A good reference on "social and cultural change," especially in the US, is in The Century of Sex by James R. Petersen, ©1999, published by Grove Press. List price was $35 (US) but I got my copy for about $8 off a Barnes sale table, and it appears fairly regularly at both Barnes and Borders - on sale.

It would probably be easier to recognize with the knowledge that the subtitle is "Playboy's History of the Sexual Revolution: 1900 - 1999." (Sorry guys, virtually no pictures.) Despite the source, which will be a little suspect to some, this is a fairly scholarly review of attitudes, politics, and laws reflecting the state of our society during the indicated period. It triggered quite a few memories of things I "knew were wrong" at the time, and gave reasonable perspectives on how and why they happened. There are fairly detailed histories of the McCarthy hearings, and of J. Edgar Hoovers "sex slave" hunts, just as examples. Readable.

As to how "Fundamentalists" get to be that way, my trite answer would be "brainwashing." It is quite possible to understand religion in the context of the rest of the world, and still believe in it - in a healthy way. The Fundamentalists push the notion incessantly that only a rigid adherence to their "word of God" will make you anything but the piece of shit you are, and it becomes a substantial barrier to acceptance of anything else. The few who were not raised in this, who embrace it later are - IMO - mostly psychotics who are unable to handle reality in any other way.

For those raised in a Fundamentalist religion, the belief in rigid rules is a "learned" thing, and what you learn is that "rational thought" (any questioning of doctrine) is unacceptable. Eventually you accept it. Note that this doesn't preclude being rational about some other things (don't sleep on the railroad tracks, etc.) but any question about religion, morals, or ethics, must have "the answer from GOD" and cannot be questioned.

My personal experience with "converts" to Fundamentalism is that 100% of them (that I've known well enough to form an opinion) have been persons with serious social/emotional/identity conflicts who sought out a rigidly controlling sytem to relieve themselves of conflicts they couldn't handle otherwise. The "elite" military forces have a very difficult time detecting and detering these types, although sometimes they may actually "use" the emotional rigidity of a few. Civilian law enforcement agencies are a "magnet" for some of them, but generally are more careful about admitting them, when possible.

Note that with respect to the above, being a member of a Fundamentalist Church doesn't necessarily make you a "Fundamentalist" in the sense meant. Most are just followers, and for many it's just a default place to go. As with any large group, many don't think much about anything anyhow.

John