Thought of the Day 06.16.10

A fanatic is someone who is irrationally or excessively committed to something, such as an idea, a person, a cause, or an entity. When this devotion is to things we usually think of as harmless (such as musical artists, television shows, or sports teams), we generally substitute the slight euphemism of “fan” for fanatic. In contrast, when we use the full word, we usually mean a true zealot of something really serious.

Interestingly, the most common use for this term is in the phrase “religious fanatic;” denoting someone who isn’t merely religious, but unreasonably religious. Secularists generally hold such people in contempt for having an excess of devotion and an unwillingness to consider criticism of their beliefs. But an atheist friend of mine who was recently baptized taught me something insightful about this.

He said that most anti-religionists he has even known are fanatics in their own right. Although they proclaim the virtues of reason and self-criticism, their doubts and opposition are every bit as unreasonable and zealously held as are the faiths of their targets.

So, the next time someone uses the phrase “religious fanatic,” simply ask him what differentiates this from “religious person,” “atheist,” and “fanatical atheist.” At least that way, the terms can have valid content rather than just being slurs.