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<H1 class=title-blog>When Religion Becomes Lethal: Lessons from Norway </H1>
<DIV style="PADDING-TOP: 15px" class="blog_padding relative"><SPAN
class="arial_11 color_696969">Posted: 7/29/11 12:10 PM ET</SPAN> <A
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<DIV class=clear>By Charles Kimball, University of Oklahoma</DIV>
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<P>The horrific events in Norway this past weekend provide yet another powerful
teachable moment in the ongoing and increasingly dangerous saga of religion
becoming lethal. The murderous rampage by Anders Behring Breivik brings several
important lessons more clearly into view.<BR><BR>First, religion is an
extraordinarily powerful and pervasive force in human society. Throughout
history, people within various religions have been motivated to their highest
and noblest best actions. At the same time, some of the worst things human
beings have done to one another have been done in the name of or justified by
religion. Religion is a powerful force inspiring constructive and destructive
behavior among believers.<BR><BR>Second, we live in a world with many weapons of
mass destruction. Quite apart from the horrors associated with chemical, nuclear
or biological weapons, we now know that a devious plan can utilize automatic
weapons, fertilizer, box knives and commercial airplanes as weapons of mass
destruction. Attacking a summer camp for youth vividly reminds us that there are
many ways people bent on doing great harm can accomplish their goal.
<BR><BR>Third, we now know with certainty that it doesn't take many people to
wreak havoc on a wide scale. Breivik may have acted alone or within a small
circle of cohorts, as did Timothy McVeigh. Nineteen men carried out the attacks
of Sept. 11. Small numbers of zealots who are convinced they know what God wants
for them and for everyone else are capable of almost anything. <BR><BR>Not
surprisingly, many preachers and pundits who have spewed hateful rhetoric and
fanned the flames of Islamophobia are now scrambling to disassociate themselves,
their published statements about Islam and Muslims, and what some call "true"
Christianity from the actions of Breivik. But words matter. Examine the path
taken by violent extremists claiming inspiration from Islam, Judaism,
Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism and you can trace connections with the fiery
rhetoric of influential, sometimes self-appointed leaders in madrasas, in books,
at religious rallies, on websites and the like. There are consequences when
cocksure Christians or Muslim militants proclaim God's truth while stoking fear
of the "other" in the minds of their would-be followers. <BR><BR>While there are
no easy answers or simple solutions, there are constructive ways to move forward
in our increasingly interconnected and interdependent world community. It begins
with education. </P>
<P>Study programs in schools and colleges, churches, mosques and synagogues are
essential. Interfaith dialogue and engagement with people of different religious
and cultural backgrounds are invaluable ways to dispel generic fears and help
humanize the "other." All across the U.S., Christians, Muslims and Jews are
working together to build Habitat for Humanity houses and work on common
problems such as crime and drug abuse within their communities. These kinds of
intentional efforts at education and cooperation are vital at the local,
national and international level. We need more and more such endeavors in the
U.S., not only for the well-being of our communities, but also as a way to model
the kind of healthy religious pluralism our future requires.</P>
<P>The path to a more hopeful and healthy future also requires people of faith
and goodwill to speak out clearly and directly against extremists of all
stripes. Although most of us were taught by our parents not to talk about
religion or politics in public, the stakes today are far too high for
deferential silence or casual indifference. Ignorance is not bliss; silence is
proving deadly. Just as many people continue to call on Muslims to speak out
forcefully and unambiguously against violence and extremism, so too must
Christians and Jews openly challenge those who advocate extremism and foster
hatred in the name of religion. This means, for example, naming names and
identifying the theological and political positions of Jewish fundamentalists
and Muslim extremists who block potential paths to peace in Israel/Palestine.
</P>
<P>For me, as a follower of Jesus and a Christian minister, it means strongly
disagreeing with TV preachers with political clout such as John Hagee and Rod
Parsley. They have every right to espouse their religious and political
worldviews. But their ill-informed and hateful rhetoric about Islam and Muslims,
as well as their certainty that Jesus will be arriving in the next couple of
weeks, has very real consequences. <BR><BR>The mind-boggling terrorism manifest
in Norway will continue to provide hard but important lessons about the dangers
all around us and the need to find more constructive ways to move forward in the
21st century. It is a stark reminder that we share a fragile planet where
ignorance, hate and fear can link easily with religious worldviews and produce
horrific consequences. <BR><BR><EM>Charles Kimball, author of 'When Religion
Becomes Lethal: The Explosive Mix of Politics and Religion in Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam' (Jossey-Bass, 2011), is the Director of the Religious
Studies Program at the University of Oklahoma and an ordained Baptist
minister.</EM><BR></P>
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<DIV class=clear>_____________________________</DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Verdana>Wayne A. Fox<BR><A
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