Religious Fanaticism: Is it a problem and what can we do?

[Gulo]

Then I suggest you test what seems like truth to you.

If everyone was a True Christian™ we wouldn't need locks on homes, bicycles or cars!

Catholics and Protestants killing each other, when their Lord commanded "Put down the sword! He who lives by the sword, dies by it!" and "Blessed are the peacemakers!" would make Jesus Christ say they aren't True Christians™.

If everyone was a "True Christian" we would have all stoned each other to death centuries ago, or found some other means to kill all blasphemers and other "sinners", because one person's brand of "Christianity" isn't EVERY person's brand of "Christianity".

 

[Windwalker]

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance. It is easy to stray into over-confidence when being misled by others.

This is an interesting observation. It's true, but it would indicate to me a weak ego, and not true self confidence. True self confidence is humble, whereas when the ego is lacking a true ground in humility (which I would call the healthy ego, the authentic self, etc.), it shouldn't fall prey to needing to feed itself upon something like this. If and when that true self-confidence, or ground, should be weak, that's when the ego comes out to feed again, turning it into self-adoration about "me". That should be a good cue to pay attention to where your center actually is at. "Why am I so weak that the ego needs to feed?"

 

[David1967]

I disagree with @Tony Bristow-Stagg do you honestly think simply viewing that all people are equal solves the issue?

It would be a positive step in the right direction.

 

[BilliardsBall]

So you are saying that a true Christian is a fanatic? God help us all!

P.S. A fantactic is unable to have empathy with another. So they can't help anyone, only impose their own will upon others, which is not the way of Jesus.

A fanatic is a devoted person. If everyone was like me, you wouldn't need locks on cars, or even to own cars. Just take what is needed.

 

[BilliardsBall]

If everyone was a "True Christian" we would have all stoned each other to death centuries ago, or found some other means to kill all blasphemers and other "sinners", because one person's brand of "Christianity" isn't EVERY person's brand of "Christianity".

In other words, your true Christians are murderers, while mine are authentic followers of the peaceful Christ. Sounds like you need to define terms more carefully.

 

[Windwalker]

A fanatic is a devoted person. If everyone was like me, you wouldn't need locks on cars, or even to own cars. Just take what is needed.

Absolutely not. I am devoted. I am also rational, reasonable, empathetic, and kind. A fanatic is none of these. They are extremists, and extremism is a position of the ego, fearful of anything but its own ideas of truth. Spirituality is about balance through love, devotion, and humility, not black and white extremism which cannot tolerate anything but its own views as truth. Extremism is an error, or I'd say a dysfunction of the ego. It is the opposite of Grace.

 

[BilliardsBall]

Absolutely not. I am devoted. I am also rational, reasonable, empathetic, and kind. A fanatic is none of these. They are extremists, and extremism is a position of the ego, fearful of anything but its own ideas of truth. Spirituality is about balance through love, devotion, and humility, not black and white extremism which cannot tolerate anything but its own views as truth. Extremism is an error, or I'd say a dysfunction of the ego. It is the opposite of Grace.

I understand if you don't like the word "fanatic", which is a loaded term. I still wish everyone was a devout lover and follower of Jesus Christ.

 

[Windwalker]

I understand if you don't like the word "fanatic", which is a loaded term. I still wish everyone was a devout lover and follower of Jesus Christ.

It's a word to describe being unreasonable and out of control. If you wish people to follow love as the guiding principle of their lives, then don't say fantantism is desirable. Being sold out to love, is anything but fanaticism. It is surrender to compassion, not tightly gripping some inflexible belief.

 

[Vinayaka]

Absolutely not. I am devoted. I am also rational, reasonable, empathetic, and kind. A fanatic is none of these. They are extremists, and extremism is a position of the ego, fearful of anything but its own ideas of truth. Spirituality is about balance through love, devotion, and humility, not black and white extremism which cannot tolerate anything but its own views as truth. Extremism is an error, or I'd say a dysfunction of the ego. It is the opposite of Grace.

A few years, back, a friend taught me to use the term enthusiasm instead of fanaticism, in describing myself. Perhaps that could be helpful.

 

[Windwalker]

A few years, back, a friend taught me to use the term enthusiasm instead of fanaticism, in describing myself. Perhaps that could be helpful.

Yes, being excited, being enthusiastic is healthy and good. Fanaticism is like obsessive compulsions, which is excessive and can become harmful, like loving candy so much that is all you eat until you're sick to your stomach. Devotion, dedication, enthusiasm, excitement, energy, etc, are all positives. Excessiveness, extremism is a negative, and is driven by the ego, not a heart dedicated to love and devotion to Truth.

 

[BilliardsBall]

It's a word to describe being unreasonable and out of control. If you wish people to follow love as the guiding principle of their lives, then don't say fantantism is desirable. Being sold out to love, is anything but fanaticism. It is surrender to compassion, not tightly gripping some inflexible belief.

Okay, but don't be a fanatic over semantics...

 

[Marcion]

The best solution to overcoming religious fanaticism is to drop the whole concept of religion and concentrate more on practical spiritual practices instead.

 

[Windwalker]

Okay, but don't be a fanatic over semantics...

lol. I'm not. I just won't accept "alternative facts", when they aren't real. "No means no," in other words. Not yes.

 

[Windwalker]

The best solution to overcoming religious fanaticism is to drop the whole concept of religion and concentrate more on practical spiritual practices instead.

But someone can be a fanatic with those too. It's a well known thing called "spiritual bypassing", where someone throws themselves headlong into everything spiritual, in order to escape themselves and their reality. Spiritual practice is healthy to improve life, but being a fanatic with it, is not.

 

[Marcion]

But someone can be a fanatic with those too. It's a well known thing called "spiritual bypassing", where someone throws themselves headlong into everything spiritual, in order to escape themselves and their reality. Spiritual practice is healthy to improve life, but being a fanatic with it, is not.

With fanatic I mean it should have harmful effects on other people in their surroundings.
If not, the better word is obsessed.