Mainstream Fosters Dangerous Fanaticism

March 22, 2003

As I read Saturday's "In the name of God" piece that Peggy Fletcher Stack wrote regarding the roots of extremism, based on our interview and some of my articles online, I realized that there is another important point I would like to make as we all reflect on the horror that "revelation gone bad" inflicted upon young Elizabeth Smart.

Stack's Salt Lake Tribune article does not address the role that mainstream religions play in glorifying fanatical scenarios in the scriptures that then give rise to modern extremism. The mainstream would never dare embark themselves on such fanaticism, and they promptly excommunicate anyone who does, but they still glorify it -- an ironic hypocrisy.

Abraham's near sacrifice of his own son, Isaac, on an alter is probably the best example. Why do we glorify that scenario? By "we," in this case, I refer to the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim world. It is the prime example of following God with no regard to conscience about the deed we are contemplating. It is the very essence of what breeds fanaticism today. According to our scriptures, Abraham became the "father of all nations" (very bloody nations, I might add) because of that deed of so-called faith.

Is that the kind of heroic deed we want our children to emulate? On the face, the answer is a definite NO! But that is precisely what we do. Then we wonder how people like Mitchell could do what they do in kidnapping a 14 year old girl at knife point and taking her as his plural wife. That is no more appalling a deed than Abraham nearly driving a knife through is son's heart in the name of God.

What needs to come of this Mitchell introspection is a realization that we as a people should not accept things in our scriptures as holy and true just because they are written there. We need to mature as a people and be willing to revisit some of our traditions and our attitudes toward them.

If the ultimate test of our faith in God is whether or not we will do what to us would otherwise be the most horrendous thing, if God tells us to do it, what kind of zealots will we foster? That is the take-home lesson of the Abrahamic trial story. Do we really believe this to be a true principle? I used to. It has taken Brian Mitchell's abduction of Elizabeth Smart at knifepoint to break me of this belief.

It's not just the religious fringe who foster the Mitchells and Koreshes and Jim Joneses and Bin Ladens and Laffertys of the world. The religious mainstream creates idols of ancient fanatics. The fringe then gives the fanatic additional kindling by nurturing their courage to actually do something about their belief.

Until the religious mainstream is willing to revisit how they place their adoration, they will continue to provide a fertile foundation for fanaticism.

"Would God that all were prophets." This does not mean we should all be fanatics. It is an invitation for everyone to think and receive divine validation of truth for themselves and not just accept something because it has been handed down from one generation to another.

Never should we breach our own conscience, even if we think God wants us to. That is the line, which when crossed, creates dangerous fanaticism.

Sincerely,

Sterling D. Allan
Ephraim, UT

See also