If you are wondering if the featured picture is a picture of a “Flat Earth,” you are correct. Naïve me, up until two weeks ago, I didn’t know that some people actually still believe that the earth is flat. I also learned that there are actually holocaust deniers. This recent knowledge for me only reinforces the fact that chosen and willful ignorance are hallmark of the staunch fundamentalist mindset regardless of the particular faith tradition. The idea that “My faith tradition has all of the right answers, that my faith tradition is superior to yours in every way, and that my way of thinking is the only way, and that your thinking must align with mine in every way are thoughts which lead to actions which can easily lead to the endangerment of others. Yes, Pope Francis is correct when he speaks truth in his quote below. The root of staunch religious fundamentalism is pride, one of the Seven Deadly Sins in Catholicism.
This very wise quote from Pope Francis, when comprehensively applied to many situations, can also be applied to people who wish to force others into an “ideological white, straight, Republican, neurotypical, healthy box.” I can think of more individuals who do not fit into all of these categories than ones who do. The more I see and experience this from our toxic political climate, especially in Texas, the more I know this is true. These toxic mindsets are not only endangering peoples’ lives but endangering the witness to Christianity/Catholicism and loving our neighbor as ourselves which is foundational to every major world religion.
So how does science denial and anti-intellectualism fit into the dangers of religious fundamentalism? Let’s look at some examples. For the first example, anti-vaxxing and anti-masking during COVID undoubtedly killed many more Americans than necessary. Since the vaccine had trace connections to aborted fetal tissue and was deemed “morally wrong” by fundie clergymen, many more people died than necessary. Thankfully, our local Bishop did not give religious exemptions for the vaccine and strongly encouraged Catholics to obtain it. In short, the erroneous and dangerous mindset says, “It’s ok to allow millions of people to die because two vaccine providers have remote connections to aborted fetal tissue.” Also, “I don’t have to wear a mask to protect my neighbor because I have my own ideas about masks (which are not rooted in mainstream science).” For the second example, the erroneous, dangerous, and fundie mindset says, “I can hate gay and trans people, so therefore, I will not even consider the collective science of gender and sexuality. If this is done to a point where it exterminates them, especially transgender children, so be it. Since my Bible says that God created Adam and Eve, and everything in nature is binary according to my own perspective, this gives me permission to terrorize and contribute to the extermination of LGBTQIA+ people and their families.” NOT!!! For the third example, which are three of countless erroneous, dangerous, and fundie examples say, “I can deny actual history like the Holocaust, that America had slavery, and that the religion of Christianity has both helped and harmed people in significant ways.” Since my religion is so far superior to others, I never have to admit any wrongdoing that my religion has done to others.”
The center of science deniers and anti-intellectuals is indeed pride. Why, because these types of people never want to admit when they might possibly be wrong. They are more concerned about doctrinal certainty than the consistent life ethic.
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