Extremism: Operation rescue, the Army of God, and the Nashville declaration of conscience

'Extremist' is a pejorative term, which is often used by people who hold mainstream views, to describe people who do not hold mainstream views and of whom they disapprove. Attempts to pin down the meaning of the term 'extremist' usually end up by defining it in relation to the non-extreme. According to one definition an extremist is someone 'whose views are out­side the mainstream on some issue or dimension'. A second definition locates the meaning of 'extremist' by contrasting extremist views with 'balanced views'. Another account has it that we Westerners use the term extremist to label those who reject our core values - the values of 'Western democracy' .When someone describes a third party as an extremist, they suggest not only that the third party's views are outside the mainstream, but also that those views are misguided or other­wise objectionable. However, branding views as extremist does nothing to explain why they are mistaken or flawed.