What's the meaning of Religious Fanaticism?

[Guri]

Let us discuss about the religious fanaticism. How does a believer become a fanatic? What contributes to it? Can we name the Bible examples that can help us to identify the cause of this unwanted spiritual weakness/disaster? 

 

We often meet some individuals in ministry or in every day activities and we see the mindset of some, which reflects the fanatical thinking, behaviour or speech. 

 

What ate the symptoms of fanaticism? What are the causes of it? 

Edited July 25, 2017 by Guri
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[mdj]

An interesting article on this subject is W87  7/15 pg 29.

" ... It is also of interest to note the definition given to the word "fanatic" by Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 1961 edition. It says: 'Fanatic - Latin, inspired by a deity. 
1. possessed by or as if by a demon; broadly: crazed, frantic, mad.
2. governed, produced, or characterized by too great zeal: extravagant, unreasonable; excessively enthusiastic, especially on religious subjects.'

"...Why, then, has fanaticism been so common in Christendom? The apostle Paul indicated that the time would come when imitation Christians would appear. They would bear the name Christian but not live up to it or produce its good fruits."

Paul himself once was a fanatic persecutor of Christ’s followers. What made him fanatic?

cj chapt. 3 pg 129: reasonable : "..Saul (Paul) directed by worldly wisdom, was misled by unreasoning fanaticism before he became a Christian. (Acts 9:1,2; Gal. 1:13,14)."
 

Edited July 25, 2017 by mdj