No doubt, there are some people who put their trust in a Fundamentalist leader only to be horribly disappointed and possibly emotionally abused but such people need to recognize that all groups have self-serving extremists which the group cannot control. They should not blame the movement or God, but the person. Then deal with those specific issues and move on in their Christian life. It does no good and much harm to “pick at the scab” and blame a whole group for the failure of a few nuts.

All nuts are not on trees or in secular universities. Some are in pulpits, even Baptist pulpits!

Make no mistake: Fundamentalists are the original Christians! That fact is confessed by one of the leading religious scholars to serve in mainline Christianity. Dr. Kirsopp Lake was a professor of Ecclesiastical History at Harvard University who affirmed that fundamentalism is original Christianity! This expert of church history wrote, “It is a mistake, often made by educated persons who happen to have but little knowledge of historical theology, to suppose that Fundamentalism is a new and strange form of thought. It is nothing of the kind: it is the…survival of a theology which was once universally held by all Christians.” Lake added, “The Fundamentalist may be wrong; I think that he is. But it is we who have departed from the tradition, not he, and I am sorry for the fate of anyone who tries to argue with a Fundamentalist on the basis of authority.” He added that the Bible is on the side of Fundamentalists! (Kirsopp Lake, The Religion of Yesterday and Tomorrow, 1925, pp. 61, 62.)

In 1947, a critic of Fundamentalists, Harold J. Ockenga, said that “fundamentalism most nearly approximates theological truth” despite all that he thought was wrong with it. He even declared in a sermon in December of 1957, “I wish to be always classified as a Fundamentalist.”

Charles Colson, a devoted and brilliant evangelical, equated Fundamentalism with orthodox Christianity. “Everyone who believes in the orthodox truths about Jesus Christ—in short, every Christian—is a fundamentalist.” All right, why doesn’t every professing Christian belong to a Bible-preaching church?

The Apostles’ Creed was first mentioned in the 300s and has always been used by many mainline churches who, for the most part, do not believe it! It was believed, in the 4th century, that the creed was composed by the Apostles themselves. All Bible believers would accept the entire creed.

It is obvious to any honest person that Fundamentalists are original Christians since their doctrine is the same as first century Christians. Plus, the simplicity of their services as opposed to the formal liturgy in many churches is further support for its originality. The Roman Catholic Church, Episcopalians, the Greek Orthodox Church, and most of the mainline American churches do not believe in the original doctrines of the New Testament or they have added doctrines and practices that are not found in Scripture.

Another indication that Fundamentalists are original Christians is separation, both personal and ecclesiastical. Personal separation from sin is called, “godliness,” or “holiness,” and no one suggests that only Fundamentalists believe and practice that. However, the preaching of godly living today is as scarce as albino dinosaurs in Kentucky. Too much preaching nowadays pats the back and tickles the ear, but does not get under the skin. There is no conviction and therefore no conversion. I am thinking not only of the ministry of reproof and rebuke but also of the message of inspiration, of encouragement, and of comfort. The average church member leaves church at noon with his depths unstirred, his heart untouched, and his conscience unpricked. Such pastors are therefore unbiblical, unnecessary, and should be unemployed.

Of all religious groups, Evangelicals come closest to Fundamentalists (since that is the Evangelicals’ roots) but many refuse to condemn filthy television, movies, alcohol, other drugs, etc., and refuse to promote frequent church attendance, tithing, and other distinctives. Many Evangelicals work hard at convincing everyone they are not Fundamentalists.

Methinks they protest too much.

Boys’ new book Muslim Invasion: The Fuse is Burning! was published recently by Barbwire Books; to get your copy of Muslim Invasion, click here. An eBook edition is also available.

Stuart Hamblen was a skirt chasing, boozing, fighting, cowboy radio star in Los Angeles. He heard of the Billy Graham stir around L.A. and wanted him on his show. He attended the tent meeting one night and he thought Graham called him a fake during his message! Hamblen stomped out and two nights later he appeared at Graham’s hotel door at 4:00 a.m. drunk as a skunk. He wanted Graham to pray for him. About 5:00 p.m. he trusted Christ. His life was changed immediately. He stopped his wild, hedonist living and soon the Hollywood crowd began to shun him. He was fired from his popular radio show because he refused to accept a beer commercial. Wow, a man of principle!

John, one of his old Hollywood drinking buddies, asked him one day if “getting religion” was worth all the repercussions and Stuart told him it was. John said, “But Stuart you sure liked your booze, don’t you miss it?” He told him that he did not miss it and John said, “I don’t understand how you could give it up so easily.” Stuart replied, “It’s no secret what God can do.” His friend replied, “That’s a catchy phrase. You should write a song about it.” He did. Stu went home sat down at the piano and finished the song in 17 minutes. His new gospel song, “It is no secret what God can do” was the first song to cross over from Gospel to country to pop ballad reaching number one on all three charts!

His drinking buddy was John Wayne with whom he appeared in some of his ten movies where he had minor roles.

Hamblen wrote other Christian songs and “This Old House” written for his friend Rosemary Clooney was a big hit. It went to number two on the country field chart and remained there for 30 weeks! It was also named the “Song of the Year.” Most people totally missed the message.

When publisher William Randolph Hearst heard about some of the Hollywood crowd trusting Christ and getting involved, he sent a telegram to every editor in his newspaper syndicate: “Puff Graham.” Thus, began a wild ride for a lifetime of a preacher and the media, a media that never writes a critical word about him.

Hearst’s sons told Graham that their father attended the tent revival in disguise, in a wheelchair accompanied by his mistress, actress Marion Davies. Because of Hearst’s promotion of the meeting, it was extended five weeks. Hearst had promoted Evangelist Billy Sunday and Mary Baker Patterson Eddy in earlier years!

Other stars impacted by Graham’s meeting included the beautiful, brassy, buxom Jane Russell, Dennis Morgan, Virginia Mayo, Porter Hall, Connie Haines, Michael O’Shea, Roy Rogers, and Dale Evans.

Another “star” walked the sawdust trail: Jim Vaus, Jr., infamous wiretapper for the number one mobster in L.A., Mickey Cohen! Cohen was uneducated but coy, violent, and street smart. Wow, things were getting interesting in the old tent. Jim was an electronic genius and worked surreptitiously (and illegally) for the L.A. Police procuring evidence to convict prostitutes and crooks; later spying on Mickey Cohen. Jim discovered there was more money working for Cohen than the cops so he decided to go full time with crime.

Cohen collected celebrities like others collect baseball cards. Bob Mitchem, Sammy Davis, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and many other stars kissed his ring. Among his girlfriends were Candy Barr, Tempest Storm, and Beverly Hills. I think those were pseudonyms.

Cohen was a street thug with a second grade education from New York. He was in a reform school at age ten and ran from home at 15. At nine he was delivering illegal booze made by his brothers in a Brooklyn drug store. He worked the rackets in Cleveland and Chicago (with Al Capone, his idol) ending up working for Bugsy Siegel in Las Vegas. Siegel had been the crime boss in L.A. but moved to Vegas to build and operate the Flamingo Hotel, anticipating the gambling tsunami that was sweeping the nation. Siegel was skimming money from the New York bosses and mismanaging the Flamingo so the mob assassinated him at his girlfriend’s apartment.

After Siegel’s murder in 1947, Cohen consolidated his hold on crime in L.A. Somehow he discovered that Vaus had bugged his house for the L.A. police but he didn’t kill him; he hired him to spy on the cops!

But Jim had been converted, not simply signing a decision card; and Graham hired him and asked him to set up a meeting with Cohen. They met at Mickey’s Brentwood home for five hours. There is no doubt that each man “played” the other. Graham knew the results if he won the number one L.A. mobster to Christ and Cohen liked being identified with this newly famous preacher. Both men revealed their relationship to the public, Cohen even stated that he and Graham were going to vacation together at a Tucson dude ranch.

It didn’t hurt Cohen’s reputation to be identified with Graham since Cohen was about to go to prison for five years for income tax evasion. Only God knows how serious Cohen was considering becoming a Christian but he was reluctant to reject his Jewish roots to become a Southern Baptist! That’s a massive leap–which he should have made in my opinion.

Graham refused to let go of the relationship even stating, “Mickey Cohen is not as bad as America thinks,” and added “I am praying that after he pays his debt to society he will give his heart and life to Christ. He has the makings of one of the greatest gospel preachers of all time, and I mean that.” (Billy said about the same about Bill Clinton.) Informed people knew that Cohen was a loveable killer, thief, and general mobster who had been the object of eleven assassination attempts by other mobsters. Cohen told Mike Wallace on ABC that he had never killed anyone who didn’t deserve killing!

Some highly visible Christians pressed Cohen to trust Christ and change his hedonistic lifestyle and he told them “You never told me I had to give up my career. You never told me that I had to give up my friends. There are Christian movie stars, Christian athletes, Christian businessmen. So what’s the matter with being a Christian gangster? If I have to give up all that—if that’s Christianity—count me out.”

Mickey Cohen was always out. He went to jail again for income tax evasion, got out in 1972, and died of stomach cancer in 1976. He died leaving an estate of $3,000 and a tax bill of about $500, 000. I don’t know what happened to Candy Barr.

However, Stuart Hamblen totally changed after his conversion to Christ as did Jim Vaus. Jim went on to preach until his death in 1997. No one questions Jim’s conversion because he was a changed man. Just before his conversion he had stolen $15,000 of electronic equipment and he sold his home and car to make restitution. “Restitution” a strange word not heard much anymore. Nor practiced.

It is interesting that Graham never had another meeting like the L.A. tent meeting. No doubt many people trusted Christ over his lifetime but Graham changed after the L.A. meeting. He rejected Christian fundamentalism and became a middle of the roader, working with anyone who could produce a crowd. Graham sincerely chose to do wrong that good might result.

Casting his lot with liberal, unbelieving clergy was the biggest mistake Billy Graham ever made.

http://bit.ly/1iMLVfY Watch these 8 minute videos of my lecture at the University of North Dakota: “A Christian Challenges New Atheists to Put Up or Shut Up!”

The Big Question: How much loyalty do Christians owe to local, state, and federal governments when their laws conflict with biblical teaching? Few people understand that all Christians are to be totally submissive to Christ in all matters (Col. 1:18). Even all governments are subject to Him! (That won’t play well in Washington and all places of power.) Consequently, what kind of loyalty do we owe any human ruler?

Rome had changed rulers frequently and often violently. Caligula had been assassinated; Claudius had been put to death by poison; and Nero was, at that time, reigning as a bloodthirsty tyrant. Jews were known to be as difficult to control as a roomful of angry cats. Jerusalem was always known as a rebellious city (Ez. 4:15, 16) and to compound the problem, Jews, who were to be ruled only by a Jewish king according to Deut. 17:15, now were ruled by a Roman tyrant. All that made them ripe for rebellion.

The early Christians were Jewish converts who had been under Roman rule for hundreds of years, often rebelling without success, resulting in much bloodshed. The Roman system was founded upon paganism so Jews and Christian Jews even wondered if they owed any obedience to pagan rulers, especially since Nero was killing Christians by the thousands. Pagan religion had been woven into the Roman civil government; hence, early Christians refused to serve in any capacity as judges, soldiers, civil workers, etc. It would be insane to serve in a government that is determined to destroy you; moreover, they could not swear supreme allegiance to Caesar.

In spite of the above, there was no question what Christians should do: God commanded them to submit to pagan rulers! In fact, Paul told those early Christians that they must obey those in authority even if the rulers were ungodly and sinful. That command was given so that there might be a calm, correct, civil society–even if it were pagan. However, it was clearly understood that no Christian should obey an immoral order.

But to resume the subject, and conclude the argument: while I have had disagreement with some of Dr. Dobson’s past positions, I respect his courage, commitment, and convictions in this matter. However, he did not go far enough. He should add: “We will not comply with your order and you will have to come close us down!” I hope he doesn’t’ think that is too militant. It takes courage to challenge the government but it takes super courage to tell them, “Come and get me.”

Christian militancy is missing in most churches even those who identify with fundamentalism! Some have stood such as Dr. Greg Dixon and his son Pastor Greg A. Dixon who were pastors of the 8,000 member Indianapolis Baptist Temple, one of America’s largest and most influential churches. The Dixons refused to withhold FICA taxes from their school and church workers who paid their own taxes. Some misinformed or uninformed people have accused the church leaders of refusing to pay taxes. The problem was not in paying the taxes due but how the money was collected and paid. The Dixons did not believe the government had the authority to force church leaders to be tax collectors and their stand is supported by the First Amendment and the New Testament!

The Bush administration disagreed, and after a 93-day siege in 2001, sent 100 heavily armed federal marshals (after all, these were dangerous Christians) to take their property, valued over six million dollars. While the church leaders, along with scores of other leaders from around the nation were praying, the Feds carried them out of their building. The government then sold their Christian school building (that had enrolled 700 students) to a Charter School and bulldozed the other buildings and the large auditorium down to the dirt–a first in American History. The church leaders told the government, in essence, “Come and get us.” They did and the church folk lost everything except their faith and character.

The Dixons have been friends of mine since 1960 and I have preached for them many times. After the Federal Government stole their buildings and 22 acres of land, the church moved to a better location near Interstate 65 on the south side of Indianapolis and still has a thriving ministry.

While there is no legitimate comparison of the Indianapolis Baptist Temple to the Branch Dravidian cult in Waco where 55 adults and 28 children were slaughtered by their government, there are some parallels. While the Waco cult was weird, warped, and wacko, there is no law against being such. After all, many names, mostly Democrats, come to mind. Even though the cult was weird, they did not deserve to be burned and shot by their government. For sure, the Feds came after them, but the world watched the unprovoked, unlawful, and unnecessary brutal suppression of a religious cult who refused to bow to the government. Charges of child abuse and illegal gun possession were used by the Feds to justify the brutal killings but such charges were discovered to be untrue–after 83 innocent, helpless Americans were slaughtered!

Dr. Dobson, Catholic Hospitals, Liberty University, and other universities and religious groups should live up to their convictions or turn off the lights, lock the doors, and everyone go home. Those ministries (and there will be many) that cave under government pressure do not deserve to be mentioned in the same context as the faithful Christians who have died and are dying today for their convictions. Some things (like unborn babies) are worth fighting for, even worth losing everything.

CEOs of the ministries that cave will hold news conferences to explain (rationalize) their surrender to federal pressure: “Well, we fought a good fight, but lost the battle; however, everyone knows where we stand. We will obey the government in order to continue our valuable ministry.” Others will declare: “Well, we tried and made it clear where we stand; however, as we look at the issue again, we believe we can live with the decision. After all, the feds have a point.” Still others will say: “Our board of directors has prayed about this and while it is unpleasant, we have looked at the scriptures again and believe we can live with the order. After all, we are commanded to obey every law of man.” Others will declare: “We fought, even sued the government but we lost so we will obey the law under duress.” Those are many words that justify nothing.

Unsolicited advice for Dr. Dobson and other ministries: Don’t close down your ministries; force the feds in jackboots to close you down. They won’t use tanks and guns–probably.

http://bit.ly/1iMLVfY Watch these 8 minute videos of my lecture at the University of North Dakota: “A Christian Challenges New Atheists to Put Up or Shut Up!” And pass it on!

Copyright 2014, Don Boys, Ph.D.

You really hit bottom when you suggested that fundamental Baptists, as a group, have “pride (and lust from the pride) has created a culture of sexual abuse, anxiety disorders, and a bunch of bible-beating no-knowers because they can’t understand what they are reading because pastors like you are filling their heads with nonsense and man-made doctrines.” You suggested I was a Bible beater or Bible thumper. Here, I must confess that I have, well, it’s difficult to admit but I have thumped my Bible a few times. Not often and not really hard, but I’m guilty. But what does that have to do with truth? Note that you did not offer any examples of “nonsense” or “man-made doctrines.”

You suggested that fundamental Baptists have a systemic problem of sexual abuse, etc., but surely you can’t be that uneducated, unfair, and unreasonable. But, then, maybe so. There is no question that we have our share of adulterers, pedophiles, thieves, and arrogant nuts in our group, but do you want to go tit for tat? I can do so if you want. I have publicly “called out” some of those offending preachers who were friends of mine! Have you ever done that with some of your New Evangelical friends who went astray?

New Evangelicals who only read Christianity Today border on heresy or at least a loosey goosey doctrine (and lifestyle), and they have their share of preachers with zipper trouble. I could start with the former head of the NAE and go on and on. If you were honest, you would admit that all groups have similar problems. Most of the problems would be solved if those men trusted Christ as Savior. They often preach a salvation to others that they have not themselves experienced. It is a tragedy that men, who call others to drink from the water of life, have never drunk themselves and have, instead, muddied the well.

You said that you have “gotten off [my] list a few times.” How many times? Once, twice, thrice, how many? I think maybe you are a little disingenuous if not dishonest. You mentioned that I should have a way for people to get off my list, and you are right. I have that option for my large Preachers List, but I thought that media sources such as yours would want to know the opinions of fundamental journalists like myself. I guess I was wrong. Evidently, you don’t want to hear truth from any source that might challenge your loosey-goosey theological position.

However, your diatribe was somewhat successful in that I will add an option for removal from the mailing list for my columns. There, you see, Fundamentalists can be corrected and move on up to a higher level. But, of course, we will never be able to reach the heights of leading New Evangelicals. But there is a price you will have to pay: You will no longer be privy to my lofty musings, religious ruminating, and soaring flights of purple prose, or my arguments, assumptions, afterthoughts, and appraisals of daily affairs. Too bad.

Moreover, you will not be permitted to read my already-finished columns dealing with Billy Graham (6), Nelson Mandela (4), the church-health care issue (2), Muslim columns (3), higher education series (4), Stupid Statements by Stupid People, Grandmother Sleeps with 900 Men, and my correction of a black liberal columnist for Cox Newspapers (4). I am saddened at your loss. You are really a loser.

As I think about your loss, I realize that you can access those columns by going to my blog! You can do it late at night when no one will ever know how you are playing with fire by reading the works of a Fundamentalist! Just punch in at the top of your computer screen the following: http://donboys.cstnews.com. Those are the magic letters that will open an incredible door of facts, faith, fun, and fellowship for you and no one will know about it! I don’t expect you to change your thinking but you will have some interesting nights of teeth gnashing and grinding.

You had the gall to write, “I tried my best to limit my response in a Godly and loving way but it is hard when you keep sending me such foolishness. I don’t believe it would have mattered if I said it softly and tenderly to you. It is called a harsh rebuke for a reason.” No, a “Godly and loving way” would have been for you to give me credit, as a Christian, for being sincere in writing a column that might help some uninformed people and to also point out error. Then you would have pointed out my mistakes, one by one, so that I would be forced to admit a sloppy job of research. Then you would have challenged me to face the fact of my honest mistakes, repent of those mistakes of carelessness, then print a retraction for libeling innocent men. Then, you and I would be friends for a lifetime. You chose not to do so because you could not do so.

But you did not do the Christian thing and try to help me. You did not point out my “foolishness.” You sent me a “harsh rebuke” because you looked into the mirror and saw a hypocrite who refuses to face the truth and do something about it. You are like many New Evangelicals who are guilt-ridden for repudiating their Fundamentalist background, education, and parents, while delighting in pointing out the warts, blemishes, and scars on fundamentalism.

You closed by asking if I am “really helping the Kingdom of God? Do you really think this strengthens people to ‘love’?” The issue goes back to, “Did I tell the truth?” If I did, then Christianity Today and Chuck Colson looking at the issue honestly would be forced to admit their error regarding King and admit the truth of my position. You see, the historical record is important. What people, especially Christians, believe is important. To permit people to believe that King was a dedicated Christian worthy of emulation would be dishonest, and could be detrimental and disastrous.

Sir Winston Churchill said, “Once in a while a man will stumble over the truth. But most will quickly jump up, brush himself off and hurry on as though he had seen nothing.” You didn’t even brush yourself off.

[Boys new eBook, Martin Luther King Jr.: Judged by His Character, Not His Color! Is now available for $3.99 at Amazon.com.]