fUNDAMENTALISM

Photo by Joe Stephenson

When "ism" wends its way

onto the end of a word,

you can pretty much count

on things turning ugly.

   Be it crony or secular or

   any other idea about life's

   larger purpose and plan,

   ism is one set of conclusions too far;

   it is idolatry's back door.

      There's really nothing wrong

      with seeking a return to basics,

      but the addition of ism 
      builds a fortress around

      and a pedestal under a particular

      and limited set of elementals.

      It declares my necessaries

      to be THE necessaries, and

      if you disagree in the slightest,

      it declares you persona non grata.

   It becomes its own monotheism,

   fully justified in defense at any cost,

   including the destruction of life itself;

   sometimes literally, but

   often culturally and relationally.

There is no room for God

in fundamentalism,

for the fundamentals,

as they are narrowly defined,

become their own enthroned deity. 

© 2015 Todd Jenkins