Believers, Fanatics, and Bigots

Nowadays, these three words are quite often (there are more, actually) inferred to some followers of the major religions of the world. I will limit this mini-discussion to the usage of these words in this aspect although one can be a believer of health food or fashion, another a football fanatic, and yet another a racial bigot.

Generally, these words are an indication of the depth (rightly or wrongly) of the follower's conviction in his particular faith. A believer then is a person who has a religious belief (or who has the confidence in something good). He could be a Christian, a Muslim or a Hindu, for example.

Let's have a look at the Christian believer. He could be a passive follower, meaning that he professes the faith in name only and rarely engages in the rituals of the faith. About the only time that he exhibits his particular faith are during the festive occasions, when he gets married, or when he gets buried. An active follower, on the other hand, attends church on Sundays, participates in the various activities of the church such as welfare for poor and needy, visitations of the sick and elderly, prayer meetings, helping out with the Library, or sings in the choir. Passive or active devotees do not make them fanatics or bigots.

A fanatic is a believer filled with excessive and often misguided enthusiasm for his particular faith. For example, fanatic Christians wear thorny crowns and carry heavy wooden crosses during Easter in the Philippines. A fanatic talks incessantly about his faith and indulges in wild and extravagant notions of the religion. A zealot is a fanatic who has extremely strong beliefs, and is too eager to make other people share them. Being a fanatic, enthusiast, or zealot do not make one a bigot. They are still friendly people, if you know them.

Who then is a bigot? Webster's New World Dictionary defines bigot as a person who holds blindly and intolerantly to a particular creed or belief. He thinks that anyone who does not hold the same beliefs is wrong. In particular, a bigot is one who exhibits intolerance and animosity towards one of another creed or belief (Wikipedia).

However, take note that he may not be a true believer, devotee or fanatical about his belief. He just takes an active part in showing his displeasure claiming to be a loyal, ardent and firm believer of his superior creed or belief.