The Culture Wars

The emergence of fundamentalism, a reaction to Enlightenment (and post-Enlightenment) is one of the things that is likely to whip up the masses into a frenzy of violence.





Note the definition:

A usually religious movement or point of view characterized by a return to fundamental principles, by rigid adherence to those principles, and often by intolerance of other views and opposition to secularism.

Now for some basics:

1. Some world-views are better than others.
2. Some world-views, when faithfully practiced, result in harm.
3. Religious fundamentalism, because it is inherently narcissistic (a worship of one's interpretation of a text and often one's thoughts in regard thereto), and because in its Monotheistic forms is exclusivist, promotes a lack of understanding of others, and engenders strife.
4. World views that are harmful are worse than those that are not.
5. Religious fundamentalism is therefore worse than non-fundamentalisms.

It's not surprising that there is Islamic terrorism, Jewish terrorism, and Christian terrorism in the world today. It's not surprising that Communists did their share of terrorism, too.

But clearly, out of concern for others, we must help those who are caught in this harmful lifestyle.