Recently a question was asked by a Christian writer as to "what does a Christian fundamentalist look like"? This took me by surprise and what follows is my response.

I was recently asked "what does a 'Christian Fundamentalist' look like" by a Christian writer. This is my response:

Well, Angela, I would say that a Christian fundamentalist looks the same as a Muslim fundamentalist who looks the same as a Jewish fundamentalist, etc. Its a matter of believing that only "one way" to heaven, to enlightenment, to God exist and no other way or belief is accepted or even permitted. The Taliban are perfect examples of fundamentalism at its worst. Many Christian groups don't allow music or dance and keep their children homeschooled so that they are not exposed to other people and their different ways. Girls and women are normally subjected to domineering, patriarchal attitudes as well as subjected to severe punishments.

It is not Christian or Islamic or Judaic teachings that are wrong--they are very similar and believe in the same God as you. But the intolerance of others, and an intolerance of others being different, seems to force fundamentalist to preach hatred to these other people and, at times, to actually harm them. Hundreds of people in Africa have been slaughtered over the last few years for being "witches"--they are herbalists, traditional practitioners of folk medicine, believers in their old ways. Slaughtered by Christians--as were the thousands in Europe tortured, burned and exploited by other Christians--both Catholic and Protestant. But fundamentalism is not confined to Christianity--not in a long shot. Hindu and Muslim people right now are dying in India and Pakistan because they are "different". I am not a Christian but I believe in a deity that is my own. I believe it is the same one that you believe in but called by a different name and visualized in a different manner. Mine is also one of love and patience. Mine does not throw his/her own offspring into burning fires because they misbehave. (By the way "hell" is a name taken from the Goddess of the underworld- "Hel". Her underworld was a place of rest and peace.) I think that more people would be amazed at the present state of religion and how their religious leaders teach if they would bother to read how religions develop. Most Christian teachings are based upon other, more ancient cultures and their mythology. Both Christian and Judaic foundations have been "borrowed" from other "Pagan" faiths but have been modified to fit the agendas of the patriarchal leadership over time. During the early years of Christianity another religion existed which was followed by a majority of people in the Middle East. Mithraism is still practiced in some ways by some in Iran. It offered baptism, it offered communion. Mithras had 12 disciples and died to save humankind--and was resurrected! This is not the only example of Dying Savior Gods. There are others with the same characteristics through time and through most cultures. Quetzalcoatl, Attis, Baldar, and Jesus are just some of these. Christianity borrowed many of these attributes from Mithraism. It was only when Constantine became the ruler of the Roman Empire did Christianity become "established". Interestingly Constantine is regarded as a Saint even though he boiled his wife alive and murdered his son and uncle. He outlawed any other religion and thousands of those nasty Pagans were slaughtered. It hasn't changes much since then.

I do not judge the religious beliefs of others, far from it. I do not tolerate, however, anyone telling someone who believes differently that they are doomed and deserve to die--either on this earth or in an afterlife.

Fundamentalism is simply intolerance. No matter how it is disguised. People around the world need to be left alone to believe as they will. Culture after culture has been destroyed by people trying to "convert" them to Christianity. Native Americans, the great civilizations of Mexico and South America, the Hawaian cultures, and more have been utterly destroyed from what they once were by people who forced their ways of life upon them. The same thing is happening in the Middle East now.

This is what fundamentalism means. Christians need to believe that their God knows more than they do. God is the only power to judge anothers worth of life and to take that life. For some reason though followers of Christian fundamentalism seem to think that they are the strong arm of God and know more what is right.

I strongly support you in your belief--I would just hope that you support me in mine.