Do you think Americans are too literal, and if so, does that explain the Christian fundamentalist movement?

Question

This is just a theory, but it has occured to me that in reading the histories of some European countries, that American culture is very literal-minded. We are raised to believe that the U.S. Constitution is dogma. This is a written document and arguments are routinely dismissed as being unconstitutional. Yet Europe throws out constitutions and governments all the time, and in fact, half of England's constitution is unwritten. Which leads to my thesis: Because American culture encourages literalism, there has been a substantial growth in religious fundamentalism in America.

Anyone agree or disagree or have anything else to add?

Answer 1

I think it is true that the US was founded on the written word, so we like to have things spelled out clearly. I don't see how the unwritten "constitution" of the British could serve the same purpose as a written one. The idea is that we are ruled by laws not aristocrats.
However, another reason Fundamentalism developed more in the US is the fact that so many religious nonconformists had migrated to the US due to intolerance in their homelands. These already individualistic tendencies had a chance to develop and diversify in the US. European countries, even Protestant countries, had strong religious traditional influences, while Fundamentalism mostly rejects tradition and relies on the individual's reading of the Bible. This approach flourished and still flourishes in a country where individualism is valued and the government stays out of religious matters.