There is a Comparison
By David Flick
 

       There has been some rather strong criticism on BaptistLife.Com Discussion forums about drawing comparisons between fundamentalist Southern Baptists and fundamentalist Muslims. Most of the criticism, however, has come from the fundamentalist-leaning posters who seem to be unable to see the obvious similarities found in all fundamentalists. I suggest that there are at least ten obvious similarities between Southern Baptist fundamentalists and Muslim fundamentalists.

1. Fundamentalists believe God is on their side. The mentality of the fundamentalists, both Southern Baptist and Islamic, is that God is most assuredly in their corner. They perceive God to be exclusively their side in whatever battles they may be fighting. The classic example among Southern Baptists is Paul Pressler, who wrote that God was fighting the battle of the takeover of the SBC “His way and not theirs.” (c.f. A Hill on which to Die) Osama Bin Laden has, with a steady stream of rhetoric, made this same claim.

2. Fundamentalists believe they are fighting battles for God. The entire takeover movement among Southern Baptists has been filled with such rhetoric. The most notable examples, complete with “blood & guts” rhetoric, come from James Merritt and Tom Elliff in the 2000 SBC. Osama Bin Laden’s steady call for Islamic Jihad against America and all her allies gives the story from the Muslim fundamentalists.

3. Fundamentalists believe they alone speak perfectly for God. Fundamentalists do not believe anyone outside their circle can speak perfectly for God. Examples: Osama Bin Laden and the Southern Baptists inerrancy group.

4. Fundamentalists are mean spirited. Self-explanatory. No commentary necessary.

5. Fundamentalists are short on love of fellow believers and fellowman. Self-explanatory. No commentary necessary.

6. Fundamentalists will accept nothing less than total control. Osama Bin Laden and fiends are seeking, through terrorism, to control the world. Anyone and anything which inhibits their capacity to control the hearts and minds of mankind is terrorized, destroyed, and/or eliminated. Fundamentalists Southern Baptist leaders, by way of the takeover, seek to control the entire denomination.

7. Fundamentalists seek to exclude and destroy their own when their views are not accepted. The list of Southern Baptists who have been excluded and whose careers have been destroyed is lengthy. Egyptian Prime Minister, Anwar Sadat, was assassinated by radical fundamentalists because he supposedly sold out on the Islamic fundamentalists.

8. Fundamentalists refuse to accept the possibility that the views of others are valid. Self-explanatory. No commentary necessary.

9. Fundamentalists refuse to cooperate with anyone other than themselves. Southern Baptists fundamentalists refuse to allow anyone to serve in places of leadership (boards & agencies, seminary professorships, denominational employment, missionaries, etc.) unless there is absolute loyalty and perfect agreement with the top leadership. Islamic fundamentalists, including the Taliban and Al-Qada, refuse to cooperate with moderate Islamic organizations.

10. Fundamentalists attribute guilt by association to their perceived enemies. Islamic fundamentalists attribute guilt to America for support of Israel’s right to exist. Southern Baptists fundamentalists accuse conservative and moderate Southern Baptists of supporting the homosexual agenda when they work for common cause issues. Never mind that most conservative and moderate Southern Baptists are opposed to homosexuality. The fundamentalist mentality cannot separate cooperation on common cause issues and supporting the homosexual agenda.

Fundamentalists of all stripes have common characteristics. Here are ten comparable similarities.

-- October 22, 2001

 (This article was written for  BaptistLife.Com Discussion Forums)