General Discussion

It evolved from the same Reformation stew of ideas, but without the focus on an educated ministry and a literate congregation like Puritans, Presbyterians and others. Education led those to solidify into more benign forms of religion, Congregationalists, Universalist, Presbyterians, etc. One can be a nominal member of those, not believe much of the woo, and no one cares since your educated minister probably doesn't believe the totality of it themselves. Do the same in Evangelical circles and you're a damn heretic bound for hell!!

Evangelicals actually believe all the crap. All of it. They also don't value education generally since they rightly view it as a danger to the cult. What frightens them is the honest search for facts and ideas which leads to questions. Dangerous questions. Can't have that!. And like Muslim fundys, they would happily destroy the world to make it Evangelical, i.e., Dominionists. Or happily watch the world burn so they can go to heaven while everyone else roasts in hell. The core of doomsday, death cult belief, American style.

In my mind, the "Great Awakenings" of the 18th and 19th centuries are the worst things that ever happened to America. They launched the Evilgelical movement in the US and we've been a hotbed of that stupidity ever since.