Article: Secular Fundamentalism

Secular Fundamentalism:
An Introduction

[December 2000]

Dr. Mohammad Omar Farooq
Associate Professor of Economics and Finance
Upper Iowa University

Dear Shetubondhon Friends,

Salam and greetings.

The recent thread on secularism, as usual, has evoked quite a bit of response. Some of these responses are so full of illogical statements/thoughts and inaccurate information and understanding that at first I was hesitating to participate in this thread. However, there are quite a few totally untenable and unacceptable statements that induced me to hit the keyboard. Instead of one very long posting containing all those aspects that drew my attention, I will take up those one at a time. The first one is about Secular Fundamentalism.

SECULAR FUNDAMENTALISM

Last year on another Bangladeshi internet forum, there was a similar thread. When I first used the expression, Fundamentalist Secular Humanist, it engendered quite an animated discussion under that thread.

There are a lot of people who use the word "fundamentalism" in a negative, disapproving sense, and validly so. However, the usage must be consistent and fair. At that time, I haven't come across anyone using that expression, and I did not do an extensive search to verify it.

There is also at least another sense in which the word "fundamentalism" is used. It is a sort of value-free (however, in different sense, value-oriented) usage. If you haven't already, you can read my article "Should you be a Fundamentalist?".

Those among us who believe in certain religions, we are often reminded that how we have no foundation of logic, rationality and scientific spirit or method. Therefore, if WE don't or didn't do our homework, critical thinking or inquiry or research, then one might simply pity us saying what else should be expected of us. However, when we come across such serious lapses from the loud devotees of logic, science and rationalism (who seem to suggest that we don't have any share in those), it does look a little bit odd. Sometimes, it even appears as "gair jore torko kora" (I couldn't quite translate it in English).

Recently, our secular friend, Mr. Masudur Rahman, made a rather global statement: "There is NO SUCH thing as secular fundamentalism." [emphasis is mine]

If someone makes a statement that "There IS such and such a thing" or "There is NO SUCH thing", it is expected that they would do their homework before making such a categorical or global statement, especially those who constantly remind us about the baselessness and irrationality of those who adhere to any so-called "institutionalized" religion.

Anyway, is there really no such thing as "Secular Fundamentalism"? Whether such things exist or not, does it merely rest on whether I or anyone merely claims - howevermuch emphatic, categorical and global such claim is?

When I wrote about "Fundamentalist Secular Humanists" last year, it was just my personal thought, not based on any research or seeing it somewhere else. This time, after seeing that statement - There is NO SUCH thing as Secular Fundamentalism - I wanted to take a closer look. What I found was enlightening, at least for me.

Secular fundamentalism is now a well-recognized term that are becoming quite common in usage. The references that I provide below are mostly from western media that also generally represent the secularist world.

1. The Irish times
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/world/1999/0508/wor15.htm

This is not an ideologically biased newspaper. The particular reference is not in a letter to the editor. Rather, read the report by Michael Janssen, who identify an interesting group of Secular Fundamentalists.

2. Tolerance-The Delicate Balance"
http://www.yu.edu/lamm/toler.html

Dr. Norman Lamm, an American-born President of Yeshiva University of Israel and a well-known and respected voice of moderation in Israel and voice against all extremism, religious or secular, writes:

"But the most urgent need for tolerance is in the great divide that threatens Israel today--in the Diaspora too, but the State even more: the rift between religious and secular. Heretofore, religious Jews bore most of the burden of extremism. Now the embarrassment is shared; now there has grown up a vicious group of SECULAR FUNDAMENTALISTS Who are the secular equivalents of our own religious and nationalist extremists. Here we have a clash of two passionate, hot-headed, intolerant, self-confident groups who agree only on the essentials of mutual demonization, on substituting demonstrations for dialogue and barricades for brotherliness. Meanwhile, the rest of us are in peril of being sucked into this radicalization of our people and of falling into the abyss created by such fragmentation."

3. The Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ws/item/0,1308,34341-40073-4067,00.html

Not anyone's opinion, but a news report in the Chicago Tribune. N. Don Wycliff, a reporter, writes: "Orthodox Christians hate Muslims in Yugoslavia. SECULAR FUNDAMENTALISTS restrict Muslims in Turkey."

4. The Time magazine
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1998/int/980112/cover_story.turkey_on_th12.html

A usage that occurs in a cover story of the Time magazine can't be denied as "no such thing" just by saying so. Read the cover story by Maryann Bird for yourself.

Interestingly, who are being recognized as the prime examples of Secular Fundamentalists? None other than the establishment of Turkey and its extremist secularists. Would their worldwide defenders be counted in that category? Well, I leave that for the readers.

Of course, usage by itself merely refutes any statement that claims that there is "no such thing as secular fundamentalism". There must also be some valid meaning of the expression. Here is a possible definition of Secular Fundamentalism. (I have adapted it from another source for a more generalized rendering.)

"secular fundamentalist" might be described as: one who views the world in stark, bipolar terms, thereby impairing the capacity for critical thinking; as such he or she lives in fantastic dread that somewhere, somehow, no matter how small or benign, a public display of the religious faith will be made; and who, upon being exposed to said public display, reflexively imputes, without pang of conscience, the most evil and vile intentions to those making the display.
http://www.athensnewspapers.com/1997/101597/1015.oforum.html

Whether the above description accurately or adequately describes secular fundamentalism or not, we can't really claim or argue - except in "gair jore" - that "there is NO SUCH thing as secular fundamentalism".

Indeed, don't we possibly have some trace of it in this forum as well? Of course, I could be wrong.

Fundamentalism in the sense of extremism, religious or secular, is a formidable challenge for the whole world. It is important to recognize that they are merely counterparts of each other. Both deserve unequivocal and conscientious condemnation. Supporting, defending or rationalizing one abets its counterpart too. Do we agree on this?

Best regards.

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