Bad French, but a decent segue. The fundamentalist program is a meme, a self-perpetuating idea that cannot tolerate any questioning or inquiry, much less outright criticism. It is similar in this respect to NeoMarxism or Neoconservatism, it not only refuses to tolerate the slightest criticism, it constantly scrutinizes the most innocuous material and activity seeking out any failure to include recognition of its principles or worship of its icons. These philosophies will not compromise, even with movements which might share some beliefs with them, they insist on orthodoxy. Whatever valid insights might be at the core of these philosophies are instantly discredited by the toxic screed that oozes from their followers. Every event in their space-time is instantly grasped upon as yet another evidence of the righteousness of their cause, and by extension, the corruption of their opponents.

It is the nature of memes to evolve and to undergo natural selection, to live and die and adapt, but once they become established they are as difficult to control as cockroaches. Look at the Roman Catholic Church during its most powerful period, and the fundamentalist Islamic movement today. Any religious or political movement can become this way, because they have a built-in mechanism to avoid the normal moderating influence of critical thinking and tolerance. The enemy is simply dismissed as a heretic, a fascist, a racist, a liberal, or a Jew. You can pick your opprobium. Not only are their enemies' thoughts anathema, their very existence becomes intolerable.

I should make clear that this is not a consequence of religious conviction, nor is it limited to religious philosophies. Most religionists recognize the role of personal faith and common humanity, even among other denominations. They also recognize that matters of faith cannot be supported by logic and reason alone, and depend instead upon conviction and personal morality. But when you start to see the careful scrutiny of scriptural texts, the constant review and dissection of any thought which deviates even slightly from those paradigms,
the willingness to demonize the critic and the need to overwhelm the neutral for failure to exhibit the required zeal, you have a problem on your hands.

Soviet Communism had to collapse from its own mismanagement and inefficiency, Naziism had to be exterminated by a costly and devastating war. The RC Church is on the decline, and has moderated its views somewhat, and Islamic teaching is going through one of its periodic pendulum swings betwen enlightenment and barbarism. But there are scattered pockets of these memes still festering here and there, always ready to expand into a vacuum left by collapse or decline of some other, older philosophy. And of course, new ones are constantly arising, moving into new niches and occupying new terrain.

The next time your local zealots insist on opening a public ceremony, or inscribing a public building with the Lord's prayer, I would instead suggest they consider substituting the scripture which immediately precedes it in the New Testament (Matthew 6: 1-8).