Since when is fundamentalism an epithet?

No, I haven't been living in a hole somewhere (I don't think), so I know it's been this way for a little while, but still. Mostly in reference to christians I hear it, and even from other christians, which is like, to be blunt, one family member spitting on another member, but anyway I've started hearing it in other places as well. I hate that the word fundamentalism has become an epithet closely related to fanatical psycho or something. Since when is wanting to follow the fundamentals of something a bad thing? I mean, how many books and speakers out there are always going on about "going back to the basics"? Take the tax laws at the moment. They're so convoluted and stupid that they're thinking of rehauling it all and going back to a simpler and better working system. Is that not trying to keep with the fundamentals of what taxes really are? That is not a bad thing, so why should it be bad when compared to other things, especially christians?

It just really annoys me is all. I gather I'm something of a fundamentalist christian and I don't really think I'm quite as retarded, or in need of being shot or institutionalized or something, as the media and such says. Unfortunately, the truth is that the crazier ones tend also to be the loudest, which is true of most things. Sometimes I agree with the more vocal, public people, but sometimes not. I just don't like being labeled with an epithet. I'm just really hoping that it'll count towards that whole, blessed are those who are cursed for believing thing... That'd be swell. :P