Nilsen unlike your country, USA doesn't really have seperation of church and state. And most americans are very religious, and frankly don't want seperation of church and state. In fact I think they'd just like to see the irreligous just leave the country.
So it's understandable how your definition of religous fanatic is different from the avg american's. In america the term religious fanatic is usually reserved for the members of the most unpopular religious sects.