Ha ha! That high school prom experience doesn't ruin the song for me at all - that's just awesome, and classically high school. I just wonder how that guy would feel if he got the "it's about AIDS" explanation of the song.

I wonder what it says about me and my friends, that we all ditched our dates and got out on the dance floor when they started playing disco towards the end of the evening and we were the only ones around, doing goofy dance moves and cracking up.

With regard to fundamentalism, I can see where you're coming from and agree whole-heartedly, that someone who believes in the "fundamentals" of our faith would be actual followers of Jesus. And I figure you already realize what I'm saying, and you're just trying to express a point about true religion, but when I use "fundamentalism" it's as a particular label with certain moral, social, political associations, which doesn't mean that it's a simple belief in the fundamentals of a particular religion. It's about literalism, unbending adherence to rules, and intolerance of others, Christians, Jews, Muslims, or anyone else, the message that "I'm right, all others are not only wrong, but I refuse to respect their beliefs."

So in the sense that I believe in the literal truth of the Bible, but believe that Jesus teaches us to love others and to turn the other cheek instead of seeking an eye for an eye, I believe in the fundamentals of Christianity. But I'm not a fundamentalist - I can think that my belief is the correct one, but I don't think I should be disrespectful or irreverent of others' views.

That's my ham-fisted attempt at the subject, and like I said, I figure you already know that, and you're just trying to redeem the word "fundamental" in religion, but fundamentalists still chap my hide. There was a really cool "Speaking of Faith" (which is a great NPR program about religion) with three former fundamentalists, including the president of Fuller seminary, which you can get at this link here.