Fundamentalism and all that jazz.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.
• Position: Parting Thoughts

A FEW YEARS AGO, a conference was held at the University of Oklahoma to explore the problems the world faced. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, a participant, maintained that religious fundamentalists and their intolerant attitudes would be one of the roots of worldwide political conflict. Obviously, events have proved him correct. Fundamentalists demonstrate a dogmatism that brooks no discussion. It is a mindset, dictated by will, not by reason. A blind faith has given rise to a blinder certainty that denies not only scientific and historical facts, but common sense.

In colonial times, however, fundamentalism--at least America's Christian variety--lost ground to the Enlightenment thinkers who framed our Constitution. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, wrote his nephew, "Your own reason is the only oracle given you by heaven." Many of our country's Founding Fathers accepted only Deism, the belief that God may have created the world, but then it was on its own, mirroring Isaac Newton's notion of the world as a giant clock, given an initial one-time windup by Deity.

Christian fundamentalism--especially old beliefs--did make a comeback in 1909, with the publication and distribution of 3,000,000 pamphlets called The Fundamentals. Part of today's movement (although with variations on the theme) are The Moody Bible Institute, and evangelists such as Billy Graham, Oral Roberts, and Jerry Falwell. Their charismatic charms overshadow the critical thinking of their massive and submissive audiences.

Southern Baptists hold a prominent place among those who believe the word of the Bible is inerrant. Literally, it is the word of God, Jonah was swallowed by a large fish, only to be spit out and survive. Noah's Ark did contain both genders of each animal in the world. Moreover, Methuselah actually lived some 900 years!

Seventh-Day Adventists hold that the universe was created in six days, but, as a halfhearted sop to astronomers, many will modify their position that this meant 6,000 years. Other adherents also concede that while some living things may have evolved, not so with man, who was created directly by God. The Tennessee verdict against the teaching of evolution engendered by the celebrated Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925 was a pyrrhic victory, as after 40 years, the law was repealed.

Fundamentalists, though, are still fighting tooth and nail the theory of evolution, demanding that "scientific creationism," an oxymoron at best, be taught alongside...