Six Signs that Your Depiction of Fundamentalists Relies More on Media Stereotypes than Historical Research

Ten Signs That You Might Be a Fundamentalist - Free Online Library

Do all ten of the characteristics apply to all fundamentalists? In reality, folks are probably fundamentalist by degrees. However, the two elements of certitude and a supporting, indoctrinating subculture are universal characteristics. I want to end with an assignment. Go back over the list and write the inverse of each point. What would such person or society acting on reverse characteristics look like?

My main objection to the article is that I could not find a characteristic that either didn't apply to all fundamentalists, or, even if it did, also applied to the general population (although in some cases, with minor changes in terminology; note that I added the second item, edited the third and moved several lower than what they originally were):

1. You fail to notice that the first four items in the above list, with minor changes in terminology, are applicable to a wide variety of people. For example, if one substitutes "irrationality", "irrational", and "rational" for "Dominion of Darkness", "evil", and "righteous", one winds up with the views of many atheists. Furthermore, the tenth item is applicable not only to much of Christianity (e.g., I've heard many non-fundamentalist Christians question whether I'm really a Christian because I'm a fundamentalist), but other religions as well.  
2. You believe that the more vocal, more controversial, and more political fundamentalists speak for all fundamentalists and are totally unaware (or else ignore) the original definition of the term "fundamentalism". This is akin to saying that Madalyn Murray O'Hair or the new atheists represent all atheists. Thus, items 6-10 are not characteristic of all fundamentalists.
3. You believe there is such a thing as "Islamic fundamentalism" (an idea that is refuted in the link to the original definition of fundamentalism above).
4. You view the terms "Religious Right" and "fundamentalist" as synonymous.
5. You believe that "theological conservatism" must necessarily lead to "social and/or political conservatism".
6. You have no explanation as how one can reject the fundamentals of the Christian faith and yet still be considered "Christian".

[Update: If I were to this over again, I would have split the second into two as follows:
2. You are totally unaware of (or else ignore) the original definition of fundamentalism and therefore believe that one can be fundamentalist "by degrees".  On the contrary, either one believes all five of the fundamentals or one doesn't.
3. Because of this second error, you mistake the more vocal (strident?), more controversial, and more political faction(s) of fundamentalism as the authentic representatives of the movement.
Furthermore, I would have added an eighth sign:
8. You consider a Inherit the Wind as a historical recreation of the events of the Scopes Trial.]

A few more notes:
1) I realize in cases of ex-fundamentalists such as Mr. (my apologies if I should use "Dr." or some other honorific instead) Alexander's, personal experience probably plays a larger role than media stereotypes. The point I was trying to make in the title, however, remains: most of these characteristics are either not true of all fundamentalists or are also true of most of culture as well (with perhaps minor changes in the terminology used as noted).
2) My mention of "media stereotypes" is not meant to imply a belief in a general media conspiracy against fundamentalists, but rather that the media tends to focus on controversy because that's what tends to sell.
3) As for the assignment mentioned in the last paragraph, I doubt that such a person really exists. I think that everyone displays a certain amount of certainty about his or her beliefs (otherwise, why hold them?). Furthermore, I've yet to find a subculture that didn't have some beliefs beyond question... or someone who has said "question everything" who hasn't added a (usually unspoken) "except for what I tell you" to it. Besides, my first question after someone tells me to "question everything" tends to be "How can I be sure I'm questioning everything and not just looking for rationalizations to believe what I want to believe?".
4) As for an assignment I'd like to give: study the original fundamentalists and note the differences between them and how fundamentalists are portrayed today (for those interested, a good start might be my "Myths about Fundamentalists" series).

While my response originally appeared on the webpage linked at the beginning of this article, it appears to have been subsequently removed.

Why you can't always trust what "they" say about dwarfs and trolls*

People were streaming past the Watch House. [Corporal] Carrot [of the Night Watch] stopped a couple by the simple expedient of sticking out his hand.
'Mr Poppley, isn't it?" he said. "How's the grocery business? Hello, Mrs Poppley."
"Ain't you heard?" said the flustered man. "The trolls have set fire to the Palace!"
He followed Carrot's gaze up Broad Way, to where the Palace stood squat and dark in the early evening light. Ungovernable flames failed to billow from every window.
"My word," said Carrot.
"And there's dwarfs breaking windows and everything!" said the grocer.... "I'm off! I'm not stopping to see Mrs Poppley ravished by the little devils! You know what they say about dwarfs!'
The Watch watched the couple head off into the crowd again.
"Well, I don't," said [Night Watchdwarf Watchman Lance-Constable] Cuddy, to no-one in particular. "What is it they say about dwarfs?"
Carrot fielded a man pushing a barrow.
'Would you mind telling me what's going on, sir?' he said.
"And do you know what it is they say about dwarfs?' said a voice behind him....
'They say...' Dibbler [a roaming merchant of questionable foodstuffs, like sausages] began....
'Who says?' said Carrot.
'They say,' said Dibbler. 'You know. They. Everyone. They say the trolls have killed someone up at Dolly Sisters and the dwarfs have smashed up Chalky the troll's all-night pottery and they've broken down the Brass Bridge and--"
Carrot looked up the road.
"You just came over the Brass Bridge," he said.
"Yeah, well... that's what they say," said Dibbler.
"Oh, I see." Carrot straightened up.
"Did they happen to say... sort of, in passing... anything else about dwarfs?" said Cuddy.

-Terry Pratchett, Men At Arms

As much as I would like to get certain previously mentioned dictionaries to change their inaccurate (and illogical) definitions of "fundamentalism", the realistic part of me realizes the likely futility of such a campaign.  In wrapping up this series, I intend to reveal another, more important purpose.  However clichéd the following question is danger of becoming, it still accurately reflects my sentiments: "So you think that you know me?"- simply by my self-identification as a fundamentalist.  Usually it's the more controversial segments of fundamentalism that garner the most media attention because that's what sells papers.  Thus, while it's somewhat understandable that some err in believing that fundamentalism is as monolithic as the coverage makes it appear, it's still a mistake.  The reality is that they no more necessarily speak for me than Madalyn Murray O'Hair necessarily speaks for all atheists.  True, in both cases there's often a great deal of overlap concerning basic beliefs, but beyond those basics, there are those for whom the differences outweigh the similarities.  In other words, there are a wide variety of subjects on which my views differ from theirs.  One would do well to ask me whether I agree with them on a particular subject beyond the fundamentals .that I've previously listed instead of assuming that that all fundamentalists accept their self- (and, to a certain extent, media-) proclaimed status as spokespeople for them.

* (and fundamentalists, as well)