To the editors:
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Scripture is central to understanding fundamentalism. Not–as they fondly believe–that their theology comes directly out of the Bible. Rather fundies put their whole theology into the scripture, so that their critics are viewed as fighting the Bible rather than the doctrine. Those who say that Beatrice inspired the Divine Comedy don’t mean that she dictated it word for word; fundies, however, interpret “All Scripture is inspired by God . . .” to mean that God dictated it word for word. If you disagree, the fundie regards you as disagreeing with the Bible, not with him.
Having rejected several scholarly translations from the original tongues into modern English, many fundies embraced the “Living Bible” paraphrase. It puts their theology into the Bible for them.
(Here, however, the theology of fundamentalism continually threatens the culture of fundamentalism. Fundies do read their Bibles, and that reading converts some of them into active Christians. A thousand have rejected segregation because it was unbiblical for every one who rejected it because it was unconstitutional. Sojourners Fellowship and Habitat for Humanity are only two of the organizations which fundies have founded to serve the real needs of the poor in the world.)
