How do we effectively annihilate religious fundamentalism peacefully?

Question

What do you suggest?

Thanks everyone.

am not anti - religion but am concern over disastous effects of fundamentalism.

Meaning, blind adherence to religion etc.

Why shouldn't fundamentalism be exterminated?
Answer that please?

To the first answerer"
What are you on about?

I am a theist, i belong to a religion.

Stop ranting please.

It's not very sexy.

Answer 1

To stop the rejection, which is mutual, why not accept people as they are instead of labeling their whole group as fundamentalists?

To stop the mob mentality, embrace each person *individually* who otherwise loses identity and touch, and gets caught up in the political hype of taking sides and going to extremes.

Only by listening and working with each person, and not treating anyone like just another member of a stereotyped group, can we break out of this cycle. Most of these people are just reacting or overreacting to the equal but opposite zealots on the other end of the spectrum, preaching with the same closemindedness as they are.

So the point is to try to break out of that endless deadlock. That can only be done by both sides agreeing to drop the namecalling and labeling, the associating by groups or agenda, and instead, speaking one on one with each other as respectful human beings willing to listen and share and talk honestly and deeply, beyond what the debate looks like on the surface or in the media. That does not reflect what people think individually.

See also Guidelines for Sharing, by which dialogue is best maintained between speakers who don't assume each other as "representative" of a group or idea.
http://www.houstonprogressive.org/CHRguide.html

When we learn to see each other as human beings again, maybe we can act like human beings.

Answer 2

Lola, Did you notice something in your question that sort of exposes you? You say "peacefully" but you use the strong word "annihilate" . They donot go together at all.

Religious Fundamentalism has very similar thought process. We are peace loving but others want to annihilate us. should we be mute witness to this annilhilation? , they ask. So do the other relions. What shall we do?

There are other so called "peaceful invasion" by religions. Christianity excels in this church oriented approach in Africa and in Asia. Through schools and hospitals they approach the population and soft seeling of religion takes place. . Some say this is also a sort of fundamentalism. Is this better than forceful fundamentalism? I donot know.

People of the various faiths have to folow thw ardurous path of accepting the other faiths and unseat the fundamentalists leaders quietly. Easily said than done.

Answer 3

1 One cannot change a way of thinking that has taken root eons
ago. If re-education was possible, it would long have
succeeded.
2 Even if One resorts to going around killing religious zealots or
razing places of worship, it doesn't destroy the concept of
religion that has no physical form.
3 Its impossible to abolish religion. Cause there will be a huge
public outcry. No government is willing to risk that.
4 As long as people continue to believe in religion, there will be
people who will continue to intepret its significance in their own
way.

Conclusion: Its impossible.

Answer 4

depends on what religion you have in mind. If your referring to christian fundamentalism you may have a tough time as the groups such as Fred Phelps's and others depicted by the media are not Christians.

The Amish are about as close to true Christian fundamentalism as you can get.

Answer 5

At some point in time, any person will be spiritually insecure enough that they must grasp at rules to prevent them from stepping on their God's toes. Many become so preoccupied with watching out for Gods feet, that they forget to look up at His outstretched arms. (Ever try to pick up a toddler that is busy looking at your feet? You just can't get your hands under their arms.) Their rules are like their security blanket, they pitch a fit when you try to tell them they should live without it.

You will always have people that are spiritual toddlers, it is part of growth. But some people just don't grow up, God made them that way, so we have to get over our superiority complex (I haven't gotten over mine, got a long way to go) and get on with life. :)

Answer 6

Let's not mince words, you are talking about Islamic Fundamentalism, right? If so, here is something to think about.

In the history of cultures, societies rise and fall. This is a very cyclic thing and follows some very specific paths. One of the last phases of a culture is the reach to regain past cultural heights. This can express itself in some very extreme ways, one of them would certainly be fundamentalism and violence.

The culture in the middle east is currently dying. They are reaching for past glories and rebelling against the more progressive and rising cultures of the west. They see us as a threat to their way of life. They are culturally confused and identity shocked.

The best thing to do is wait them out. Eventually their culture will be absorbed into the cultures around them and their way of life will adapt to more modern ways.

This is of course a sociological explanation and history has born it out many times in the past, we just have the fortunate circumstance of living through this cultural demise.

Answer 7

Time will take care of it. Look at communist Russia - its ideology just fizzled out. Everybody wanted blue jeans and a Big Mac. The days of looking for an anarchist under your bed with a long Rasputin beard holding a round bomb with a lit fuse are long gone. Nobody wants to be one of those anymore. Now we have other fundamentalists blowing themselves up. Likewise, that just HAS to get old at some point, don't you think? Hey, go blow yourself up. No, YOU go blow yourself up. No, YOU go . . .

Answer 8

One must know the fundamentals.

Capitalists never make an attempt to know the fundamental.

There is peace in fundamentals.

Answer 9

Over a gentleman's game of russian roulette.

Answer 10

"PEACEFUL ANNIHILATION"—INTERESTING CONCEPT—BRINGS TO MIND GAS CHAMBERS AND KOOL-AIDE. HOW ABOUT THE PEACEFUL ANNIHILATION OF THOSE WHO WANT TO PEACEFULLY ANNIHILATE RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM. WOULD THIS BE THE FINAL SOLUTION? CAN'T WE ALL GET ALONG?