Theos-Talk Archives (May 2005 Message tt00593)

Hi All,
I just wanted to make a couple of comments from my own experience and 
perspective on so called "fundamentalism" and its manifestations.

Having been raised in the Jehovah's witnesses there are certain 
features of that perhaps for me seem to be paramount in establishing 
free and open enquiry and then those things that come to stand in its 
way.

In the Jehovah's Witnesses for example a person who questions the 
teachings of the "Governing body" will if "unrepentant" 
be "disfellowshiped" from the organization.
This in effect means your family and friends who are members of the 
organization are not allowed to talk to you.
You are branded an "apostate" and will not be allowed to return to 
the fold until you have completely admitted you where wrong and they 
were right and then begged for forgiveness.

This completely stifles any challenge to the hierarchy and puts 
enough fear into people thus helping them show 'true Christian 
humility' in the face of there superiors who obviously know better .

The Bible is seen as the infallible word of God, who will punish 
those who refuse to submit to 'his' will.

The Watchtower publication is seen as the channel through which God 
sends the correct interpretation of the Bible.
In other words to challenge the Watchtower would be to challenge 
God "faithful slave".

So for me the inability to challenge is one that for me strikes to 
the core of what it means to have free and open enquiry without the 
fear of having your studies and research censored.

It is my opinion that the term 'fundamentalist' can be used as a way 
of trying to demonize and misrepresent what a person may be trying to 
say or express by using a highly emotive and loaded term.

The majority of people I've read on this list are interested in 
promoting free and open enquiry and from what I can see seem to want 
to promote a theosophical movement that is open to new ideas that is 
honorable and that respects and actively help support the rights of 
the individual to have there own point of view without having to 
submit to what any theosophical writer has said or written.

To label people in a derogatory way as being "fundamentalists" maybe 
coming from emotional insecurity perhaps and also I think missing an 
opportunity to hear what they actually may be trying to express 
openly and freely to other people for their consideration.

Maybe rather than name calling it may be more helpful to look at the 
perspective and point of view or argument and then decide for 
ourselves if it has any veracity.

If it doesn't have veracity for us then all we need to do is say 'I 
disagree have you considered this ....'or 'that doesn't ring true for 
me at this stage have you considered that'.

Manifesting Brotherhood for me does not mean agreeing it means allow 
differences to be in the spirit of new discovery and insight.

Conformity is not freedom, name calling is not a rationale argument.

I am not trying to be holier than thou as I have fallen into the same 
traps from time to time.
This applies equally to myself as it does to others.

Having experienced genuine suppression of being able to express my 
point of view in my upbringing as a Jehovah's witness I never would 
want to suppress anyone else's right to freely express and expore 
theirs.

Regards

Perry