Fundamentalism can be a condition that afflicts not only the right and the left, but also the center, said Walter Shurden, professor of Christianity and director of the Center for Baptist Studies at Mercer University. Not only that, Shurden said, there's a fundamentalism "of those who claim not to be on the right or the left or in the center."I agree with this statement. I think that Fundamentalism is more about attitude than anything else. The behavior at some of these UR blogs is Fundamentalist in that people are cut off and demeaned if they don't agree with the UR dogma espoused there. At some of these UR blogs I have been called names and told that my comments were not welcome because they were different than their opinions and got people upset.
Fundamentalism is "not so much an ideology as it is an attitude, an attitude of intolerance, incivility and narrowness," Shurden said. "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.'
"It is an attitude that cuts off microphones, rudely terminates debate, stacks committees and centralizes power in order to control. It is not restricted to the right or the left."
I find this behavior to be a form of Universal Fundamentalism and have recently decided to protest by boycotting these UR sites.
I agree with you on the basic human behaviors. No matter the stance, there are many people who just won't let anyone have an opinion of their own. In other words, we're not open-minded unless we agree with them! Then the name calling. This is like the Rosie O'Donnell thing...she is so liberal, wants universal acceptance of her lifestyle and her image, yet shuts down anyone who disagrees with her...not with information or facts, but with personal insults.
ReplyDeleteI was in a similar discussion in which everyone but one person in the room said they enjoyed and took part, yet that one person chose to go on personal attacks instead of sticking to the facts and the issues at hand...so I know what you're saying. I think it's really an issue of emotional maturity and self-confidence.
I know the parties you're talking about, and I love ya all....but I understand and I'm saddened that some of them jump on those who disagree. They are showing the same ostracizing behaviors that they accuse the church of showing.