-freak tendencies, which can take something godly like self-control and quickly twist it into others-control, and think it’s right to. Even though that’s supposed to be between each individual Christian and their God.

Romans 14.10-13 CSB

10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written,

As I live, says the Lord,

every knee will bow to me,

and every tongue will give praise to God. Is 45.23

12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.

13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another. Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.

Each of us individually answers to God. Your spouse does; your kids do. They’re not under some unbiblical “umbrella of protection,” in which you advocate for them instead of Jesus, or you guide them instead of the Holy Spirit. Your duty as a Christian is to teach them to hear him. (And if you think he doesn’t talk anymore… well, you’re hardly the first Fundamentalist to believe that crap, but he absolutely does.) Then step back and let God guide them. Encourage them, support them, offer advice; but remember he’s their Lord. Not you. They answer to him.

As do you. And when you someday give an account of yourself to God, you do not want to have to defend yourself against the charge of usurping God’s authority so you could have your household running just the way you like it. Fight any controlling tendencies you have, and learn to submit to your family just like Jesus gave up his life for his church. If you wanna emphasize any fundamental principle, at least get that one right.