During times of great change, we are tempted to circle the wagons against any perceived threats to our traditional ways of life, spooked even by unsubstantiated rumors.

Thomas Albert Howard reports on “The Dangers of Hindu Nationalism” in First Things (March, 2016). He reports on increased attacks against Christians and Muslims in India in the past few years, as Hindu nationalism revives. In 1948, Mahatma Gandhi himself was assassinated by a Hindu nationalist.

But a frightening, changing world encourages belief groups to grow more inward and arrogant, from young Muslims who embrace ISIS to Christians who burn the Quran to Americans threatened by a seeming loss of political faith in American institutions.

No belief system, liberal or conservative, is immune. Words that caricature simple faith as hogwash can fuel the flames as much as bigoted nationalism.

Just as a more radical Hindu nationalism encourages a clinging to the ancient Indian caste system, so any movement based in fear encourages its own “caste” systems, that is, encourages an us/them mentality.

The times call for a particular kind of bravery to hold strong personal beliefs yet not denigrate those who hold different ones.