60: The Point of the Spear: Religious Fundamentalism

The Point of the Spear: Religious Fundamentalism (and Radical Transformation)

(00:00) Intro and T-shirts

(05:33) The news. Afghanistan and Covid updates.

(21:09) Joe, Sean and Drew define secularism. Examining why nations and groups want to establish theocracies and oppose secularism. Dramatic drop in god-belief and religious adherence in the younger generations. Which groups have better morals? Describing the slippery slope toward theocracy. The conservative moral hierarchy. Christian opposition to empathy and compassion. "Revealed truth" as the counterpoint to human responsiveness and fair play / justice. The Nordic model as an outgrowth of Lutheran religion. When will moderates denounce fundamentalism?

(56:20) Sean and Drew talk about their own experience with religion.

(59:23) Fundamentalism as a resistance movement to modernity, which makes it an exclusively modern phenomenon. Most American popular culture is very secular, leading to a huge backlash from the fundamentalists.

(01:02:05) The American Christian Power Apparatus: They want it ALL. No one wants to die, and this is the open door to all forms of fundamentalist thinking. Modernity and reduction of suffering are incredibly disturbing to fundamentalists. Fear of destruction of "meaning."

(01:14:00) The paradox of fundamentalist opposition to social spending and government structure and accountability, while wanting to collect money for private charity. The "Surrender Tactic" of feigned weakness. Christians play the victim when asked to follow laws that apply to everyone.

(01:20:23) Fundamentalist opposition to social justice. The fear of the breakdown of the domestic hierarchy. Traditional definitions of marriage have treated women and their fertility as property.

(01:24:49) End-times thinking. The connection between Christianity and white nationalism. Servitude. Fear of women's economic equality.

(01:30:34) The persecution of the LGBT community.

(01:34:52) Islamist fundamentalism vs. Christianity. Radical Islam dates to the early 20th century. Sayyid Qutb.

(01:42:32) The fundamentalist takeover of education through destruction of public schools. Desegregation as the impetus. Organizing secular political action.

(01:49:17) Wrapup and outro.

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Matthew Avery Sutton. “The Day Christian Fundamentalism Was Born. How a meeting in Philadelphia changed American religion forever.”

Phil Zuckerman. “What It Means to Be Moral. Why Religion Is Not Necessary for Living an Ethical Life.”

"Democracy in Chains" by Nancy MacLean

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