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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank
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To: Neocon who wrote (64887)10/30/2002 5:14:22 PM
From: epicure  Read Replies (1) of 82486
 
Unfortunately it is the dictionary definition. Fanatics are not required to behave transgressively. They only need to be illogical and have great zeal. You could have those things, and direct them to trivial pursuits. You could be irrational and have great zeal about something and do no one any harm. Violence is not a criterion of fanaticism as far as I can tell. It could be a component, but it is not a necessary one. You might want it to be, and I suppose you could argue that we all adopt your new standard for the word, but as it stands now, you appear to be incorrect.

fanaticism

\Fa*nat"i*cism\, n. [Cf. Fanatism.] Excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions, on any subject, especially religion; religious frenzy.
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