"characterize embattled forms of spirituality, which have merged as a response to a perceived crisis" - namely the fear that modernity will erode or even eradicate their faith and morality. . . [or] identify the most conservative wing of a religion. . . ,as a general-purpose "snarl" word to denigrate a religious group, implying that they are intolerant or prone to violence.”[2]
Rabbi Aron Moss[3] redefines fundamentalism for Judaism. He says, “A fundamentalist is someone who believes that theirs is the only true path, and anyone who does not follow their ways is evil. The fundamentalist sees only two options for the rest of humanity - join us or suffer the consequences. . . It is when you cannot accept that there may be another road to truth, that not everyone has to fit in to your own world view - that is when you have strayed into the realm of fundamentalism. . . Judaism can never tolerate fundamentalism. Quite simply, we don't believe that Judaism is for everyone. Jewish thought is comfortable with the belief that there are many paths to G-d; Judaism is the path for Jews, and non-Jews can find Him in different ways.” [4] But, Moss says, “A fundamentalist is not the same as an extremist.”
In his article, “Pursuing the Millennium,” David Hirst[5] asserts a different view, that Jewish fundamentalists in
And we should be concerned. Remember when in 1994 the Jewish gunman killed 29 worshippers in the mosque in
Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia, uses the term “fundamentalist” to define groups “characterized by a sense of embattled alienation in the midst of the surrounding culture.” This definition resembles Karen Armstrong’s perspective. Also, fundamentalists hold that their religious texts are “infallible and historically accurate . . . Orthodox Judaism is characterized by a fervent belief in the divine origin of the Torah (i.e., that the five books of Moses were literally given by God to Moses). Most Orthodox rabbis describe the Torah as literally being one long quote from God himself.” [6] Well, maybe not all Orthodox Jews hold this belief. Moreover, most people within Reform Judaism and Conservative Judaism more likely believe that the Rabinical interpretations (Talmud) – perhaps divinely inspired but not divinely given – are critical to their understanding and applying the laws of the Torah.
Rabbi Moss asks us all – fundamentalist or not, Jew or not - for tolerance and acceptance. He says, “Judaism poses a challenge to the fundamentalist: If you really love G-d so much, shouldn't you also love all His children, who are created in His image?”[7] Now, what was it that Jesus taught?
[1]This is one of a series of occasional columns in which the author, raised in the Christian tradition, searches for common ground and common history among the teachings, beliefs and practices of adherents of the Abrahamic faiths -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
[3] Rabbi Aron Moss teaches Kabbalah, Talmud and practical Judaism in
[4] from http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/248166/jewish/Jewish-Fundamentalism.htm , retrieved 8 Jan 2008
[6] from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_fundamentalism, retrieved 8 Jan 2008
[7] Op. cit.
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