Clash
of Fundamentalisms
Richard Coduri, The Federal Examiner
www.federalexaminer.com
Since the September 11th attacks, many have claimed
that we are experiencing a clash of civilizations. This is not exactly the
case. What we are in reality facing is a clash of fundamentalisms. While the
American media waxes prolific on the extent and ferocity of militant Islamic
fundamentalism and its role in international terrorism, they rarely report
on the pervasiveness and extremity of Christian fundamentalism driving much
of U.S. foreign (and domestic) policy today.
This is dangerous. Most Americans have little or no idea of the influence of
fundamentalist Christian thought in their government, nor do they believe
that its influence is confined to issues of morality. But this philosophy
goes beyond believing that abortion is murder and homosexuality is a grave
sin (and, amazingly, that taxes are somehow inherently unchristian). There
is a powerful body of fundamentalist Christian men and women in this
country’s business and governmental leadership who share a common dream of
living to see the Second Coming of Christ, and have taken it upon themselves
to bring this about. In order for this to happen though, they believe three
things must first take place: the Temple must be rebuilt, Jerusalem must be
a Jewish city, and the nation of Israel must be restored.
For example, certain American cattle tycoons have for years been working
with Israeli counterparts to try and breed a pure red heifer in Israel,
which, by their interpretation of chapter 19 of the Book of Numbers, will
signal the coming of the building of the Third Temple. If they were to
succeed, it could intensify the already strong movement within Israel to
rebuild the Temple, the event of which would ignite the Middle East, as any
new Temple must be built on the Temple Mount – current home of the Dome of
The Rock, a Muslim holy site.
Other aspects of this apocalyptic dream have frightening implications for
U.S. foreign policy. A powerful group in Congress are dedicated to the cause
of Israeli expansion, not because Israel is a democracy or because they want
to support a country with strong ties to the United States, but because they
believe that the restoration of Israel is incomplete. They believe that the
whole of “historical Israel,” which would include parts of modern day Egypt,
Jordan, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, must be reclaimed by a Jewish nation in order
for Christ to return, and they are working hard to support expansionist
policies in Israel that would fulfill this wish. It is their religious
belief that also keeps them from supporting any peace plan that calls for
the partitioning of Jerusalem. To attain their goals, Jerusalem must be
undividedly Israeli. Instead of working to better the lives of their
constituents, these elected officials are working to forward their own
religious agenda.
Currently, a dangerous pattern is emerging in which Christian
fundamentalists in the United States and Muslims zealots in the Middle East
are increasingly driving their larger civilizations into conflict with each
other. It is time for secularists, both domestically and abroad, to realize
the extent to which extremism is driving current global conflict. If they
don’t work diligently to get moderate individuals into positions of power,
positions which will enable a meaningful dialogue with foes and stem the
growing tide of discord between East and West, we may indeed be facing a
very man-made end of days. 
