Do you only see fundamentalism as a problem if pushed to the extreme?
I think that this is where Justin is struggling, as he is in reality defining only the Orthodox fundamentalist who tries to find the perfect church but finds that he cannot be home in any local church because we are all sinners. He tries to find perfection in an imperfect world.
Maria,
There are several different definitions of fundamentalism, but in the sense Justin defines it, of course I would see it as a big problem. I would say a person such as Justin describes would not last long in the Orthodox Church. These are the "seeds" which fall to the ground and land on the rocks, and because they have no roots, blow away. In fact, I can remember a Protestant so-called "bible thumper", who was a relative of a close friend; unfortunately in a few years this person abandoned everything and was back to her old ways.
I think it important to mention that Justin seems to have applied some generalizations which might make for a good sound-bite, but is not applicable the way he uses it. I will not go through everything he wrote, but as one example he says, "As Christians, we are taught to second-guess our opinions, and to not rely on our own judgment as to what is correct and incorrect." This is true. It also has nothing to do with studying and following, not our own opinions, but the opinions of the Holy Fathers and the Church. Now is someone going to say that we should second guess the Church, or believe it is not possible for regular people to follow what the Church has always believed? Is someone going to say these new-age psuedo-bishops are understandable and we should follow them, but one cannot understand the Holy Fathers? Where could such absurd thinking as this come from?
But the issue we have before us however is not simply of fundamentalism as Justin describes it; It is as much about the people who think they see a "fundamentalist". Sometimes people judge others based on a very narrow exposure to another person and the subjects discussed might be limited. In addition, many times a person is themselves lukewarm in spirit.
Often these people who are lukewarm seek to dismiss another person because they are challenged; they might come to understand that the facts are not on their side, and then, probably subconsciously, find an escape by applying a label to that person in order to dismiss them - and the dismissing is mostly to ease their own conscience.
These lukewarm people are only motivated by a desire for their own comfort, whether that comfort is physical, intellectual, or both. Sometimes they are motivated toward other goals as some people have high ideas of what they think the Church should be. These people may be fervent for their own spirit, but they are still lukewarm to Christ. And Christ has some words for people who are lukewarm, which we discussed at the church in the course of our study of Revelations.
"I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." [Rev. 15-21]
The people Christ was referring to were not cold, but they were not hot; they were not unbelievers, yet they were not earnest believers; they did not oppose Tradition, but neither did they defend it; they were not working mischief, neither were they doing any great good; they were not disreputable in moral character, but they were not distinguished for holiness; they were not irreligious, but they were not enthusiastic in piety nor noted for thier zeal: they were what the world calls "Moderates," they were of the broad, easy church, they were neither bigots nor pure, they were prudent and avoided fanaticism, respectable and averse to excitement. Good things were maintained among them, but they did not make too much of them; they had services, but there were few present, for they liked quiet evenings at home: when more attended the services and meetings, they were still very dull, for they did their praying very systematically and were afraid of being out of place. They were content to have all things done decently and in order, but vigor and zeal they considered to be vulgar. Such churches have schools, Bible-classes, Liturgy, and all sorts of activities; but they might as well be without them, for no energy is displayed and no good comes of them. They have deacons, priests, and bishops who are excellent pillars of the church, if the chief quality of pillars be to stand for anything, and exhibit no steadfastness. They have priests who they may think are angels, but Christ may see that they have their wings closely clipped, for they do not fly very far in carrying on the Faith of the Holy Fathers, and they certainly are not flames of fire: they may be shining lights of eloquence, but they certainly are not burning lights of grace. In such communities everything is done in a half-hearted, listless, dead-and-alive way, as if it did not matter much whether it was done or not. It makes one's flesh creep to see how sluggishly they move. Things are respectably done, the rich families are not offended, the skeptical are satisfied, and the good people are not quite alienated: things are made pleasant all around.
The right things are done, but as to doing them with all your might, and soul, and strength, a lukewarm person has no notion of what that means. They are not so cold as to abandon their work, or to give up being at Liturgy, or to reject the Faith; if they did so, then they could be convinced of their error and brought to repentance; but on the other hand they are neither hot for the truth, nor hot for following Christ, nor hot for holiness or zealous enough to make Satan angry, nor fervent enough to make a living sacrifice of themselves. They are "neither cold nor hot."
This is a horrible state. God grant we may not be numbered with them but be HOT, in our hearts especially, for Christ.
