I dislike fundamentalism.
I agree with what a great man once said, “…we have some — many — who believe they possess the absolute truth and they go on sullying others through slander and defamation and this is wrong. Religious fundamentalism must be combated. It is not religious, G-d is lacking. It is idolatrous.”
In my experience a true relationship with G-d is built upon uncertainties, paradoxes, doubt, loss of faith as much as having faith. G-d is found in a “Cloud of Unknowing.”
That said, there are certain memories we retain (usually from pre-puberty) and we will always refer to, subconsciously or consciously, in difficult times, as a foundation for our lives.
What we learnt as children becomes our fundament.
Ironically, what I learnt as a child is taken from religious fundamentalism.
I grew up in a fairly religious family: obligatory church – twice, some times three times every Sunday, every Holy day (and, as a choirboy, every baptism, wedding and funeral). Any spare time on a Sunday was filled by Sunday School. As a 7 year old, I could quote huge passages of “The Book of Common Prayer”.
One on my list of memories, comes from a fiery sermon given by a holiday replacement for our local vicar. What separated him from all others was that he was a Jew.
His chosen text has become a fundament of my life:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
[Galatians 3:28]
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