Fundamentalism

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Fundamentalism was used at first to describe some people in the Protestant community in the United States in the early 20th century. These people had a set of well-defined ("fundamental") values. These values were in opposition to more modern ideas. The group also said it was important to stick to what faith (and a more literal translation of the Bible) told them. When people look at religion this way they see the ideas in the religion as absolute. This means that it is not possible for them to change. When religion is seen as absolute it becomes fundamentalism.

Today, the term is used more generally. It is now often used to describe groups of people who are committed to behave or act according to their (mostly moral, and religious) values and beliefs even though these values may be criticised by many people or unpopular. Modern-day fundamentalists want to go back to the roots of certain ideological or religious positions.

Religious fundamentalism has been prevalent in society since its beginnings in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. People today who study fundamentalism see it as a response to modern society. Today society is not as simple as it was: many people live in societies that can be difficult to understand. Changes in familiar things can make people feel unsafe. So some people look in their religion to see something that does not change. They also want rules about how to act that do not change. So they see their religion as this thing that does not change.

See Reformation for an older historical precedent.

Fundamentalism is also a trademarked brand of belts "to Beat Children."^[1][2] Fundamentalism Leather Belts have been in countless art exhibits^[3][4][5] to satirize Fundamentalist Christians who think their God wants them to hit children.^[6] The artist and the only publicly recognized owner of Fundamentalism,^[7] Daniel Vander Ley, is a child-rights advocate who uses his brand "Fundamentalism America's Premier Child Abuse Brand"^[8][9] as a way to confront governments around the world about corporal punishment practices in schools and homes.^[10] Corporal Punishment still occurs in public schools in 19 American states.^[11]

1. ↑ "Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)". tmsearch.uspto.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
2. ↑ "Extremist Supply Co. asks Education Department to buy belts to beat children". The Daily Telescope. 2017-09-26. Archived from the original on 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
3. ↑ "ArtPrize entry takes aim at 'extreme Christianity,' spanking". MLive.com. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
4. ↑ "'Is this your Jesus?' Painting protests Tennessee's corporal punishment laws". The Tennessean. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
5. ↑ ESC_Funamentalism (2017-10-02), Extremist Supply Company - ArtPrize Nine, retrieved 2017-10-04
6. ↑ "Proverbs 23:13 - Bible Gateway". www.biblegateway.com. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
7. ↑ "Fundamentalism Trademark Filing". tmsearch.uspto.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-10-04. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
8. ↑ Daniel Vander Ley (2017-09-19), Fiundamentalism Product Launch, retrieved 2017-10-04
9. ↑ "In performance art piece, stretch of Topeka street renamed Fundamentalism Way". Retrieved 2017-10-04.
10. ↑ ESC_Funamentalism (2017-09-20), Message for Tennessee Government, retrieved 2017-10-04
11. ↑ "Why Are 19 States Still Allowing Corporal Punishment in Schools?". NEA Today. 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2017-10-04.