Fundamental Christianity.

If I had been an atheist or agnostic for all of my life then my letters of criticism of Christianity could be considered unreliable. I believe you have to experience something before you can expound on it. I had an early introduction of Catholicism in my childhood, and in later life many years of serious Christianity, (both in Protestant and Pentecostal churches) plus prayer meetings, bible study groups, and Ministry training seminars; therefore I believe I have a working knowledge of the bible and the church.

As humans we seek the meaning to the mysteries of existence, we inquire into our purpose, our origins, and our final destination at the end of this life.

Fundamental Christianity holds almost absolute control over those who are followers of their dogmas. This religion controls its adherents by taking away the human potential and promoting a powerlessness in their lives.

From the very early beginnings of Christianity up to and including this present time this religion has employed ways and means of inducing fear and guilt into its followers, and would be converts, to create what is today a powerful belief system.

This indoctrination is to such an extent that the follower is forbidden by his own conscience, I repeat, his own conscience, to examine truth as presented by any other source. This imprisonment of the human spirit crushes self-acceptance and fosters intolerance of those who have not yet been caught up in this belief system. This intolerance exist within itself, each denomination is wary of the other, some refer that others are a cult, even though they all profess to be Christian.

A belief system that teaches that you are depraved, nothing more than a filthy rag, and that you are in need of salvation or redemption from eternal doom such as hell. This type of belief creates a negative self -perception of the individual and it awakens an emotion of fear and guilt necessary to justify its rigid conclusions.

Fundamental Christians are taught that they are powerless over their conditions. They receive a message from their leaders that it will cost them their salvation to look anywhere else for assistance or understanding of life’s problems. They teach that the church and the bible contain all of the answers that they will ever need. Most fundamentalists read only books authored by other believers, because they believe that knowledge from other sources is useless and dangerous, since it creates doubts and confusion. They believe it is enough to surrender unconditionally to the letter of "The Word of God" and to preach it to others at every opportunity, hoping to ensnare them as well.

The funny thing is they don’t realise that they are powerless. They are imprisoned in a state of unawareness enclosed in an acceptance of ignorance. In nearly all cases adherence to their doctrine stops all questions and closes the mind, bringing to a close the rightful exercise of human freedom and reasoning.

Jim Lee. July 2000