Is Fundamentalism a Religious Movement or a Psychological Disorder?

[Sunstone]

Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

The four most studied fundamentalisms by scientists and scholars are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu variations of the phenomenon. There is a wide range of informed opinion about fundamentalism, but most people find fundamentalism remarkably similar regardless of which religion it is associated with.

There is indeed some scientific support for the possibility fundamentalism is more of a psychological disorder than a religion or religious movement. For instance, see Chapters Three (page 75), Four (page 106), and related pages in Robert Altemeyer's introduction to authoritarianism, which can be found here (pdf).

As for myself, I believe calling fundamentalism a "religion" might be like calling Bipolar Mood Disorder a "philosophy". The evidence seems headed in that direction.

Your thoughts?*



*Please read Chapters Three and Four in Altemeyer before responding -- unless you are very familiar with the science on this subject.

EDIT: As I remarked to Dave in a post in this thread: It intrigues me that fundamentalism might be characterized as a religious movement piggybacking on a psychological disorder.

EDIT: To clarify, I am suggesting that -- at the very least -- fundamentalism is most likely significantly more strongly associated with dysfunctional thinking and/or moods than is, say, mainstream Catholicism, Reform Judaism, etc. Beyond that, I suspect fundamentalist ideologies tend to be especially attractive to people suffering from one or more mental illnesses and tend to be just as unattractive to relatively healthy people. In other words, I think it is likely more fundamentalists are mentally ill than members of similar groups, and likely that fundamentalism tends to attract mentally ill people and tends to repulse mentally healthy people.

EDIT: Try thinking of "mental illness" as "thoughts and moods that are conducive to, and/or symptomatic of, dysfunctional behavior."

 

[SalixIncendium]

As I see it, fundamentalism closes the mind to other possibilities. Any fundamentalist view, religious or nay, are, IMO, a product of succumbing to the ego. A disorder? Depends on ones perspective, I suppose.

 

[Sunstone]

A disorder? Depends on ones perspective, I suppose.

I think psychological research along the lines of the research reported in Altemeyer's book leads to calling fundamentalism a disorder. Although it certainly -- quite certainly -- involves the ego.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

The four most studied fundamentalisms by scientists and scholars are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu variations of the phenomenon. There is a wide range of informed opinion about fundamentalism, but most people find fundamentalism remarkably similar regardless of which religion it is associated with.

There is indeed some scientific support for the possibility fundamentalism is more of a psychological disorder than a religion or religious movement. For instance, see Chapter Four and related pages in Robert Altemeyer's introduction to authoritarianism, which can be found here (pdf).

As for myself, I believe calling fundamentalism a "religion" is like calling Bipolar Mood Disorder a "philosophy".

Your thoughts?

The sad truth is that most of us humans are very uncomfortable with doubt & uncertainty.

That is why dogma of all kinds is so popular. Religious - political - personal ...

I aint sure I would call fundamentalism a "disorder". It satisfies a lot of people on some level even if it means their minds & spirits can't soar to the extent that a truly "open" mind can soar.

I suppose it does limit one's human potential in many respects so I guess if you want to label it a disorder you could do that. I would simply recommend compassion because a closed mind is not going to be optimally healthy compared with what it could potentially be ...

Let me know if I am making any sense - just sitting here typing whatever pops into my cotton-pickin mind

Wishing everyone all the best even if you refuse to believe what I believe - which isn't much!

Ciao

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Maybe because it's what I was born into and had reinforced through homeschooling, but while I see the possibility of what resembles mental illness (such as what seems to be a religious-induced severing of empathy towards a child who is homosexual or trans, which does seem psychotic), I don't see it as an actual psychological disorder.

 

[Dawnofhope]

Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

The four most studied fundamentalisms by scientists and scholars are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu variations of the phenomenon. There is a wide range of informed opinion about fundamentalism, but most people find fundamentalism remarkably similar regardless of which religion it is associated with.

There is indeed some scientific support for the possibility fundamentalism is more of a psychological disorder than a religion or religious movement. For instance, see Chapter Four (page 106) and related pages in Robert Altemeyer's introduction to authoritarianism, which can be found here (pdf).

As for myself, I believe calling fundamentalism a "religion" is like calling Bipolar Mood Disorder a "philosophy".

Your thoughts?

We would need to be very careful about how we define both fundamentalism and psychological disorder. It becomes too easy to label those whose views differ from our own. Although some of these people we consider fundamentalist may disturb us deeply its too easy to pathologize and put people in boxes. In doing so we may even be using some of the strategies fundamentalists themselves use to dismiss, minimise and demonise those with differing views.

 

[Vinayaka]

As I see it, fundamentalism closes the mind to other possibilities. Any fundamentalist view, religious or nay, are, IMO, a product of succumbing to the ego. A disorder? Depends on ones perspective, I suppose.

Personally, I think it's more a developmental delay than a disorder. The inability to understand that other people may have a different worldview that your own, and their right to have that seems fairly simple to me, and to most, but not to the fundamentalist.

 

[Audie]

As I see it, fundamentalism closes the mind to other possibilities. Any fundamentalist view, religious or nay, are, IMO, a product of succumbing to the ego. A disorder? Depends on ones perspective, I suppose.

Disorder is as disorder does?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

New Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

Why would those categories be mutually exclusive?

 

[Phaedrus]

There comes a time when being too careful can be mistaken for blatant support of that which has little beneficial enrichment for society.

 

[Sunstone]

...its too easy to pathologize and put people in boxes...

My opinion that fundamentalism is most likely a disorder is not held for light and transient reasons. I have been weighing the matter for years. For some of my reasoning on this issue, see chapters three and four in Altemeyer's book (linked to in the OP).

 

[Sunstone]

Personally, I think it's more a developmental delay than a disorder. The inability to understand that other people may have a different worldview that your own, and their right to have that seems fairly simple to me, and to most, but not to the fundamentalist.

Good point! But many, many dysfunctional behaviors look like developmental delays. Racism, for instance, could be seen as such.

 

[Sunstone]

Maybe because it's what I was born into and had reinforced through homeschooling, but while I see the possibility of what resembles mental illness (such as what seems to be a religious-induced severing of empathy towards a child who is homosexual or trans, which does seem psychotic), I don't see it as an actual psychological disorder.

Check out Chapters three and four in Altemeyer's book referenced in the OP.

 

[Duke_Leto]

Is liberalism a political movement or a psychological disorder?

I'm no liker of fundamentalism, but the fact that people have drastically different thoughts and beliefs than you do isn't cause to suggest they have a mental disorder. You should know better, @Sunstone.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

The four most studied fundamentalisms by scientists and scholars are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu variations of the phenomenon. There is a wide range of informed opinion about fundamentalism, but most people find fundamentalism remarkably similar regardless of which religion it is associated with.

There is indeed some scientific support for the possibility fundamentalism is more of a psychological disorder than a religion or religious movement. For instance, see Chapter Four (page 106) and related pages in Robert Altemeyer's introduction to authoritarianism, which can be found here (pdf).

As for myself, I believe calling fundamentalism a "religion" is like calling Bipolar Mood Disorder a "philosophy".

Your thoughts?

I think it's due to excessive fear and insecurity. People are looking for easy answers, as life can be hard. Fundamentalism all stems from the same set of beliefs, it's just evidenced differently, depending on the religion.

 

[Sand Dancer]

Is liberalism a political movement or a psychological disorder?

I'm no liker of fundamentalism, but the fact that people have drastically different thoughts and beliefs than you do isn't cause to suggest they have a mental disorder. You should know better, @Sunstone.

Liberalism is willing to change with the times. Why would that be a mental disorder? Fundamentalism is insistence on an outmoded set of ideas, even in the face of factual evidence.

 

[Audie]

We would need to be very careful about how we define both fundamentalism and psychological disorder. It becomes too easy to label those whose views differ from our own. Although some of these people we consider fundamentalist may disturb us deeply its too easy to pathologize and put people in boxes. In doing so we may even be using some of the strategies fundamentalists themselves use to dismiss, minimise and demonise those with differing views.

Intellectual dishonesty is not a "different view".

Nor is it "demonizing" to correctly identify
something for what it is.

Reference to "labelling" is intended to prejudice
against recognizing and identifying behaviour
for what it is.

Willful ignorance is not just a pov.

Failure of due diligence is not a different but
equivalent viewpoint.

As soon as you can identify one (1) actual
verifiable datum point that any creationist has
ever presented that is contrary to ToE
I will reconsider the above.

And stand by to see them get the Nobel.

Meantime, your suggestion of some
substantive equivalence between science
and creationism will be considered to
be entirely without merit.

 

[Audie]

I think it's due to excessive fear and insecurity. People are looking for easy answers, as life can be hard. Fundamentalism all stems from the same set of beliefs, it's just evidenced differently, depending on the religion.

Evidenced?

 

[Sunstone]

Is liberalism a political movement or a psychological disorder?

I'm no liker of fundamentalism, but the fact that people have drastically different thoughts and beliefs than you do isn't cause to suggest they have a mental disorder. You should know better, @Sunstone.

Tell me, Leto, do you have something against being informed before you speak? Read Chapters three and four of Altemeyer's book referenced in the OP, then get back to me when you are at least fractionally informed on this issue.

 

[David1967]

Is fundamentalism a religious movement or a psychological disorder?

The four most studied fundamentalisms by scientists and scholars are the Jewish, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu variations of the phenomenon. There is a wide range of informed opinion about fundamentalism, but most people find fundamentalism remarkably similar regardless of which religion it is associated with.

There is indeed some scientific support for the possibility fundamentalism is more of a psychological disorder than a religion or religious movement. For instance, see Chapters Three (page 75), Four (page 106), and related pages in Robert Altemeyer's introduction to authoritarianism, which can be found here (pdf).

As for myself, I believe calling fundamentalism a "religion" might be like calling Bipolar Mood Disorder a "philosophy". The evidence seems headed in that direction.

Your thoughts?

I think it's a little bit of both in that it's a religious movement fueled by a phsycological disorder.