Topic: Religious Fundamentalism

Stuart: Why do you think that in the current century people have lost faith in science; and religion has made such a comeback in its various forms of fundamentalism and the burgeoning phenomenon of New Age religions?

Kirsten: I do not think people have lost faith in science. People rely on science. In the western world, we take for granted a quality of life that is largely the result of science and technology. We take it for granted that when we need tests, the hospitals will have high-tech equipment, when we need to travel we get on a plane. We play CDs, watch films, microwave our food, read e-mails, take videos of our kids. I think we all take science for granted and simultaneously have very high expectations of it. Religious beliefs often co-exist with faith in science, or rather, expectations of science. For most people, I suspect, they are separate things. However, it is not incompatible to believe in a higher power and have faith in the human mind to invent. The New Age religions appeal to our short attention spans, our wish for easily understood religion and for religion to be fun and not hard work. People like to be able to reach into a grab-bag of ideas from around the world. It is the lazy, non-committal approach, I suppose, as religious beliefs go.

Stuart: Do you think there is a difference in the way that religions of revelation (i.e. the Bible, the Koran) and religions of experience (i.e. Buddhism) encourage fundamentalism in their followers?

Kirsten: I do not know enough about world religions to tackle this! My personal opinion is that fundamentalism can be found anywhere and everywhere. It may be encouraged by group doctrine, but it is often an individual choice. People can be as fundamentalist and self-righteous about their choice of diet, the way they dress and the brands of stuff they buy, as they can about their religious beliefs. It is probably unwise to suggest that one type of religion is any more sage or level-headed than any other. Written texts are interpreted in so many different ways by their followers, so people will find a directive to behave in an extreme fashion if that is what they go looking for.

Stuart: Why do you think religion has not died like so many rationalists were predicting in the last century? In fact, it has actually flourished.

Kirsten: In times of uncertainty, people need to believe in a higher power. When the world is constantly and quickly changing, life feels unstable and unpredictable and people feel vulnerable. It is an enormous consolation to think that someone or something is watching over the world, keeping us safe and solid and making a complex world simpler. To add to the confusion, people often cling very strongly to religion for reasons of nationhood (Israel), patriotism (the US), history and so on. While they may believe in a god as individuals, their religion has a greater weight to them. This type of religious following is, of course, thriving right now. Having said that, things come and go in waves throughout human history. They always have. Religion has existed since day 'dot' and it comes and goes in mass popularity. There is an element of conservatism in religion (as opposed to spiritualism) that makes it attractive after times of big change (like the crash at the end of the 1980s). We are living in dangerous, unpredictable times and religion may help people feel safe.

Stuart: Why have people gone from not believing in much at all, to believing in almost everything (i.e. spirits, supernaturalism, communing with the dead, UFOs, etcetera.)?

Kirsten: We believe in some amazing things! But when have we not believed in witches, ghosts, angels and monsters? Tarot and palm-reading and astrology have been around for centuries. I guess this, too, is part of a desperate search for answers. People have never really been content to think that living is enough. We want another shot at it, we want there to be hidden meaning, we want there to be something more than what we can see. We want to think that we are part of a greater mystery to give our lives more gravity and depth. I guess that is why the 'live in the moment' idea is difficult for people - we want to be greater than the moment.

Michael Harden
Freelance Writer

Stuart: Why do you think that in the current century people have lost faith in science; and religion has made such a comeback in its various forms of fundamentalism and the burgeoning phenomenon of New Age religions?

Michael: I think that rather than losing faith in science, people have become a little more sceptical about it, especially in terms of it making their lives more fulfilling. It is a matter of putting science back into perspective, where it can perhaps make life easier but not necessarily provide all the tools to live a life that seems full and satisfying. Fundamentalist and New Age religions which regard science as the 'enemy' seem to me to be acting out of fear and are reacting to circumstances where they feel that scientific and technological advances have somehow left them behind or have nothing whatsoever to do with how they live their lives. They are reacting to a view of science that regards the belief in higher powers or universal energies as completely illogical and, to them, that is completely illogical.

Stuart: Do you think there is a difference in the way that religions of revelation (i.e. the Bible, the Koran) and religions of experience (i.e. Buddhism) encourage fundamentalism in their followers?

Michael: Any religion where life is regarded as some sort of trial that you have to get through before you die and then you are swept up into some form of eternal paradise, will have a completely different form of fundamentalism to religions that view life as an important part of the whole process of achieving enlightenment. The so-called 'religions of revelation' have you on a waiting list where you can be suddenly tossed away if you make a mistake. So you have to be constantly vigilant to keep your spot. This sort of attitude can, in fundamentalists, create an 'I'm more religious than you are' competition, which can certainly lead to extreme behaviour. So-called 'religions of experience' seem to me to treat life in a gentler manner and so are easier to adhere to without constantly having to prove how devout you are.
Stuart: Why do you think religion has not died like so many rationalists were predicting in the last century? In fact, it has actually flourished.

Michael: Religion has not died because part of the basic human condition aspires to find some solution and meaning in life that is beyond the cold, hard facts of the here and now. Whether you look to mathematics or to god, the need is the same. It is interesting to note, however, that some of the forms of religion that the rationalists from the last century were writing obituaries for, are actually struggling in the new century. They are being seen as increasingly out of touch and out of step with the lives of the people who once looked to those religions for guidance. A continuing need for something beyond the day-to-day, which makes sense of existence, has seen people looking further afield from the traditional institutions that provided for this need. Others of course have trained their glare on the existing religions, picking out the bits they do not like and concentrating on the ones they do like, which is where fundamentalism comes in.

Stuart: Why have people gone from not believing in much at all, to believing in almost everything (i.e. spirits, supernaturalism, communing with the dead, UFOs, etcetera.)?

Michael: People have always believed in almost everything. Whether it is sea monsters or UFOs, there have always been people who believe in something beyond what their physical senses tell them. For many people - in a western context in particular - the traditional forms of religion have begun to look a little shabby, out-dated or irrelevant. So, still feeling the need for a spiritual element in their lives, people have moved onto other more interesting and fulfilling pastures. Trends and fashions intrude, even in the world of spirituality and religion.