What is the difference between a fanatic extremist, and mental illness?

One is learned behaviour, the other is caused by biology or chemistry.

Mental illness is a medical diagnosis.
Fanatic extremist is a moral diagnosis.

Fanatic extremism typical happens after bombs are dropped on several countries and kill friends and family.
Mental illness typical happens to the people who are dropping the bombs after realizing the destruction they are causing.

There probably is some sort of trauma involved with any type of fanatic, which would make them more susceptible to brain washing. I’m thinking now of WBC. We know the patriarch was an abuser, and most likely himself abused as a child. It seems to be a cycle of violence which is perpetrated against the practitioners as well as their targets.

I found several good articles using a search. Try this or this . They both illustrate my point of view to a certain extent.

Is there a difference?

From a practical view, I don’t see any difference. Intlerance is a form of insanity, only it’s willfull insanity and therefore the treatment is different. I personally have no tolerance for it and these people stay away from me. I recommend this treatment to all victims of intolerance.

If someone hates a race so much they are able to kill innocent people without question is that a form of mental illness?

I think mental illness can be defined as something a person does that is so outside of their cultural norm that we call them crazy.

I think fanatic extremism is taught from a very young age. However, they are acting within their cultural norm, so they aren’t crazy.

I think fanatic extremists are not necessarily mentally ill. They might have self esteem problems, feel like outcasts in society at large, and benefit from some therapy, but I don’t think they are all mentally ill.

People who are mentally, obviously are not all fanatic extremists.

There is crossover some times.

If someone is raised thinking their religion is right, and that God wants them to do extreme things, and they believe what they are told, because that’s all they really know, are they fanatics? Or, just a product of their environment?

The two are by no means exclusive. For example, it’s a crrtain bet that a great many of those fanatic extremists are mentally ill. I suppose it’s just a matter of semantics, but I have no trouble with categorizing all that faith driven bullshit as crazy.