A Psychological Analysis of Fundamentalism
Fundamentalism is a religious movement, a theological & philosophical
stand, a political and social force. I regard it most basically as a particular
variety of psychological development. Fundamentalists of all religious and political
varieties share the same character traits. It is the psychological character
of the fundamentalist that is at the root of the ideological interpretation
termed "fundamentalism," not an intellectual or spiritual concept.
"Fundamentalist" is a term sometimes used to refer to
anyone who is intolerant of other's beliefs. Fundamentalism is "not so
much an ideology as it is an attitude, an attitude of intolerance, incivility
and narrowness," says Walter Shurden, professor of Christianity and director
of the Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University. "It is an attitude
that says, 'We have the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and
we are going to impose it on you and control the system so that you will have
to knuckle under to it.'" As anyone who has ever attended a meeting of
two or more activists can attest, that attitude can be found at all points on
the political and religious spectrum.
There are, however, specific traits to what can be called "right
wing" fundamentalism (of any religion) that what is sometimes called "left
wing fundamentalism" lacks: authoritarianism, sexual guilt, and attitudes
toward women and homosexuals.
Psychological traits of fundamentalism:
- A strictly hierarchical and authoritarian worldview. Everything has to have
a First, a Somebody in Charge. In any partnership, one partner has to have
the deciding vote. Groups and societies work best with rigidly defined roles
and stratifications. (There are people who believe this way who are not fundamentalists:
at least, not religious fundamentalists.)
- Ethical development at the "reward and punishment" stage: morality
must be defined and enforced by an external authority.
- A lot of guilt and fear about sex.
- Basic distrust of human beings; certainty that "uncontrolled,"
human beings will be bad and vicious, particularly in sexual ways.
- Low tolerance for ambiguity. Everything must be clear cut, black and white.
Nothing can be "possibly true but unproven at this time, we're still
studying it." Fundamentalists regard science as flawed precisely because
science changes. (A striking characteristic of fundamentalists is that their
response to any setback which may instill doubt is to step up evangelizing
for converts.)
- Literalism, usually including a limited sense of humor.
- Distrust of their own judgment, or any other human being's judgment.
- Fear of the future. The driving motivation of fundamentalism appears to
outsiders to be fear that oneself or the group one identifies with is losing
power and prerequisites and is in danger from others who are gaining power.
This is not how fundamentalists put it.
- A low self-esteem that finds satisfaction in being one of the Elect, superior
to all others. It seems to be particularly rewarding to know that rich people
have a real hard time getting into Heaven.
The life experience of fundamentalist that seems to encourage these traits
include:
- Conditional love: parents, or other authority figures, withheld love to
control behavior.
- Other factors -- sometimes mental, emotional, or even physical abuse --
that minimized self-esteem.
- For those who grew up fundamentalist, the church was the central activity
of family life, all else was subsidiary to the church, and social interaction
with "non-believers" was discouraged, except when evangelizing.
- Those who have converted to fundamentalism often grew up without any firm
philosophical framework, or experienced some trauma that destroyed their former
framework. They were at a time in their lives when they needed absolute Answers.
Fundamentalist groups reinforce these traits:
- They insist on a rigid hierarchy of authority. The more extreme the group,
the more authority is concentrated in one central figure.
- The group, and the authority figure(s) within the group, withhold or bestow
love to control behavior. Misbehaving members are cut off from communication.
- They magnify current social and individual evils and dwell on the "innate
wickedness of man."
- Sexual "immorality" is often their central cause.
- They promote a Truth which is superior to all other truths because it is
absolute and unchanging.
- They promote distrust of one's personal judgment, being subject instead
to the given truths of the group, the judgment of the church as a body, or
the proclamations of a central authority figure.
- They are apocalyptic, foretelling an immanent and horrifying future which
only the faithful will survive. Any disaster in the news is magnified as "a
sign of the apocalypse.
The Alternative to Fundamentalism
Regardless of belief system, an individual is no longer a "fundamentalist"
when one develops:
- An unconditional self-esteem and (usually in consequence) an unconditional
love of others.
- A tolerance -- even enjoyment -- of ambiguity and diverse beliefs. One can
cheerfully live with the fact that one's neighbor on one side believes that
his little blue pickup truck is God and one's neighbor on the other side doesn't
believe in God at all, and feel no compulsion to convert either of them. One
is not frightened to question one's faith or explore alternatives.
- Free social and intellectual interaction with others, beyond -- or even
without -- evangelism.
- A trust that one can "figure things out," along with a willingness
to learn from others and to change one's mind.
- A faith that whatever the fluctuations in life and society, things can and
will get better. A feeling of personal responsibility and resolve to make
it so.
- A sense of humor.
It is not necessary to abandon all personal faith and beliefs in order to be
tolerant of others. The majority of the followers in any of the world's religions
are able to hold a strong personal belief and not feel threatened that others
hold different beliefs.
How does anyone ever become an ex-fundamentalist? Any or all of these factors
seem effective:
- Relationships with "non-believers" who become emotionally valued.
- Intellectual process: a build-up of contradictions between taught morality
and the behavior of church authorities and members; unresolved questions in
study of the Bible; what is taught about the world vs observation.
- Receiving unconditional love and acceptance from a non-fundamentalist.
- A strengthened self-esteem, with the loss of the need for others to be Wrong.
- A spiritual epiphany, with a new faith that one's relationship with God
is not conditional on "perfect" faith or behavior, that it can grow
and change.
Links:
On the term "left wing fundamentalists."
© Anitra L.
Freeman / Updated
December 13, 2002