The Fundamentalist: Difference between revisions

Fundamentalism is also something other than a religious phenomenon. Non-religious ideologies like communism, capitalism, socialism, racism, environmentalism, fascism, democracy, anarchism and yes, even atheism, can all attract their own brands of "fundies" as well.

A religious fundamentalist may also be a [[Sinister Minister]]. See also: [[Knight Templar]], [[Well-Intentioned Extremist]], [[Holier Than Thou]], [[Moral Myopia]], [[Single-Issue Wonk]], [[Dry Crusader]], [[Strawman Political]], [[Windmill Political]], [[Windmill Crusader]], [[With Us or Against Us]], [[Lawful Stupid]] and [[Poe's Law]]. Atheism is given this attribution in various instances when extreme skepticism is employed against the supernatural or religious beliefs, but most instances in fiction can fall under the tropes [[Flat Earth Atheist]], [[Agent Scully]], and [[Hollywood Atheist]]. Also compare [[Totalitarian Utilitarian]] and [[Principles Zealot]] for similar attitudes to secular philosophies. Contrast [[The Soulsaver]] and [[Soulsaving Crusader]] for religious fundamentalists who are objectively right within [[The Verse]] of the setting.

See also [[Egocentrically Religious]], [[Black and White Insanity]], [[Belief Makes You Stupid]] and [[Activist Fundamentalist Antics]].

{{examples}}

* [[Knight Templar|Alexander Anderson]] from [[Hellsing]] is a good example. He is a Vatican priest who works for the Iscariot branch; his job is to kill vampires and other unholy creatures. Alexander compulsively quotes lines from the Holy Bible when he speaks, especially when facing whom he believes to be a heretic or monster that must be slain. He also has an extreme dislike for Protestants (no surprises there), going so far as to call Sir Integra "Babylon" in reference to "The Whore of Babylon". As bad as he is, he has honor which transcends it. [[Sinister Minister|Father Enrico Maxwell]], however, is WORSE.

* Scar in ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist]]'' tries to pass off his murderous revenge against state alchemists as this, saying that their alchemy is an affront to his god Ishval. [[Subverted Trope|However]], Ed later points out that Scar is deceiving everyone with this excuse, including himself; his real motive is nothing more than simple revenge for the Ishvallan War of Extermination. {{spoiler|After this, Scar starts his transformation into [[The Atoner]], fully admitting the crimes he's committed without using his religion as an excuse.}}

** The latest movie involves religious fundamentalism as part of the framing device, which is probably the best thing you can say about it besides 'some of the art was pretty.' It's...kind of incoherent and has continuity problems up the wazoo.

* Bishop Mozgus from the "Tower of Conviction" arc in ''[[Berserk]]'' takes this trope to the most nightmarishly horrifying logical conclusion imaginable, having tortured to death uncounted thousands of "heretics" (which, to him, includes such miscreants as peasants desperately begging for food for their starving children when that food was supposed to go to churchmen and church-affiliated knights, who most definitely are ''not'' starving).

* [[Good Omens|Sergeant Shadwell.]] He hates all Southerners, and, "by inference, [is] standing at the North Pole." Thinks Aziraphale is a Russian spy and Crowley, because he wears sunglasses, must be a member of the mafia. Also believes his landlords, the Rajits, practice voodoo, and frequently condemns his neighbor across the hall, who performs seances and entertains gentleman callers as a "Painted Jezebel" or "Whore of Babylon." [[Captain Obvious|He also hates witches.]] And Go- Sa- ''Somebody'' help you if he suspects you don't have [[It Makes Sense in Context|the correct number of nipples.]]

* Rather common in [[V. C. Andrews]] works. Most famous is the Grandmother, Olivia Foxworth in ''Flowers In the Attic''.

* ''Crusade'', the second of [[David Weber]]'s [[Starfire]] books, featured religious zealots who worshipped the Terran Empire as gods, and denounced the Khanate of Orion as devils. Within their society, religious doubt was absolutely not tolerated.

* The Children of the Light in [[Robert Jordan]]'s [[Wheel of Time]] series.

** The Church of Martel in ''[[Tales of Symphonia]]'' Only in Tethe'alla, where it turns out that {{spoiler|the Pope wanted to [[Take Over the World|take over the kingdom by manipulating the church AND his daughter.]]}} The Sylvaranti Priests are [[Saintly Church|pretty cool guys]].

** Some members of the "Ethos" church in ''[[Xenogears]]''. Exceptions of course including player character [[Knight in Shining Armor|Billy]] [[Guns Akimbo|Lee Black]] and [[Sinister Minister|Bishop]] [[The Mole|Stone/Stein]].

*** His characterisation in [[Mega Ten]] games started to change after ''[[Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne]]'', when the series began to attract american fans, likely as a result of religion being a much more touchy subject there. A shame, considering one of the underlying metathemes was that YVH's evil was due to something terribly wrong affecting Creation; what it is or was supposed to be will likely be never resolved.

** Several Yevonites in ''[[Final Fantasy X]]'' are revealed to be this, after you kill the [[Big Bad]] (one of the church's leaders)... Said villain himself was [[Unwitting Pawn|just manipulating their loyalty]] {{spoiler|and continues to do so after he comes [[Back From the Dead]].}}

== [[Web Original]] ==

* Rachel Gettys of ''[[Survival of the Fittest]]'' v4 is your standard Christian fundamentalist along with showing [[Rich Bitch]] traits. She spends a good amount of time on the island hallucinating "visions from God" and trying to convert people. Disagree with her and she'll bash your head in.

* Dolly in ''[[Eighties Dan]]'' turns out to be like this, but just when it comes to Christmas.