Fundamentalism Is Dangerous. Period.

Holding the humanity of others in tribalistic times

Photo by Thiébaud Faix on Unsplash

The news is so heavy this week, and I feel myself starting to wear from how much pain and anxiety there is in the world. The atrocities happening in Gaza are awful — pain and suffering on such a mass level that we beg to turn away from it. I find myself repeatedly going into my “mind castle;” I would rather learn than feel. At the same time, we know secondary traumatic stress is real, and I am mindful that overwhelming our own bodies and psyches does not help people in actual suffering.

I’m also feeling the all-too-familiar feelings from 2016-2020 of the constant turmoil of anxiety. These were most recently brought on by Trump’s repeated statements about “vermin” and exterminating or expelling the undesirables — “Communists, socialists, Radical Left Thugs” — from society. Straight from the Nazi playbook. My stomach turns over and I hate and am terrified that the vast majority of Republicans, including people in my own family, would be willing to vote for him.

All that to say: Learn what’s going on, but take breaks as needed. Rest, find something that brings you joy, check out in meaningless ways. I’m hoping today’s post won’t be TOO triggering, but if you need a break, save this email for later or go visit my post from last week about being okay with hibernation:

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We’re talking about fundamentalism today. In this newsletter, we pretty much exclusively focus on Christian fundamentalism — and oh how much there is to focus on! But something humans in general, and Americans and American Christians in particular, have a tendency to do is to center our own story. We forget that other narratives exist that are completely outside our perspective.

First, a definition: Fundamentalism can be defined, in a very basic way, as a [often religious, but not always — atheists can be fundamentalists too!] group that holds to a strict, literal interpretation of its sacred texts or ideologies. They have strong beliefs about in group / out group status with a focus on maintaining a sense of purity within the group. They also believe they are the only ones with the correct interpretation of truth, and usually want to force this interpretation on others.

The strict, conservative evangelicalism many of us grew up in qualifies as fundamentalist in many ways. I’ve talked about that plenty; if you’re new here, feel free to browse the archive for more background if you need it.

Christianity isn’t the only group that has a fundamental wing, of course. Even Buddhists, whom we might imagine as peaceful Zen monks, have fundamentalists: think about Myanmar and the Buddhist majority’s oppression of the Muslim minority.

Israel is currently governed by the most far-right government in its history. Specifically, by a fundamentalist Jew in the form of Benjamin Netanyahu: a man with Zionist beliefs who does not believe that Muslim occupants of Palestine have any right to be there. Throughout the many years he has been Prime Minister, he seems to have no real intent to engage in a peacemaking process that would be fair to Palestinians, and currently is completely disregarding Palestinian lives (and, we might add, Israeli life) and international opinion as he continues to engage in violent Gaza attacks.

Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, and other militant Islamic groups are also fundamentalist. Palestine is, of course, currently governed by the Hamas party. Hamas also does not believe that Israel has a right to exist or that Jews should be in Palestine. Before October 7, they were known for their suicide bombers, and now we see even more that they are willing to engage in violent attacks without regard for Israeli or Palestinian life.

If I am horrified to think of what is happening in my own country with far-right Republicans and wannabe dictators, it sickens me to think what it would be like to live in the Middle East.

I think it can be easy , at least in this political moment, for the political Right in the U.S. to romanticize Israel. Ok, perhaps it’s less romanticizing and more genuinely having the same goals because of Zionism and evangelical Christianity’s disturbing obsession with the End Times.

And I wonder if some of the Left in response romanticizes the countervailing Palestinian nationalism found in the violent actions of Hamas and others. As if the violence and the suicide bombings were the only way, the right way, to fight back against a settler / colonizing state.

I don’t know what it’s like to feel so passionate about your religion and the idea of your homeland - a religious homeland - that you’re willing to kill others to defend it. It breaks my heart that humans can treat other humans that way.

Fundamentalism is fundamentalism, and fundamentalism is dangerous.

If the only perspective you believe is right is your own, and if you believe that your people and your way of life is the only one that deserves to thrive… that is fundamentalist thinking.

Fundamentalism is fundamentalism, and fundamentalism is violent.

Sometimes it’s violent in very literal ways, and sometimes in slightly more metaphorical ways: with violence to material well-being that is still not as extreme as death and destruction, or to the psyche.

If we fail to see the humanity of others, then we succumb to fundamentalism in some form. We see ourselves as more human, more right, more worthy, than others. But in so doing, part of us becomes dehumanized. Holding space for the humanity of all is incredibly difficult, and incredibly painful if we really open our hearts to it. But I think it is what we need if we are ever to find a way forward from the hatred and violence we are swimming in around the world.

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Whew. This post has been really hard / exhausting to write. Partially because I don’t want to say the “wrong” thing, but also because it’s just SO. Heavy. Feels like a big ol’ hole opens up right below my ribs every time I focus my attention on it. I’m choosing to think of that as my body’s way of reacting to — maybe even holding?? — the pain and suffering, and I can respond to that by breathing and by honoring the humanity of all involved. Offer a prayer or meditation of loving kindness towards all those who are hurting. Turn towards compassion and away from fundamentalism in all its forms.

Wishing much peace and love to you, my friends. Heavy stuff today. If this has stirred something in you, I would love to hear in the comments, or just share how you’ve been doing with holding all the bad news of the world (or not holding it! I’m not here to judge your ways of survival!). And if you think this post is worth someone else reading, would you press the little heart button or share it with a friend?