What is a "fundamentalist"?

Since Sas wants to keep his thread on track I want to reopen the discussion which occurred there. I will cut and paste the relevant posts.


I have always wondered what the term "fundamentalist" stands for.

What does it stand for in case it is applied to Christians?

What does it mean in case it is applied to Muslems ?

What does it mean if it is applied to Hindus ?

The term is also used to refer to certain secular groups in society, the secular fundamentalists.

If intolerance and bigotry are two of the main features of being a fundamentalist then we certainly have a few secular fundamentalists as well roaming the RHP forums and waving their flags in an unmistakable way.

Sasquatch:

07 Dec '05 16:19 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
Sas: " Ivanhoe, while we've gone back and forth, doesn't strike me as particularly intolerant of others."

I have always wondered what the term "fundamentalist" stands for.

What does it stand for in case it is applied to Christians?

What does it mean in case it is applied to Muslems ?

What does it mean if it is applied to Hindus ?

...[text shortened]... ar fundamentalists as well roaming the RHP forums and waving their flags in an unmistakable way.


Fundamentalists, to me, believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible.

There are good fundamentalists - the majority of them, in fact. Then there are bad fundamentalists. I think to me the difference is, do you go to church on Sundays, pretending you have some special kind of insight that nobody else has, then run around the other six days of the week, talking about your neighbors behind their back, deciding whether they're going to heaven or hell, and judging other peoples' actions? Is your message positive or negative? Do you believe that war in the Middle East is a good thing, because it signals the real start of the End Times? Do you secretly wish for nuclear war so that Christ's reign on earth can begin? Do you have a positive or negative view of mankind? (I mean, God created us, didn't He? So if you view man negatively, then aren't you viewing one of God's creations negatively?)

I'm not familiar enough with Hinduism to speak intelligently on it, so I won't go there. I will note, though, that the separation between the Fundamentalist Christians I believe are dangerous (and also comprise a very small but very vocal and active portion of Christian fundamentalism) bear more than a passing resemblance to fundamentalist Muslims.

Ivanhoe:

07 Dec '05 16:32 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by sasquatch672
Fundamentalists, to me, believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible.

There are good fundamentalists - the majority of them, in fact. Then there are bad fundamentalists. I think to me the difference is, do you go to church on Sundays, pretending you have some special kind of insight that nobody else has, then run around the other six days of ...[text shortened]... ion of Christian fundamentalism) bear more than a passing resemblance to fundamentalist Muslims.


How about secular fundamentalists ?

Bosse de Nage:

07 Dec '05 16:33 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
How about secular fundamentalists ?


They must interpret something literally. What?

Sas:

07 Dec '05 16:38 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
How about secular fundamentalists ?


Define "secular fundamentalist" for me and give me an example of someone here who argues from that viewpoint.

Ivanhoe:

07 Dec '05 16:59 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
They must interpret something literally. What?


Let's say. The constitution of the USA.

There could be other "Scriptures" as well, of course.

Ivanhoe:

07 Dec '05 17:08 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by sasquatch672
Define "secular fundamentalist" for me and give me an example of someone here who argues from that viewpoint.


"a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles"

http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/fundamentalist

Sas: " .... an example of someone here who argues from that viewpoint."

You go first ..... ha ha ha .....

Echechero:


07 Dec '05 17:13 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by sasquatch672
Define "secular fundamentalist" for me and give me an example of someone here who argues from that viewpoint.


Given that "fundamentalist" refers to a person who believes there is a need to return to stricter, more "fundamental" views, rules, and ways, often by supporting intolerance of secularism and other deviations away from traditional beliefs of their particular faith, I'm not sure how it would be possible to be a "secular fundamentalist."

Rwingett:

07 Dec '05 17:14 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
Let's say. The constitution of the USA.


Do you mean someone like arch-conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia who argues for a literalist intepretation of the US Constitution?

Sonhouse:


07 Dec '05 17:29 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
Sas: " Ivanhoe, while we've gone back and forth, doesn't strike me as particularly intolerant of others."

I have always wondered what the term "fundamentalist" stands for.

What does it stand for in case it is applied to Christians?

What does it mean in case it is applied to Muslems ?

What does it mean if it is applied to Hindus ?

...[text shortened]... ar fundamentalists as well roaming the RHP forums and waving their flags in an unmistakable way.


I think fundamentalists are defined among other aspects, by their
desire to make their religion a government. I think the
Christian right would qualify in that regard as well as the
muslim extremists as in Iran or the Afghan Taliban.
They all have one thing in common: Extreme pressure on
people to convert.

Ivanhoe;


07 Dec '05 17:34 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by echecero
Given that "fundamentalist" refers to a person who believes there is a need to return to stricter, more "fundamental" views, rules, and ways, often by supporting intolerance of secularism and other deviations away from traditional beliefs of their particular faith, I'm not sure how it would be possible to be a "secular fundamentalist."


Echechero: " I'm not sure how it would be possible to be a "secular fundamentalist."

A secular fundamentalist refers to a person who believes there has to be a strict more "fundamental" view, rules and ways, often by supporting intolerance of religionism and other deviations away from traditional beliefs of their own particular ideology.

Ivanhoe:


07 Dec '05 17:36 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by rwingett
Do you mean someone like arch-conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia who argues for a literalist intepretation of the US Constitution?


I do not know that person. Please give an example of his secular fundamentalism in regard to the constitution as you see it.

Sas:


07 Dec '05 17:36 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
Echechero: " I'm not sure how it would be possible to be a "secular fundamentalist."

A secular fundamentalist refers to a person who believes there has to be a strict more fundamental view, rules and ways, often by supporting intolerance of religionism and other deviations away from traditional beliefs of their own particular ideology.


"religionism". Nice.

07 Dec '05 17:37 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by sonhouse
I think fundamentalists are defined among other aspects, by their
desire to make their religion a government. I think the
Sas:

Christian right would qualify in that regard as well as the
muslim extremists as in Iran or the Afghan Taliban.
They all have one thing in common: Extreme pressure on
people to convert.


I would also include this in my definition. In fact, it's a feature of the "bad" fundamentalists I was talking about.

07 Dec '05 17:37 :: 0 recommendations
Originally posted by ivanhoe
Echechero: " I'm not sure how it would be possible to be a "secular fundamentalist."

marauder:


A secular fundamentalist refers to a person who believes there has to be a strict more fundamental view, rules and ways, often by supporting intolerance of religionism and other deviations away from traditional beliefs of their own particular ideology.


That makes no sense at all. Please give an example of a strict fundamentalist secular country or ideology.