@ cool cats
What do fundies hope to accomplish by lying? Any fundementalist Christians who happen to read my post, please answer. Is it fear of God not existing so you won't be in Heaven after you die. Are you secretly afraid the atheists are right about death being dissolution. Trying to get as many followers to start a theocracy? This is a serious question, do you have an answer?
Former fundie, so I think I can answer.
Their faith is that weak.
It's not so much a fear of God not existing, but a fear of God period. Remember this is the religion that sends you to hell for basic natural urges. It's a religion that tells you that everyone is going to hell unless you have enough faith. But if you read the bible, having enough faith is an impossibility. If you have enough faith,you can move mountains (literally). Then people around you start lying. They start speaking in tongues, having visions, cast out demons. So you start lying, and the more you lie, the more you're accepted. But deep down you:
A)hate yourself for lying, because lying is a sin.
B)fear that you are going to hell for lying
C)actually believe that the others really have enough faith for these great and wonderful things
So you start hating yourself, because try as you might, you just don't seem to measure up for god. This leads to an extremely bitter outlook on life, and instead of trying to find internal peace, you start looking outwards at all the earthly 'sin'. Your leaders tell you that we could have paradise on earth if we could only stop the sinners. Also those sinful thoughts that everyone has. Ever looked at the neighbours new car and said "wow, wish I had a car like that?" - sin. Looked at your wife in a lustful manner? - sin. Checked the size of the guy beside you in the showers? - sin. Masturbated? - sin. Not having Jesus speak to you personally? - not a sin, but you're not worthy. There's so much contradiction in the bible, that everything is a sin. Give me any action that a human can perform, and I will find you biblical quotes that can be construed to show it as a sin. They even believe in sins that are not mentioned anywhere in the bible.
That's why they get so vicious when they're attacked. A person who is strong in their faith (whatever faith that may be) would not be ruffled by a challenge to their religion. They also don't feel the urge to shove it down others throats.
Hoe that helps.