Religious Fundamentalism.
Is Religious Fundamentalism always Totalitarian and Prone to Violence?
Fundamentalism is “a belief in returning to the literal meanings of scriptural texts. Fundamentalism may arise as a response to modernization and rationalization, insisting on faith-based answers, and defending tradition by using traditional grounds.” Fundamentalists believe that their view is only one true view of the world which leaves no room for ambiguity and that this is the true correct belief (Giddens, 2009). Fundamentalist ideas are ideas based on what is thought to be the one ‘essential truth’. Throughout fundamentalism, there are different strains of thought with regards how to approach the true life. One is Passive, where its members withdraw into their own small communities and share it with only a few on the outside when necessary. The other is Active, which focuses on bringing opposition to the entire modern world until they have their way. There are also different families of fundamentalisms in the world. Examples of these would be Islamic fundamentalism and The Christian Right movements. Fundamentalism shares throughout the different religions a common rejection of ‘liberal attitudes’. The attitudes rejected are those of morality, the lifestyle of the people and politics of the nation. Instead what are believed in are the traditional values of social order and morality, along with old-fashioned nationalism (Adams, 1993).
“Religious fundamentalism may be heavily politicized and, conversely, it can adopt some of the characteristics of totalitarian ideologies” (Freeden, 2003). Fundamentalism is a main feature of the modern world. With it being a reaction to the secularization of the globe, as a moral protest to the modern values, it cannot be ignored. Several key characteristics of fundamentalism can be identified. It seems that the most serious of these characteristics being that religion and politics are seen as inseparable by its followers. They see the divide
Fundamentalism is “a belief in returning to the literal meanings of scriptural texts. Fundamentalism may arise as a response to modernization and rationalization, insisting on faith-based answers, and defending tradition by using traditional grounds.” Fundamentalists believe that their view is only one true view of the world which leaves no room for ambiguity and that this is the true correct belief (Giddens, 2009). Fundamentalist ideas are ideas based on what is thought to be the one ‘essential truth’. Throughout fundamentalism, there are different strains of thought with regards how to approach the true life. One is Passive, where its members withdraw into their own small communities and share it with only a few on the outside when necessary. The other is Active, which focuses on bringing opposition to the entire modern world until they have their way. There are also different families of fundamentalisms in the world. Examples of these would be Islamic fundamentalism and The Christian Right movements. Fundamentalism shares throughout the different religions a common rejection of ‘liberal attitudes’. The attitudes rejected are those of morality, the lifestyle of the people and politics of the nation. Instead what are believed in are the traditional values of social order and morality, along with old-fashioned nationalism (Adams, 1993).
“Religious fundamentalism may be heavily politicized and, conversely, it can adopt some of the characteristics of totalitarian ideologies” (Freeden, 2003). Fundamentalism is a main feature of the modern world. With it being a reaction to the secularization of the globe, as a moral protest to the modern values, it cannot be ignored. Several key characteristics of fundamentalism can be identified. It seems that the most serious of these characteristics being that religion and politics are seen as inseparable by its followers. They see the divide