Why is it important to understand fundamentalism? Fundamentalism is incompatible with freedom of religion. The basis of freedom of religion is respect for other peoples right to disagree with you. To have freedom of religion, you must respect the right of others to believe something that you think is wrong. Fundamentalism is incompatible with democracy. Democracy is based on the belief that people with radically different beliefs and cultures can live together in peace if they respect each others rights to disagree. It is an essential characteristic of a democracy that the majority rules. However, what we frequently forget is that in a democracy, the majority cannot do whatever they want. For a democracy to survive, the majority must protect the rights of the minorities. The majority must limit themselves and their actions to those that are in the best interest of the society as a whole.
Fundamentalism is incompatible with Christianity. Christianity is the religion of freedom. It is the religion of tolerance and diversity. Christianity is a religion for all peoples in all cultures in all times. Fundamentalism is dedicated to cultural homogeneity and fixed behavior patterns, to unchanging traditions and conventions for governing social interactions. Fundamentalism is about condemning sin when you see it and taking a stand for what is "right." Christianity is about caring for the sinner as much as the saint, it is about understanding the factors that contribute to destructive behavior and leading those who have destroyed themselves, their families, and their friends to healing and forgiveness. Fundamentalists would have us believe that they are the guardians of Christian fundamentals but they are not. They are the guardians of their own position, culture, and power.
Human progress is essentially a search for truth. To the extent that fundamentalism blocks or impedes that search for the truth, it blocks or impedes human progress. True religion is a relentless search for and acceptance of truth about yourself and the universe in which you find yourself regardless of the discomfort that truth may cause. Fundamentalism must be confronted with education. It is obvious that the best innoculant against any form of ignorance is education. And make no mistake, fundamentalism is a form of spectacular ignorance, ignorance of the basic principles of true religion… It is no coincidence that fundamentalism has arisen in America at the same time that the public education system has collapsed. And it is also no coincidence that fundamentalism is strongest in America and elsewhere in the world wherever the educational system is at its weakest. ®
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