Do We Have Our Own Fundamentalists?

Does religious fundamentalism exist in some Pagan and/or Heathen communities? Can a closed group or tradition be considered as fundamentalist? Are there some Pagans and/or Heathens who 'preach' one true Pagan or Heathen way? Is resistance to the 'mainstreaming' of Paganism/Heathenism a form of fundamentalism? How can we approach the preservation of Pagan and/or Heathen spiritual and/or cultural integrity and identity without falling into fundamentalism? Is fundamentalism even necessarily a 'bad' thing? You can also check out Isaac Bonewitt's essay on fundamentalism at "A Call to Arms" for definitions and other background material.

Are you kidding? I've run into just as many fundamentalist wiccans/witches as I have fundamentalist Christians. And they're absolutely no different. I disagree with the Bonewitt definition of "fundamentalism." Merriam-Webster's definition is "a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherence to a set of basic principles."

Are there some Pagans and/or Heathens who 'preach' one true Pagan or Heathen way? I've found that some Gardnerians believe that unless you follow the Gardnerian tradition you are not truly a witch. So naturally that turned me off the tradition. There are wiccans in my area who are like caricatures of wiccans -- dressed in black day after day, working their beliefs into everyday conversation, looking for evidence of Christianity in everyday life so they can be offended, etc. It's like fundamentalist Christians who give others of their faith a bad name. I don't like these, let's be frank, freaks parading around making a mockery of something I hold very sacred. People take me and my belief far less seriously.

I have no real problem with fundamentalists of any faith, so long as I don't have to hear about their beliefs or have their beliefs influence my life and my freedoms. I don't think fundamentalism is necessarily "bad" but anyone with blind, unyielding faith can be dangerous. I hate to invoke Sept. 11 here, but that's a good example of fundamentalism in the wrong hands going bad. Not every fundamentalist Muslim would go so far. Nor is every Muslim a fundamentalist. But that's the thing about faith + individuality. It's when a religion asks you to stop thinking for yourself and just "accept and believe" that I think fundamentalism goes too far.

How can we approach the preservation of Pagan spiritual and cultural integrity/identity without falling into fundamentalism? Well I don't know that we can. But I think having respect for your beliefs and respect for yourself as a pagan is a good start. Be open to new ideas and new approaches. Respect the practices of others, inside and outside the pagan community. Educate yourself. My way is not right or wrong. Your way is not right or wrong. It simply is. We have to go beyond tolerance to acceptance and try to reach understanding. Be a good example. And have fun.