In the Oct 2, 2001 edition of The Wall Street Journal, John McDonough wrote a book review entitled "Anatomy of Zealotry" with the sub-title: "Fifty Years Later, Eric Hoffer�s �The True Believer� Still Offers A Timely Look At Fanaticism". The article notes the odd coincidence of the book�s 50^th anniversary with the Sept. 11 disaster. McDonough summarizes Hoffer�s book as a "concise insight into what drives the mind of the fanatic and the dynamics of a mass movement at its most primal level."

McDonough notes "it is up to the reader to provide his own operational context" in applying Hoffer�s insights. The readers natural inclination is to apply Hoffer�s insights to Osama bin Laden, but as an observer of Christian fundamentalism, the uncomfortable realization occurs that the United States may well have its own breed of fanaticism, again under the cloak of religion similarly determined to obtain political power.

The following quotations are from Chapter 13 of "The True Believer":

"The fanatic is convinced that the cause he holds on to is monolithic and eternal - a rock of ages. Still, his sense of security is derived from his passionate attachment and not from the excellence of the cause. The fanatic is not really a stickler to principle. He embraces a cause not primarily because of its justness and holiness but because of his desperate need for something to hold onto."

"The fanatic cannot be weaned away from his cause by an appeal to his reason or moral sense. He fears compromise and cannot be persuaded to qualify the certitude and righteousness of his holy cause."

The religious fanatic claims that "the ultimate and absolute truth is already embodied in his doctrine and that there is no truth nor certitude outside of it. The facts on which the true believer bases his conclusions must not be derived from his experience or observation but from holy writ. Quoting Martin Luther, �So tenaciously should we cling to the world revealed by the Gospel, that were I to see all the Angels of Heaven coming down to me to tell me something different, not only would I not be tempted to doubt a single syllable, but I would shut my eyes and stop my ears, for they would not deserve to either be seen or heard�. To rely on evidence of the senses and of reason is heresy and treason."

"It is the true believer�s ability to shut his eyes and stop his ears to facts that do not deserve to be either seen or heard which is the source of unequaled fortitude and constancy. He cannot be baffled by contradictions because he denies their existence. Strength of faith manifests itself not in moving mountains but in not seeing mountains to move. It is the certitude of his infallible doctrine that renders the true believer impervious to the uncertainties, surprises and the unpleasant realities of the world around him."

"The effectiveness of a doctrine should be...judged by how thoroughly it insulates the individual from his own self and the world as it is. What Pascal said of an effective religion is true of any effective doctrine: �It must be contrary to common sense.� As Tertullian said �And He was buried and rose again is true because it is impossible�".

Hoffer again noting Pascal, "one is well-minded to understand holy writ when one hates oneself." Hoffer continues "There is apparently some connection between dissatisfaction with oneself and a proneness to credulity. The urge to escape our real self is also an urge to escape the rational and the obvious. The refusal to see ourselves as we are develops a distaste for facts and cold logic. Salvation can come only from the miraculous, which seeps through a crack in the iron wall of inexorable reality. They ask to be deceived. They pray not only for their daily bread, but for their daily illusion. The rule seems to be that those who find no difficulty in deceiving themselves are easily deceived by others.

"A peculiar side of credulity is that it is often joined with a proneness to imposture. The inability or unwillingness to see things as they are promotes both gullibility and charlatanism."

According to the book�s preface, President Dwight D. Eisenhower thought so highly of "The True Believer" that he gave this book to his friends and associates. We don�t know Ike�s reason, but we know one undeniable historical fact: As Christianity ascended in influence eventually becoming the state religion of The Roman Empire, so too The Roman Empire declined in strength leading to its demise.

Lee Salisbury lives in Stillwater, MN.   After graduation from the University of Florida, BSBA, 1963, he entered the real estate/mortgage business.  An unexpected encounter with Christianity in 1970 led to four years of bible school and pastor of a bible-believing community church for ten years.  Interspersed in that time were numerous conference speaking engagements in the U.S., Europe and Africa.  He resigned his ministry 1986 to pursue a traveling ministry and re-establish his real estate career.  Separation from church demands allowed time for re-examining his biblical beliefs which years later led him to the agonizing conclusion that biblically-based fundamentalist Christianity was inundated with contradictions and inconsistencies to which he could no longer honestly or ethically abide.