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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Neocon who wrote (64887)	10/30/2002 12:48:15 PM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

Would it really matter if one had a fanatical belief in the sanctity of marriage (using your criteria), as long as it did not entail violence? It could matter a lot. For example, in very religious sects it can force women (or men) to stay in emotionally destructive marriages because the sect leader refuses to allow any deviations from the marital state. I suspect that many peoples' lives have been damaged and left unfulfilled by the past (and maybe still present) fanatical opposition of the Catholic church to divorce.

To: Neocon who wrote (64887)	10/30/2002 5:14:22 PM
From: epicure	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to 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 \Fanat"icism\, n. [Cf. Fanatism.] Excessive enthusiasm, unreasoning zeal, or wild and extravagant notions, on any subject, especially religion; religious frenzy.