Bible thumper

English

Alternative forms

• Bible-thumper

Noun

Bible thumper (plural Bible thumpers)

1. (derogatory) A Christian fundamentalist or overzealous evangelical Christian.
   • 1870, J. Ashworth, “Old Ab'.”, in Strange Tales from Humble Life‎^[1], Manchester: Tubbs and Brook, page 253:

     Zeal and knowledge have here a wide field ; the calm, thoughtful logician ; the cold, phlegmatic reasoner ; the cautious, pathetic pleader ; the shouting, stamping Bible thumper ; all have their mission, all have their followers and admirers...

   • 1900 June 16, Joseph Paul, “Lord Roberts in Times of Peace”, in The Standard‎^[2], volume 47, number 42, Chicago: Goodman & Dickerson, page 7:

     The terms "Blue Light," "Holy Joe" and "Bible Thumper" began to lose some of their venom ; religion in the army was respected.

   • 1984, Anthony West, H.G. Wells: Aspects of a Life‎^[3], London: Hutchinson, →ISBN, →OL, page 126:

     But in spite of the antics of its Bible thumpers and its boobocracy, my father was unable to stay mad at the United States for long.

Synonyms

• Bible banger, Bible basher, Jesus freak, Christer, fundie

Related terms

• Koran thumper
• tubthumper