--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way…" description: "\"Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future; it is the last gasp of the past.\" — John Shelby Spong" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png" --- # Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future… ![“Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future; it is the last gasp of the past.” quote by John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png) > “Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future; it is the last gasp of the past.” [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes extreme fundamentalism as outdated and obstructive. **In simple terms:** Fundamentalism hinders progress. Key Takeaway Promote open, evolving beliefs. Themes religion progress fundamentalism Mood critical thoughtful Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - interfaith dialogues - education reform - policy debates Key Concepts theology cultural evolution Questions to Reflect On - How can tradition coexist with progress? - What alternatives to fundamentalism exist? A Different Perspective May overlook benefits of tradition. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fundamentalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalism/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Some people seem to gravitate from one fundamentalism to another, from some kind of secular fundamentalism into a religious fundamentalism or the other way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-l-berger/some-people-seem-to-gravitate-from-one-fundamentalism-to-another-from/) [Peter L. Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-berger/) > [“Fundamentalism wears many masks, but always claims a monopoly on the Truth. Many people buy into fundamentalism in much the same way people buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-main/fundamentalism-wears-many-masks-but-always-claims-a-monopoly-on-the/) [Darren Main](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-main/) > [Postmodernism represents a moment of suspension before the batteries are recharged for the new millennium, an acknowledgment that preceding the future is a strange…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyman-abbott/postmodernism-represents-a-moment-of-suspension-before-the-batteries/) [Lyman Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyman-abbott/) > [I was raised pretty much a fundamentalist, but the one thing that fundamentalism gave to me was the love for that book and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-was-raised-pretty-much-a-fundamentalist-but-the-one-thing-that/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [A major function of fundamentalist religion is to bolster deeply insecure and fearful people. This is done by justifying a way of life with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/a-major-function-of-fundamentalist-religion-is-to-bolster-deeply/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [One of my great experiences in life was to be interviewed on a late-night talk show by a guy named Tom Snyder. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/one-of-my-great-experiences-in-life-was-to-be-interviewed-on-a-late/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I became hysterical and frightened and begged for sedation. And that was just the first prenatal visit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erma-bombeck/i-became-hysterical-and-frightened-and-begged-for-sedation-and-that/) [Erma Bombeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erma-bombeck/) > [What I had mastered was fly-fishing Rule # 1: Remove all hooks from soft tissue under water, where near-freezing temperatures anesthetize exposed nerve endings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-maxwell/what-i-had-mastered-was-fly-fishing-rule-1-remove-all-hooks-from-soft/) [Jessica Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-maxwell/) > [I have no faith in our hypocritical, false, hysterical, uneducated and lazy intelligentsia when they suffer and complain: their oppression comes from within. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/i-have-no-faith-in-our-hypocritical-false-hysterical-uneducated-and/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [Anyways, trying to express yourself to the press is often like arguing with a hysterical person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-koenig/anyways-trying-to-express-yourself-to-the-press-is-often-like-arguing/) [Ezra Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-koenig/) > [The hysterical find too much significance in things. The depressed find too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-hysterical-find-too-much-significance-in-things-the-depressed/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I think that 'Family Guy' is hysterical. It's edgy and hip - and they can do whatever they want to do because it's animated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-levi/i-think-that-family-guy-is-hysterical-it-s-edgy-and-hip-and-they-can/) [Zachary Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-levi/) > [Saiman picked up a coffee mug, stared at it, and hurled it against the wall. It shattered into a dozen pieces. We looked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/saiman-picked-up-a-coffee-mug-stared-at-it-and-hurled-it-against-the/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Which one hadn't he walked down? Was it Barkovitch? Collie Parker? Percy What'shisname? Who was it? 'GARRATY!' the crowd screamed deliriously. 'GARRATY, GARRATY, GARRATY!'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king-as-richard-bachman/which-one-hadn-t-he-walked-down-was-it-barkovitch-collie-parker-percy/) Stephen King as Richard Bachman ## More by John Shelby Spong > [The way that I see Christianity is that its role is to enhance the life of every person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-way-that-i-see-christianity-is-that-its-role-is-to-enhance-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Sins of Scripture is an interesting title; most people don't put sins and scripture together in the same title. It jars people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-sins-of-scripture-is-an-interesting-title-most-people-don-t-put/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“When a human life is open to all that humanity can be, humanity and divinity flow together as one. It was and is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/when-a-human-life-is-open-to-all-that-humanity-can-be-humanity-and/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I don't see Jesus as rescuing the fallen; I see Jesus as expanding the potential of life. The primary reason the old idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-don-t-see-jesus-as-rescuing-the-fallen-i-see-jesus-as-expanding-the/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible interprets life from its particular perspective; it does not record in a factual way the human journey through history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-interprets-life-from-its-particular-perspective-it-does-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [My basis of morality is this: does this action enhance life, or does it denigrate life? Does it build up or does it tear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/my-basis-of-morality-is-this-does-this-action-enhance-life-or-does-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [I want the traditional family upheld, but I don't want it upheld to the detriment of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-want-the-traditional-family-upheld-but-i-don-t-want-it-upheld-to/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We live in a very pluralistic society today. There are Buddhists, Hindus, Jews, atheists, Roman Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Christians like me. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-live-in-a-very-pluralistic-society-today-there-are-buddhists/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Bible was written between 3,000 and 2,000 years ago, and it's filled with the knowledge that people had in that period of time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-bible-was-written-between-3-000-and-2-000-years-ago-and-it-s/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [We are in a survival mentality, and that's hard-wired into our humanity, because we are the winners of an evolutionary struggle of millions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/we-are-in-a-survival-mentality-and-that-s-hard-wired-into-our/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Some people think prayer stops bullets or rockets or land mines. It doesn't. That's magic, that's not God. Sometimes, you're just in the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/some-people-think-prayer-stops-bullets-or-rockets-or-land-mines-it/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [The Hebrew scriptures say it's okay to enslave anybody except your fellow Jews. It says you should enslave only your neighbors. I say to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-hebrew-scriptures-say-it-s-okay-to-enslave-anybody-except-your/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I know Jerry \[Falwell\] fairly well, and he's probably not bright enough to recognize all of the implications of what he said. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-know-jerry-falwell-fairly-well-and-he-s-probably-not-bright-enough/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [Benedict XVI kept saying that homosexuals are deviant. They're not deviant. They're deviant only if you say that anyone who is different from me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/benedict-xvi-kept-saying-that-homosexuals-are-deviant-they-re-not/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I find it fascinating that Paul \[the apostol\], writing to the Galatians, responds to the question, "What does it mean to live in Christ?"… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-find-it-fascinating-that-paul-the-apostol-writing-to-the-galatians/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) [Explore all 236 John Shelby Spong quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) ## More Fundamentalism quotes > [I am a woman, and as such, I experience the ever-increasing restrictions on our liberty in our country through the development of Islamic fundamentalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/i-am-a-woman-and-as-such-i-experience-the-ever-increasing/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [“Despite the fact that, the idea of religion has been filled by the human society with all sorts of garbage, and thus been made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/despite-the-fact-that-the-idea-of-religion-has-been-filled-by-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Christianity isn't the only group that has fundamentalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/christianity-isn-t-the-only-group-that-has-fundamentalists/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Islamic fundamentalism is attacking us at home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/islamic-fundamentalism-is-attacking-us-at-home/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [We have to review our foreign policy and stop rolling out the red carpet for countries we know to be funding fundamentalism: countries like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/we-have-to-review-our-foreign-policy-and-stop-rolling-out-the-red/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [Critics of the war plans (including myself) have pointed to the disastrous political results that must be expected: Iraq would break into three parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uri-avnery/critics-of-the-war-plans-including-myself-have-pointed-to-the/) [Uri Avnery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uri-avnery/) > [“When a person irrationally and quite pathologically sticks to the creeds of his scriptures too much, it can turn even a great human being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-a-person-irrationally-and-quite-pathologically-sticks-to-the/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Fundamentalists are panicked by the apparent disintegration of the family, the disappearance of certainty and the decay of morality. Fear leads them to ask,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/fundamentalists-are-panicked-by-the-apparent-disintegration-of-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [Fundamentalists believe that we don't believe in anything. In their view of the world, they are in possession of absolute certainties, while we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/fundamentalists-believe-that-we-don-t-believe-in-anything-in-their/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [In turbulent times, in times of great change, people head for the two extremes: fundamentalism and personal, spiritual experience...With no membership lists or even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naisbitt/in-turbulent-times-in-times-of-great-change-people-head-for-the-two/) [John Naisbitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naisbitt/) > [“Pilgrim's Regress (Sonnet 2324) Mirage mistaken as message, when ethnic cleansing feels enlightened, Sinai becomes septic, Bethlehem becomes Bedlam. Dogma decreed as divine, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/pilgrim-s-regress-sonnet-2324-mirage-mistaken-as-message-when-ethnic/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [I don't think that fundamentalism has anything to do with Jesus Christ. They call themselves Christians, but if that's Christian, count me out. Fundamentalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-don-t-think-that-fundamentalism-has-anything-to-do-with-jesus/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [But it is no good using the tongs of reason to pull the Fundamentalists' chestnuts out of the fire of contradiction. Their real troubles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hardin/but-it-is-no-good-using-the-tongs-of-reason-to-pull-the/) [Garrett Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hardin/) > [I think in times of fear and hysteria in a culture, gender experimentation as it pertains to men has to go underground because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-think-in-times-of-fear-and-hysteria-in-a-culture-gender/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [I have no religious belief myself, but I don't think we should fight about it. In particular, I think that we should not rubbish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/i-have-no-religious-belief-myself-but-i-don-t-think-we-should-fight/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) [Browse all 437 Fundamentalism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentalism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future; it is the last gasp of the past.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Shelby Spong" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way-into-the-future-it-is-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fundamentalism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way-into-the-future-it-is-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/john-shelby-spong-1488_fundamentalism_hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way_3066049.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way into the future; it is the last gasp of the past.” — John Shelby Spong", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Shelby Spong", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Hysterical fundamentalism is not the way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way-into-the-future-it-is-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/hysterical-fundamentalism-is-not-the-way-into-the-future-it-is-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```