Understanding the Fanatic Mindset

Over the years on the Internet since I was raised a Master Mason, I have had the occasional… pleasure, of dealing with fanatics. Fanatic antimasons of the Catholic stripe, of the evangelical whatever stripe, and of the tin foil hat brigades (though to be fair, it is often hard to tell them apart).

We have all been treated to their hateful, unjustifiable defamations and slanders, and it has always surprised me, the amount of just plain kookiness they can dredge up. Part of it, I am sure, can be laid at the foot of Internet anonymity.

There is a definite lack of civility on the Internet, as if, because they are hidden, anonymous, people can write and spew the most vile and disgusting words and behaviors. I just read an article by Dennis Prager, which posits that the very anonymity of the Internet is the reason and cause for the very lack of civility that creates the hatemongers that slam Freemasons at every turn.

“Being identifiable breeds responsibility; anonymity breeds irresponsibility.

That is why people -- even generally decent people -- tend to act so much less morally when in a crowd (the crowd renders them anonymous). That is why people tend to act more decently when they walk around with their names printed on a nametag. That is why people act more rudely when in their cars -- they cannot be identified as they could outside of their car. There is no question but that most people would write very different entries on the Internet if their names were printed alongside their submission.”(1)

There is something more to this antimasonic nuttery, more than can be explained by the anonymity of the Internet, though that contributes in large part to the absolutely vile things that people claiming to be Christian post to and about us. That something more may be the very thing that creates them… their faith.

Faith is a wonderful thing, and a carpenter turned Rabbi is said to have stated that faith alone the size of a mustard seed can move mountains (by the way, how does one measure the size of faith?) Faith that becomes fanaticism, however, is dangerous, and the fanatics are the one I am referencing here.

These are the men, and women, who will do anything, commit any fraud, slander, defame and do ANYTHING to win. These are the scary people, and there may be a reason for their fanaticism. Fear.

They fear, not Masons, but themselves, and the way they validate their decision and faith is to attempt to convert others to their faith or belief. For instance, the tin foil hat Konspiracy Kook. Somewhere in the sane part of their brain, they realize that what they believe is a bit… off, that it sounds crazy even to them. So they run out and try to convince themselves by trying to convert the world.

“...How do you get more people to join than quit? One way is by having current members proselytize. The fastest-growing denominations, Mr. Twitchell says, are "selling, selling, selling." They are "foregrounding growth as a sign of value." As he explains: "Missionary zeal is at the heart of their attraction not only because showing the Way to others is a source of jubilation but because it means that you yourself must have found your way. The value of the next sale (the convert) proves the value of the previous sale (yours)." It all comes down to a kind of narcissism....”(2)

“I think the insecurity comes through, as with fundi Christians, the lack of proof. They are told to simply "believe", never question. Without questions, and answers that make sense, there is no true validation. That creates doubt. Doubt leads to the fear that they are, perhaps, "wrong", and there fore, sinful. Sinfulness leads to fear, in a neverending cycle. No wonder the poor things are confused.”(3)

Missionary zeal is a bad thing. It is intolerant. In a free society, however, the free exchange of ideas holds a place for such. What a free society has no place for is hatemongering fools taking advantage of the anonymity offered by a mature society to spew vile and vicious lies in the name of whatever g-d or theory they happen to worship.

As Freemasons, taught by a peculiar system of morality, veiled by allegory and illustrated by symbols, it is our duty and our obligation to show the light of Freemasonry, not by converting, not by missionary zeal in ourselves, but by the demonstration in our daily lives of the honor, integrity and value of our ancient and honorable fraternity.

Thus we can demonstrate to the world that upon becoming Master Masons we have become better men.

May the blessing of heaven rest upon us and all regular Masons. May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue, cement us.

References:

(1) Internet Anonymity Is as Destructive as Internet Porn. By Dennis Prager, Townhall.com, Tuesday, October 23, 2007,

(2) A Congregation of Customers, By Naomi Schaefer Riley, Opinion Journel.com, Tuesday, October 23, 2007 12:01 a.m. EDT

(3) Maximus, Post #2, Novus Ordo Saeculorum