Fundamentalism Dr. Christopher S. Rice

Contemporary Jewish Fundamentalism

Six-Day War (1967)

Kookists

Gush Emunin

What do they believe? Government enforcement of strict observance of traditional religious beliefs Halakah Enlargement of Jewish settlements in Gaza and West Bank

Government enforcement of strict observance of traditional religious beliefs

Halakah

Enlargement of Jewish settlements in Gaza and West Bank

What do they believe? Government enforcement of strict observance of traditional religious beliefs Halakah Enlargement of Jewish settlements in Gaza and West Bank

Government enforcement of strict observance of traditional religious beliefs

Halakah

Enlargement of Jewish settlements in Gaza and West Bank

Contemporary Islamic Fundamentalism

A response to three factors: Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II. The creation of Israel in 1948. The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II.

The creation of Israel in 1948.

The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

A response to three factors: Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II. The creation of Israel in 1948. The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II.

The creation of Israel in 1948.

The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

A response to three factors: Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II. The creation of Israel in 1948. The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

Decolonialization of the Middle East following (and during) World War II.

The creation of Israel in 1948.

The continuing influence of Western ideas and practices on Islamic countries.

Arab Pan-Nationalism

IRAN

Opposition to Shah fueled by: Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself The Westernization of Iran The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself

The Westernization of Iran

The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces

Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Opposition to Shah fueled by: Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself The Westernization of Iran The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself

The Westernization of Iran

The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces

Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Opposition to Shah fueled by: Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself The Westernization of Iran The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself

The Westernization of Iran

The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces

Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Opposition to Shah fueled by: Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself The Westernization of Iran The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Fundamentalist criticism of the Shah himself

The Westernization of Iran

The brutality of the Shah’s police and security forces

Growing and persistent economic inequalities in Iran.

Contemporary Christian Fundamentalism

The “Great Awakening”

The New Israel

Contemporary Christian Fundamentalists

Roe v. Wade

Opposition to contemporary liberalism, secular humanism

Philosophy of Fundamentalism

Fundamentalism Strict adherence to ancient or fundamental doctrines, with no concessions to modern developments in thought or customs.

Science explains the what , not the why …

“ If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Sacred Texts

Inerrancy vs. Science

Human Nature

Social Creatures

Women ≠ Men

Maintenance of “Traditional Families”

Secular Humanism

Secular Humanism Public/Private Split, Banishment of Religion from Public Sphere

Secular Humanism Public/Private Split, Banishment of Religion from Public Sphere Science

Secular Humanism Public/Private Split, Banishment of Religion from Public Sphere Science Individualism

Secular Humanism Public/Private Split, Banishment of Religion from Public Sphere Science Individualism Relativism & Multiculturalism

Relativism the viewpoint that all beliefs and practices are simply matters of taste, including those beliefs of the fundamentalists. No belief or practice may be viewed as objectively correct.

GOALS

Ideological?

Superpatriotism the tendency to place nationalistic pride and supremacy above every other public consideration, the readiness to follow our leaders uncritically in their dealings with other nations, especially confrontations involving the use of military force and violence.

“ We are not deceived by their pretenses to piety. We have seen their kind before. They are the heirs of all the murderous ideologies of the 20th century. By sacrificing human life to serve their radical visions – by abandoning every value except the will to power – they follow in the path of fascism, and Nazism, and totalitarianism. ” President George W. Bush, “Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People”

Community of Believers

Totalitarianism the complete control of society – government, social, economic, cultural institutions – in order to fulfill an ideological vision of how society should be organized and how life should be lived.

Authority

Jewish & Christian Fundamentalists vs. Muslim Fundamentalists

Fundamentalism and Authority Believe that government power should be exercised to promote a community of believers and the moral conduct their faith requires of them. Government should not prohibit the expression of religious beliefs, but facilitate the free display of the dominant religious orientation. Public education – instead of teaching secular humanism, cultural pluralism and relativism – should teach the superiority of the cultures, religion of the fundamentalists. Instead of a complete freedom of speech, governments should regulate non-political speech which denigrates sacred values and accepted morality. Accept individual freedoms, but want government, religious authority to promote the moral values, actions emphasized in their particular religious beliefs.

Believe that government power should be exercised to promote a community of believers and the moral conduct their faith requires of them.

Government should not prohibit the expression of religious beliefs, but facilitate the free display of the dominant religious orientation.

Public education – instead of teaching secular humanism, cultural pluralism and relativism – should teach the superiority of the cultures, religion of the fundamentalists.

Instead of a complete freedom of speech, governments should regulate non-political speech which denigrates sacred values and accepted morality.

Accept individual freedoms, but want government, religious authority to promote the moral values, actions emphasized in their particular religious beliefs.