Summary

There is very little information that exists about the psychological effects of fundamental versus non-fundamental Christianity in relation to dogma versus non-dogmatic views and practices. Fundamanthalists follow a rigid, perfectionistic, one-sided dogma about how to live life, according to Analytical theory. Therefore it seemed likely that some significant narcissistic effects fundamentalists have are due to a lack of Self-awareness, which its dogma promotes versus non-fundamentalists. The research reported here was designed to study these possibilities.

The study's research questions are answered through the findings and theory that were utilized. Fundamental Christiams tend to identify themselves with their "Christian" persona since they keep their ego's focus on their external authoritarian dogma. Thus, they do not know their unconscious self, consciously. All recommendations are geared toward mental health professionals working with fundamental versus non-fundamental Christians to recognize tthe differences between them. This, it is recommended that recognition take place in regards to understanding that fundamental Christians are long term therapy candidates due to their lack of Self-awareness via Christian dogma. Sensitivity must take place toward these patients' value system in order to maintain a healthy thereapeutic references (amplifications) in regards to how their Christian value system relates to many other psycho-spiritual references, which have an external and internal Self relationship. Emphasis on more research to be done, about narcissism, between fundamental and non-fundamantal Christians were discussed.

Author Information

Joseph Lancaster was born and baptized Catholic. He attended masses as well as catechism until he was nine years of age. Joseph's family converted to a conservative Protestant Christianity, and he became what mainstream Christians call a “born again” Christian through his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Savior when at the age of ten. After this event, Joseph was baptized. He learned to put his belief in the dogma (of which he was unaware) of this Fundamentalist Christianity based on Orthodox Catholic roots. He also learned to put his faith in Jesus Christ as God the Savior to prevent himself from going to Hell. Very often, Joseph read the Bible, and went to Church two to three times per week. He was involved in popular “Christian activities,” like listening to Christian music, making Christian music, wearing Christian T-shirts, watching Christian television, dating Christian singles, going to Christian concerts, reading Christian magazines, having Christian friends, and going to Christian conventions. He pursued this practice and belief for seventeen years.

During these years, Joseph was unaware of the distinction between belief and truth. Belief is not always truth. For example, a person can believe another person is the greatest thing since apple pie, yet later find out he lied and cheated on her. Or, people can believe the Bible is the most complete and inerrant book in the world, yet later find out many of its historical Christian leaders manipulated the text for their own gains.

Joseph surprisingly began to notice that many people were either not interested in his preaching (which he thought was a way of showing love), or they were defensive and angry about it. More specifically, he eventually noticed that he had this “I know the only truth” perspective (religiously and psychologically), which many didn’t find appealing. Joseph had an attitude that rejected many people, religions, friends, and family who didn’t fit his view of the world (in other words “Dogma”). He eventually found that mainstream Christianity (sometimes in other Churches and his own as well) had some sort of control on the word “Christian.” Almost everything he was involved in was Christianized in order to make it right! The “we are right” attitude as a Fundamentalist Christian was something Joseph had to keep fighting for through his fundamentalist scripture interpretations, what Church he went to versus others, and so forth. His personality had traits of intolerance, confrontation, anger, and fearfulness. Having “my way” was a security blanket; it helped to keep his fears down. Joseph also noticed that mainstream Christians basically liked to be around their own kind in the many Church and Christian activities they coordinated.

Noticing these things in mainstream Christians and in himself, Joseph spent three years diligently doing mystical spiritual practices, studying other religions, having pain and struggles, evolving, learning to be more open minded, acquiring deeper understandings through psychological graduate school, attending therapy, and experiencing what other religions had to offer. Finally, to finish his doctorate school requirement, he had to write a dissertation (his first book). Inundated by the writings of the founder of Analytical Psychology, Dr. Carl Jung, Joseph noticed more and more of Dr. Jung's psycho-spiritual references to a group of early Christians called Gnostics. Joseph had never before heard of them. Through all of his Church attendance and experience of other denominations, no Church group ever spoke about them. When he was interviewing different Fundamentalist pastors for his dissertation, Joseph asked them about the Gnostic Christians and, at best, they may have heard of them but knew nothing about them. Through many readings, he became fascinated by these original Christians who had such profound insights into psychological spirituality as well as accounts and sayings of Jesus Christ.

Joseph wanted to find the modern Gnostic Christians. He looked and found very little. When he least expected it in a spiritual magazine, he saw the name “Gnostic…Dr. Stephan Hoeller …free lectures on Friday evenings.” Even an address was included. Joseph was happily in awe. In December 2001, he attended a Friday Gnostic Christian lecture and a regular Sunday Mass, which was positively beyond words. He finally found a place within Christianity where he could be the real Joseph (without the dogma conditioning him to be biased, prejudiced, intolerant of other views, or a proselytizer). Gnostic Christianity has psychological insights, practices of Self-awareness, teachings/sacraments of Jesus Christ, and it is an original form of Christianity. Joseph was, so to speak, “reborn into a new means, understanding, and experience” by his religious heritage called Christianity. With this higher Consciousness, he now knew that he could happily stay with the Christian view.

The author considers himself to be a “Truth Seeker” who is open to all world-wide religious traditions.