Fuzzy thinking re "fundamentalism"

Submitted by Doc (United States), Jul 31, 2002 at 16:04

Regarding the comments concerning so-called "religious fundamentalism" (AKA actually believing and practicing the doctrine you profess to hold), please note:

"Tolerance" is a virtue, to a certain extent. It is morally right to be tolerant of, say, your friendly neighborhood Buddhists, such that one does not seek to imprison them for maintaining incorrect beliefs about the nature of life, the universe, and everything. It is NOT morally right, however, to be tolerant of rapists, murderers, and those who incite others to do so. The next question is, how do we know that tolerance is a virtue? Who says that it is? If one denies the very possibility of Divine Command concerning morality, and the reality of Divine Revelation concerning it, then one has no rational grounds from which to proclaim that tolerance of any form is a virtue. Certainly one cannot deduce such a principle from nature. The lion is tolerant of the zebra only to the extent that he provides lunch. Bigger monkeys are tolerant of littler monkeys only to the extent that the little monkey surrenders his banana.

But to acknowledge the reality of Divine Revelation is to be a fundamentalist! So I will proudly admit to being a Christian fundamentalist, who maintains the truth of Scripture, among which is that I am to love my enemies, do good to those who despitefully use me, etc. Whether or not He wants me to work to peacefully transform the U.S. to Mosaic law, I'm not sure. But if it's done peacefully, then it will by definition be done according to our republican (NOT democratic!) form of government, not by jihad!

Peace
Doc

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