fundamentalism

Fundamentalism is most often used for religious movements, but it can also describe a very rigid way of thinking in other areas. It means strong belief in the original, basic principles of a system and a desire to return to them. People often use the word when talking about groups that read holy texts literally and resist newer interpretations or modern ideas. A person with this attitude may reject outside views if they seem to go against those core beliefs.

The word first became common in the early 20th century for Protestants who defended the "fundamentals" of Christian belief, such as the literal truth of the Bible. Today, the word is still strongly linked to religion, but it is also sometimes used more broadly for political or social movements that insist on strict loyalty to basic principles and reject compromise.

Fundamentalism is a strong and usually rigid commitment to what are seen as the original and unchanging truths of a belief system. The word is used most often in religion, especially for movements that treat sacred texts as literally true and oppose modern interpretations. It does not simply mean having deep faith or strong opinions. It suggests a refusal to question basic beliefs, a distrust of change, and a belief that one set of truths must be defended and preserved.

The term arose in the early 1900s in American Protestant Christianity. It was linked to The Fundamentals, a series of writings that defended traditional Christian doctrines against modern theology and new scholarly approaches to the Bible. In that setting, the word referred to people who insisted on the authority of scripture and on preserving what they saw as the essential truths of the faith.

Over time, the word began to be used more broadly. You may hear it in phrases such as "religious fundamentalism" or "Islamic fundamentalism," and sometimes in political or social contexts as well. In these wider uses, it usually describes a mindset that demands strict loyalty to first principles, rejects compromise, and treats alternative views as threats or corruptions. Because of that, the word often carries a negative tone. It can suggest intolerance, harsh judgment, or resistance to open discussion.

In everyday use, then, fundamentalism is less about simple devotion and more about rigidity. It describes an effort to return to an imagined pure original form, combined with suspicion of change, complexity, and competing interpretations.