I soon learned that there was a more intense form of fundamentalism, with some prevailing characteristics:

• Almost invariably, fundamentalist movements are led by authoritarian males who consider themselves to be superior to others, and within religious groups, have an overwhelming commitment to subjugate women and to dominate their fellow believers.
• Although fundamentalists usually believe that the past is better than the present, they retain certain self-beneficial aspects of both their historic religious beliefs and of the modern world.
• Fundamentalists draw clear distinctions between themselves, as true believers, and others, convinced that they are right and that anyone who contradicts them is ignorant and possibly evil.
• Fundamentalists are militant in fighting against any challenge to their beliefs. They are often angry and sometimes resort to verbal or even physical abuse against those who interfere with the implementation of their agenda.
• Fundamentalists tend to make their self-definition increasingly narrow and restricted, to isolate themselves, to demagogue emotional issues, and to view change, cooperation, negotiation, and other efforts to resolve differences as signs of weakness.

To summarize, there are three words that characterize this brand of fundamentalism: rigidity, domination, and exclusion.

Jimmy Carter used three words to describe one variety of our species: “rigidity, domination, and exclusion.” George Washington used three words as well: “cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled.” Put them all together and what have you got? Varietas Tyrannica.