The Fundamentals of Fundamentalism

A documentary film by Bart Weiss

Fundamentalists have been with us as long as there was a yesterday that seemed more idyllic than today.  They exist in every culture, every country and every religion, yet we know little about what makes the fundamentalist’s mind work. What makes them so impassioned about their religion that they are willing to kill for it?

“The Fundamentals of Fundamentalism” is an hour documentary intended for international public television and DVD distribution that explores the mind, heart, spirit, and soul of the fundamentalist.

Interviews include:

Martin Marty, editor of The Fundamentalist Project, a five volume multidisciplinary journal series. Marty is considered the most prominent interpreter of religion, particularly fundamentalism today, and serves as the central expert voice in the project;

Jessica Stern , author of Terror in the Name of God, and Benjamin Barber , author of Jihad vs. McWorld discuss political angles;

Charles B. Strozier, PhD, author of On The Psychology of Fundamentalism in America,  who discusses  the psychological elements focusing of end times in Christian fundamentalist  thinking;

Mark Juergensmeyer, author of Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence, who discusses a sociological approach;

“Ol’ Anthony” of the Trinity Foundation fights against the excess of fundamentalism; and

Theologist Bruce Marshall, who explains the history and importance of the Enlightenment, ground zero for many fundamentalist reactions and revolts of the modern world.

The program will cross-cut these experts with archival footage of fundamentalists speaking their interpretation of “the inerrancy of the word” and other thoughts from the Christian, Jewish, and Islamic points of view.  I will also explore the less prominent Buddhist and Hindu fundamentalists. This footage will emphasize the similarities of charismatic fundamentalist leadership across denomination.

To give provide an inside perspective, I will follow Fundamentalists as they battle the modern world, including Larry Kilgore from Grand Prairie who ran for Governor in the republican primary. “The Bible says that if someone commits an adulterous act they need to be executed. I agree completely with the bible,” says Larry. He has also stated on record that he believes gays should be executed. While he did change his position to asking for a public flogging, 50,119 Texans thought that execution was a good idea and voted for him. 

I also plan to follow other characters in their day-to-day life as they fight for changes in school textbooks, intelligent design, and other issues that bring their biblical principles into public policy.

When most conservative radio DJs us the blanket term “Islam-o-fascists” to refer to all Muslims, the Iranian president publically doubts the Holocaust, and Christians decry evolution, it is clear that the battle is not going away. Understanding fundamentalism is critical to understanding today’s world.

A few years ago, I made a short film, “Bin and Jerry’s Fundamental Principles,” mixing the words of Jerry Falwell with the image of Osama bin Ladin.  While showing it at festivals, it was clear to me that audiences were moved by the striking similarities between Falwell and bin Ladin, but wanted to see more. I have a wealth of materials about fundamentalism, most of it either with either the depth of a quick CNN news story or dense, academic material.  This film will present complex, substantive material in a concrete, demonstrative way that can reach wide audiences.