My answer to National Catholic Reporter

Last updated on: December 4, 2015 at 10:45 am by Dave Griffey

My answer to National Catholic Reporter 2015-12-04T10:45:00-04:00 Dave Griffey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

And its gushing celebration of Pope Francis’s war on Fundamentalism.

I find the sudden thrashing and trashing of fundamentalism not unlike the trashing and thrashing of communism and socialism back in the day. After all, when we say ‘fundamentalists’, we usually mean some group of people holding fast to ideas or beliefs we disagree with. What is a fundamentalist? Someone who flies jets into skyscrapers?
Someone who thinks they are right and everyone who disagrees is wrong? If that is the case, who isn’t a fundamentalist/

It was as recent as the West Wing where, liberal though that show was, it went out of its way to point out that fundamentalism is not terrorism. Something we seem to have forgotten. Perhaps it’s just that we need someone to point our fingers at. Someone other than us. Sure, there is such a thing as fundamentalism. And usually, it’s us. Holding to fundamentals we will not budge on. After all, does Pope Francis think he might be wrong about some of the things he says? Some of the things he condemns? Probably no more than a KJV fundamentalist holds to his particular view of Bible translations.

At the end of the day, we’re all fundamentalists about the things we cherish, and usually pretty tolerant and open, dare I say liberal, about the things we don’t. Just what those things are might be different, but we’re all the same in that way. So the growing idea that fundamentalism and fundamentalists should all be lumped in with the world’s worst and condemned outright suggests we’re seeing just one more generation looking for the ‘them’ who we can blame for everything. And for a Pope who famously asked who is he to judge, I think he’s shown us exactly who he is to judge, and judge brutally and with a zeal that would shame many a fundamentalist pastor on sawdust floors in a South Alabama tent revival.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 4, 2015

Where liberalism is there is no liberty

Next Post

December 5, 2015 Why is Donald Trump popular?

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Atheism Awesome things Bigotry for the hip American Blogging Books Catholic Catholic Teaching Catholics on the Internet Christian Persecution Christian Unity Christianity and America Christianity in the Post-Modern World Christianity in the world Culture of Death Culture of Life Current Events Decline and Fall of the Christian West Defending Liberty Fun Stuff Global Warming Good Causes Good News Gun Control Health Care History Holidays Homeschool Humor Important things Inspiring Stories Interesting Insights Interesting Stories Islam and the West Liberal "Tolerance" Liberal observations Life in a post-Christian world Memorial Movies Musings News Other Blogs Our Big Politically Correct Bother Politics Popular Culture Post Modern Values Prayers Pro Life Promoting LGBT Protecting Liberty Racism in the world today Scientism Social Observations Sports Strange Stories The Boys The Catholic Church and the Left The Decline and Fall of the American Dream The end of liberty The Faith and the Left The Faith and the Right The Family The Greatness of God The Internet The Leftist Juggernaut The LGBT Question The Media The Pope The post-liberal Left The Power of Propaganda Tributes Twilight of the American Experiment Uncategorized Uneducating Postmoderns When the Church is wrong Why learn from history when we can repeat it instead Wisdom in the Post Modern Age World Events

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who touched Jesus' cloak and was healed of bleeding?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A centurion A woman in the crowd Jairus' daughter Martha