WHAT DID BAPTIST FUNDAMENTALISM ‘1984' DO FOR US?
Remove not the ancient landmarks, which thy fathers hive set. --Proverbs 22:28
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS. Where is the
GOOD way, and walk therein, and ye shall find REST for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein. -Jeremiah 6:16
One might ask the question, "Are we better off now than we were 1900 years ago even with our modern
and carnal innovations?" How is it then brethren that every one of you hath a new bible, a new "how to" book,
an electronic church, a political solution to Christianity's problems, and hath a Christian school accreditation?
As messed up as the Corinthians were, at least they had a Psalm, a doctrine, and revelation (I Cor.
14:26). Most fundamental Baptists can only muster up their own or someone else's innovations. No wonder
there is so much unrest and confusion in the fundamental world today. Instead of removing the ancient
landmarks in order to forge new paths, they should be asking for and resting in the "old path" and the GOOD
WAY.
Having had past affiliation (over twenty years—now forty years) with a great movement of churches;
we can give first hand testimony to this "lion" of a movement becoming a "pussycat” on all fronts, falling far
short of its brief but glorious past. Unable to check its looseness concerning the "Book," ecclesiastical and
personal separation, and its growing denominational hierarchy, its militant-less leadership has contented itself
with converting the world to a moral majority (without first getting the world saved), courting neoevangelicalism, and hobnobbing with once shunned religious misfits and former enemies, who have not
changed one whit for the better.
The latest innovation among fundamentalists is to informally implement into their colleges and
fellowships the doctrine of "pacification" and "patronization." In other words, "If there come any unto you
seeking high and holy standards (or low and unholy standards for that matter) or if there be any among you that
expect the actual Bible position, or if there be any anywhere who question your position, pacify and patronize
them with your inclusive policy. Win them to your flabby side and lead them to believe, ‘I am as thou art,
brother,’ and if push comes to shove, specifically agree with their position (if you absolutely must).” After all,
you do not have to mean the same thing by the same words . . . do you? Neither do you have to actually
implement such a position. An example of this pacification technique can be found in the words of a BBF leader
who recently took the lid off his own pot and revealed the double minded and double-tongued hypocrisy among
his fellow leaders. In correspondence with a former graduate of his fellowship's college, he scolds the alarmist
with the following:
“You make an absolute fool of yourself. In fact, the people whom you quote, in private conversations
with me, discuss the affair and find it laughable. They find you laughable. While you were seriously writing
and quoting them, in private conversations they were making fun of you . . . I suppose that you are concerned
as to why Dr. Dowell would answer your letter. Most of the people who have the background in these issues
consider people, like yourself, dangerous: The men who are leaders of the fellowship (Baptist Bible Fellowship)
are afraid of people like you. They know you don't understand the issues.
Their letters are designed only to pacify you. They are not going to discuss with you their views in
detail. They do that with me privately. They simply want to get you to stop writing letters so that you will not
make it a public issue.”
"What does all this have to do with 'Baptist Fundamentalism '84'? Everything! The man who penned
these words, Truman Dollar, is a BBF organizer of this convention according to the "Baptist Bible Tribune”
June 10, 1983. It is BBF leaders who are primarily involved, at a high level, in this convention, and Dollar has
exposed them for what they are in his own words.
"Baptist Fundamentalism '84, according to its organizers and promoters, a convention which is going to
be held in Washington, D.C. in April. It is expected to draw 25,000 fundamentalists from various
independent Baptist churches and groups across the country. These fundamentalists will SEEK TO
HEAL OLD WOUND and dispel their negative image" and will also attempt to "ease some tensions
among the groups participating,” according to Truman Dollar. --Ibid.
Dollar goes on to say that "We do expect a change in the image of fundamentalism'' and that this
conference "will attempt to define the beliefs of fundamentalists, which are based on FIVE Bible fundamentals:
BIBLE scripture IS without error (the hidden meaning to this fundamental may be found in Dollar's
correspondence quoted from and available on request) Christ is God in the flesh; Christ died for the sins of
mankind, Christ rose bodily, and Christ will return bodily (with slight reservation, Catholics and Mormons can
also subscribe to the fundamentals stated)." --Ibid.
Since many of Dollar's co-leaders pacify people in order to influence them and will not discuss their
beliefs in detail (except with insiders), and since these same leaders primarily make up central committee,
executive council, state chairmen, and other Maharajahhoohoos, may we expect that they will use their
pacification techniques to influence this convention to "REDEFINE" the beliefs of fundamentalists rather than
define them?
Since some of these leaders are already involved with neo-evangelicalism and ecclesiastical
compromise; can we expect a sellout of the real militant fundamentalism of the past? Will they use this
convention to gain financial, philosophical and numerical support for a broader based more inclusive
movement? We think so! A better name for this convention might be, “PsuedoFundamentalism ‘84!’
SPEAKERS FOR FUNDAMENTALISM '84'
“Wendell Zimmerman, Truman Dollar, Clyde Box, Tom Wallace, John White, Bob Gray, A.V.
Henderson, Bruce Cummons, Frank Johnson, Don Jennings, Joseph Brown, David Jeremiah, Herman
Frankland, Dan Gelatt, Wendell Kempton, Raymond Barber, Ed Hindson, Ray Hancock, Jerry Falwell, and
President Ronald Reagan (Tentative). Some of these men have been much King James Bible Believers and are
now joining in with those who ridicule and make fun of the King James Bible and thee who stand for it. Maybe
they are selling out to the highest bidder . . . or is it for prestige?” --Don Edwards
--by Herb Evans, Flaming Torch --Jan/Feb/March 1984, p. 1