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Authors: Lawrence Kaplan

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fact, an established clergy is not mentioned in the Koran at all, nor for that matter is there any reference in the Muslim corpus or tradition to an Islamic
republic,
a most modern conception invented by Khomeini (Roy, 1986).

It is not difficult to point out contradictions in the statements of various fundamentalist groups as they attempt to impose traditional religions on twentieth-century realities. Some of the most obvious are to be found among those in the United States who are convinced that sin (e.g., homosexuality, abortion, pornography, lack of prayer in schools, the teaching of evolution, etc.) is rapidly overtaking our land, yet who still assert that ours is God's country and that "Americanism" is synonymous with godliness. Religion, herein, is used as a prop for a nationalistic defense of the existing social order, despite a growing awareness of this country's moral imperfections. Another example of inconsistency is when fundamentalists join political conservatives to oppose encroachments of state power, and at the same time call for government involvement in the most intimate matters in order to enforce their version of acceptable personal behavior (Barr, 1977).

While U.S. fundamentalists have not markedly changed moral patterns in this country, the Shi'ites, from their position of power in Iran, have succeeded in mandating a puritanical code of behavior with cruel efficiency. In other Islamic societies Muslim fundamentalists have managed to reverse a secularization of social customs; one can see, for example, the return of the veil among university women in Egypt and even in such a secular nation as Turkey. Moreover, in almost every Muslim country in the Middle East as well as in Asia, political leaders must remain conscious of the fundamentalist presence so as not to offend sensibilities. Thus, radical Islam remains an important fact of life in many parts of the world. Reports of moderating tendencies in Iran have proved to be wishful thinking. The ayatollahs have survived a catastrophic war with Iraq as well as a precipitous decline in living standards, and all evidence points to the probability that they will endure for the foreseeable future. With their failure to export their version of the Islamic revolution, we might very well see history repeating itself, in that full Islamization

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has been limited (as was the case with socialism and Russia) to one country.

In the United States, because of the discrediting of certain well-known evangelists and the disappearance of the Moral Majority, it would be easy to write off the new Christian right as a failure. Indeed, many social scientists have already produced analyses to explain its diminished visibility (Steve Bruce puts forth this argument quite persuasively in Chapter 3). Nevertheless, Professor Ribuffo is perhaps correct to advise caution in this regard, in that earlier epitaphs have proven to be premature. Thus, one should be somewhat tentative in confidently predicting future events (see Chapter 2).

The declining economic position of the United States in the world, for example, might provide a favorable environment for the resurrection of a new version of dispensationalism, or an even more extreme form of apocalyptic Protestantism. Moreover, as the United States further involves itself in Middle Eastern affairs, with the distinct possibility of installing a permanent presence in the region, anti-Western tendencies of a religious character might erupt in a way that frustrates geopolitical strategies. Secular regimes or movements in this highly volatile area of the world, which are seen to compromise with "the Great Satan" or its allies, could very well jeopardize their mandate.

As we suggested at the outset of this introduction, unexpected developments now characterize contemporary world affairs, a fact that should encourage restraint rather than overextension at the present juncture of events. We should be less confident than some of our Enlightenment forebears that rational modernity will inevitably overcome the remnants of irrational traditionalism. Fundamentalism, because of its easily comprehended appeal, remains one of the alternatives that people in various cultures seize when encountering the diverse traumas of modernity. All we can say with assurance is that as long as human suffering and uncertainty persist, fundamentalism will continue to be one of the options utilized to explain the world and to promise solace. There are good reasons to believe that it will remain an important part of our experience well into the twenty-first century.

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