(August 16, 2009 at 9:47 am)EvidenceVsFaith Wrote: I would think that fundamentalism is when theists will never shift from their belief regardless. As - I think it was - Kurt Wise who said how he would never shift from his belief in God even if all the evidence in the world turned against creationism. I haven't got TGD with me atm as I'm on public comp, I think it was him though... but anyway - fundamentalism=sticking with the fundamentals no matter what I would have thought. Or at least that attitude if they in fact lost their faith, that wouldn't mean they weren't a fundamentalist. It's simply I think that - fundamentalism is this attitude of never shifting from their belief, it's absolutely fundamental, regardless of reasoning and evidence. And this is self-admitted.
EvF
You are pretty much on target. I was born into Fundalmentalism and it took me more than half of my life-time to crawl out from under it's grip. Fundamentalism was so indocrinated into my being that for a long time, it was WHO I WAS. My questions were squashed. My life was controled. The preacher was 2nd only to the "word of god". I had to struggle to reinvent myself. When I accomplised that, I truely found my real self and was at peace.
I know many people who can't hear anything remotely argumentive about their Fundamentalist religion because it is who they are. They are defined by it and find a great comfort in its demanding control of their lives. The fellowship with like-minded people keeps them going back for more.
In a "nut-shell", fundamnetalism might be defined as having members who are certain that they are the "true religion" and can not be swayed from that belief no matter what sane argument is put before them. They also need to convert, convert, convert.
