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| | '''[[Anders Behring Breivik]]''' was accused of, and has since confessed to, murdering 77 people<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/29/501364/main20085603.shtml Death Toll in Norway Attacks Rises to 77]</ref> during a killing spree in [[Norway]] on July 22, 2011. On that day, a bomb was detonated near government buildings in the capital city of [[Oslo]], killing eight. Some 90 minutes later, Breivik went to a summer camp on the island of Utoya and began shooting, killing 69 people. | | '''[[Anders Behring Breivik]]''' was accused of, and has since confessed to, murdering 77 people<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/29/501364/main20085603.shtml Death Toll in Norway Attacks Rises to 77]</ref> during a killing spree in [[Norway]] on July 22, 2011. On that day, a bomb was detonated near government buildings in the capital city of [[Oslo]], killing eight. Some 90 minutes later, Breivik went to a summer camp on the island of Utoya and began shooting, killing 69 people. |
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| − | Breivik describes himself as an investor, director, manager, revolutionary conservative, and resistance fighter.<ref>''2083 - A European Declaration of Independence,''p. 1398</ref>
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| − | ==Charges and investigation==
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| − | Breivik has been charged with acts of terrorism, including "destabilizing or destroying basic functions of society" and "creating serious fear in the population." While appearing before a judge on July 25, 2011, Breivik admitted to his acts but pleaded not guilty to the charge of terrorism,<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/world/europe/26oslo.html?_r=1&hp Norway Suspect Denies Guilt and Suggests He Did Not Act Alone]</ref> as he believes he was acting in pre-emptive self-defense <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/24/us-norway-manifesto-idUSTRE76N0X820110724 ''Norway's mass killer pursuing anti-Islam crusade''], Reuters, Sun Jul 24, 2011</ref>
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| − | A police press conference described Breivik as “more than willing to explain himself” during interrogations on Friday that lasted from 10:00 in the morning until 18:30 in the evening. Breivik’s lawyer, Geir Lippestad,also confirmed details of Breivik’s behaviour in the hearings and solitary confinement, telling VG that he was “very taken up with details” in his explanations about technical aspects of his operations, but that he “does not recognize our society, our courts or out justice system” because “his understanding of reality is not like other people’s.” He continues to see himself “as a great general that is at war against the Muslim’s invasion of Europe.” He has also been given two novels to read which “he did not like.”
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| − | Breivik planned to attack the royal palace and the Labour Party’s headquarters in central Oslo as well as other locations that would “hit the government.” Lippestad confirmed the fact that his client had “both A and B plans” when speaking to newspaper ''Dagbladet'', adding that the attacks he carried out were “probably the B plan.”<ref>[http://www.newsinenglish.no/2011/07/30/breivik-planned-palace-attack/# Breivik planned palace attack]</ref> The 32-year-old murderer also said his bombing of government buildings in Oslo and shootings at the summer camp on Utoya island for Labour's youth wing was aimed at deterring future recruitment to the Labour party, which he blames for "mass imports of Muslims," which he accuses of engaging in "demographic warfare." <ref>http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16036733</ref>
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| − | Breivik will be kept in custody for eight weeks, the first four weeks being spent in solitary confinement with no visitors, letters or access to media. If convicted on the charges against him in Norway, a possible 30-year prison sentence could be imposed. However, as a Norwegian prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence must show they are no longer a danger to society before being granted parole, some believe that it is technically possible that Breivik could spend the rest of his life in prison. The prosecution said Breivik had behaved calmly and did not seem to be affected by events. The lawyer representing Anders Behring Breivik has stated that his client is most likely insane. <ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/norway-shooting-bombing-anders-behring-breivik-insane-lawyer-says-52835 ''The Christian Post, Norway Shooting, Bombing: Anders Behring Breivik Insane, Lawyer Says''], Jul. 26 2011</ref>
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| − | Norwegian newspaper ''VG Nett'' claims Anders Behring Breivik had been put on a terrorist watchlist after illegally buying large amount of chemicals online from a Polish retailer.
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| − | The Norwegian Foreign Minister had visited the Labour Youth League summer camp on the island of Utoya Thursday, and was met with claims that Norway must recognize a Palestinian state,<ref>http://theintelhub.com/2011/07/23/breaking-camp-in-norway-where-shooting-occurred-had-just-concluded-pro-palestinian-rally-the-day-before</ref> which Breivik also opposes, as part of his nationalistic beliefs. Breivik also supports nationalistic movements in India.
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| | ==Breivik's manifesto and ideology== | | ==Breivik's manifesto and ideology== |
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| | While he avoided getting drunk due to the priority of his mission, he advocated the use of performance-enhancing drugs to that end, and he did enjoy getting very drunk at a birthday party. (p. 1415) He also played video games for pleasure and motivation, such as those in the "World of Warcraft" series and "Dragon Age Origins", and stated, "I regret to admit that I’ve become a notorious downloader of pirated movies, series and games etc." (p. 1418, 24, 25) | | While he avoided getting drunk due to the priority of his mission, he advocated the use of performance-enhancing drugs to that end, and he did enjoy getting very drunk at a birthday party. (p. 1415) He also played video games for pleasure and motivation, such as those in the "World of Warcraft" series and "Dragon Age Origins", and stated, "I regret to admit that I’ve become a notorious downloader of pirated movies, series and games etc." (p. 1418, 24, 25) |
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| − | ==Responses==
| + | The Norwegian Foreign Minister had visited the Labour Youth League summer camp on the island of Utoya Thursday, and was met with claims that Norway must recognize a Palestinian state,<ref>http://theintelhub.com/2011/07/23/breaking-camp-in-norway-where-shooting-occurred-had-just-concluded-pro-palestinian-rally-the-day-before</ref> which Breivik opposes, as part of his nationalistic beliefs. Breivik also supports nationalistic movements in India. |
| − | The attacks left the world stunned, not only due the number killed in such a manner, but because it happened in Norway, a country seen as relatively peaceful. And which was also due to the murdering being done by a blond haired, green eyed 32-year-old gunman, looking much like a Nordic ideal (he claimed Viking ancestry), who apparently had no criminal record other than traffic violations. Jens Breivik, the father of Anders Behring Breivik, who said his son cut off contact with him in 1995 (Breivik was 15-16 years old), sent his condolences to "all those who have suffered" as a result of the attacks, and said he is in "a complete state of shock and has not recovered". | |
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| − | Within a day, over 27,000 people signed up via Facebook for a memorial service in Oslo the next day, with numbers increasing rapidly. It was later reported that the whole country was watching the service. "Not a man in sight outside."
| + | ==Analysis== |
| | + | Many liberal secular sources were quick to label Breivik a ''Christian extremist'', a "Christian fundamentalist with right-wing connections," or a "Christian terrorist," based upon a Facebook and a Twitter account in which he identifies himself as a Christian and a conservative. |
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| − | Geir Lippestad, Breivik's lawyer, told Norwegian media, "I think he's realized what he's done, and he views himself as sane." Lippestad continued, "He has said that he believed the actions were atrocious, but that in his head they were necessary...He wanted to hurt the Labour party and halt its recruitment in the worst possible way, referring to party members as Marxists." Extra security was planned for mosques around the U.K.
| + | However, rather than being product of Bible-preaching evangelical or fundamental preaching, which historically has taught that it is fundamentally contrary to Christ to engage in killing after the manner of Breivik, further research revealed that the Christianity of Breivik was that of a "cultural Christian," one that denied the necessity of the conversionary new birth (John 3:3) and its personal relationship with Christ. (p. 1307) |
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| − | Breivik wrote of having strong links with the right-wing group, the English Defence League (EDL), which denied that Breivik had any links with them and stated that they "vehemently" opposed his actions.<ref>[http://telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/8659028/Norway-shooting-July-24-as-it-happened.html Norway shootings: July 24 as it happened]</ref> Daryl Hobson, who organizes EDL demonstrations, condemned the killings, and stated that, “I spoke to him a few times on Facebook and he is extremely intelligent and articulate and very affable,” said the source. “He is someone who can project himself very well and I presume there would be those within the EDL who would be quite taken by that. It’s like Hitler, people said he was hypnotic. This guy had the same sort of effect.”<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/norway/8661139/Norway-killer-Anders-Behring-Breivik-had-extensive-links-to-English-Defence-League.html Norway killer Anders Behring Breivik had extensive links to English Defence League, The Telegraph, 25 Jul 2011]</ref> | + | Breivik also claimed to be a fan of some violent video games, and whose favorite television show was the serial killer show "Dexter."<ref>[http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/07/christian-fundamentalist-charged-death-toll-norway-soars-past-90/40321 Christian fundamentalist charged]</ref> He was also an advocate of performance enhancing drugs for his mission, and was a somewhat advanced Mason. |
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| − | Certain [[liberal]] sources, such as a Professor Juan Cole, were quick to implicate conservatives as somewhat culpable for Breivik's rampage, leading others to opine that, “The Left tends to use non-violent passive resistance, like with Gandhi and MLK, Jr.”
| + | Although Breivik valued Christian morality in general, and had a perverse hope of glorification as a martyr, much of the value he placed upon religion was for the practical purposes of fulfilling his mission. |
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| − | To which one respondent writes,
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| − | "Your above-cited quote is a good case of historical amnesia, deliberate or otherwise... You apparently have never heard of (or don’t want to acknowledge) the Weathermen, the Black Panthers, the Symbionese Liberation Army, and others in the U.S.; not to mention the Bolsheviks in Russia, Mao Zhe Dong in China, the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Kim Jong Il in North Korea, the FARC in Colombia, the Sendero Luminoso in Peru, The MIR in Chile, and other Leftist movements throughout the world that have used terrorism as a tactic. I think an objective tally would prove that both the Left and the Right are equal opportunity terrorists."<ref>"White Christian Fundamentalist Terrorism in Norway", Informed consent blog, posted on 07/23/2011</ref>
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| − | Fox News Host Bill O'Reilly stated that "No one believing in Jesus commits mass murder. The man might have called himself a Christian on the net, but he is certainly not of that faith."
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| − | But [[atheist]] antagonist [[Bill Maher]] rejected that truth and asserted, "Religion ... gives people license to commit crazy acts," and warned of Christianity becoming "the violent blood-lusty religion it was under the crusades," ignoring that his own atheistic moral reasoning can justify the same or worse as false religion, while New Testament Christianity does not support such religious violence.
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| − | Republican Margaret Hoover responded to Mayer on his show by referring 50 million who were were killed in the 20th century in the name of atheism and communism (though 250 million may be more accurate<ref>[http://www.scholarscorner.com/apologia/deathtoll.html ''Atheism's Body Count - Ideology and Human Suffering'']</ref>), what she called "ideology run amok," and that Breivik only called himself a Christian, and in contrast to Islam, he was not "connected to a well -funded global terror network."<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/norway-shooting-bombing-bill-maher-insists-suspect-is-a-christian-terrorist-53116 Norway Shooting, Bombing: Bill Maher Insists Suspect Is a 'Christian Terrorist'] The Christian Post, U.S., Sat, Jul. 30 2011</ref>
| + | It is pointed out that while religious violence was sanctioned for Israel in a limited context, under the New Testament, the Bible does not offer any sanction for physical religious violence, such as, |
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| − | The ''New York Times'' (which Breivik references a few times in his manifesto), in a opinion piece by Roger Cohen titled, ''Breivik and His Enablers,'' used the killing to implicate [[Sarah Palin]] with the attack on Representative [[Gabrielle Giffords]], while naming Republicans such as former House Speaker [[Newt Gingrich]] and Representative Peter King as "ideological fellow travelers" with Breivik, as well as "U.S. church pastors using their bully pulpits week after week to say America is a Christian nation under imminent threat from Islam." The columnist called such [[bigotry]], while he exhibited his own bigotry against the latter group of people, linking them to the actions of Breivik, and "a racist and murderous European right."<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/26/opinion/26iht-edcohen26.html?_r=1 "Breivik and His Enablers"] July 25, 2011</ref>
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| − | At the least, liberal journalists charged that Breivik seems to have been motivated by the view of right versus wrong that animates the "Christian worldview," which pits Marxism, multiculturalism, Islam, etc. as enemies of God and truth,<ref>[http://www.religiondispatches.org/dispatches/sarahposner/4934/how_breivik%E2%80%99s_%E2%80%9Ccultural_analysis%E2%80%9D_is_drawn_from_the_%E2%80%9Cchristian_worldview%E2%80%9D/ Sarah Posner, "How Breivik’s “Cultural Analysis” is Drawn from the “Christian Worldview”"]</ref> while the same journalists fight against evangelical Christian faith, traditional morals and those who uphold them as being enemies of liberalism's deleterious social experiment that has cost America and the world greatly in souls, lives and money.<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/RevealingStatistics.html Revealing Statistics: America in Decline; Present Costs of the War against God]</ref>
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| − | Others also cite evidence that liberalism is more prone to violence and terrorism.<ref>[http://townhall.com/columnists/johnhawkins/2010/03/16/liberal_violence_five_names_you_should_know/page/full Five names you should know]</ref><ref>http://pushbacknow.net/2011/01/16/history-of-liberal-violence History of liberal violence]</ref>
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| − | In contrast to the overall reaction by Islamic authorities to the acts of Muslim terrorists, the Christian community has been quick to condemn the attacks by Breivik as being contrary to authentic Christianity. Gordon Showell-Rogers, Associate International Director of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), stated,
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| − | “Norway’s strong Christian history has created a long history of peace within her borders and has been a significant contributor to Norway’s very positive impact on global peace efforts.” “Evangelical Christians globally condemn religious violence in the strongest possible terms, and are sickened when such violence is carried out in the name of Christ.”
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| − | Norway's’ Pro Deutschland group concurred, saying,
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| − | "As Christians and Conservatives, we want to express solidarity with the victims of the attacks of July 22. The hate that is driving Islamic assassins and fanatic individuals a la...Breivik is foreign to Christians and Conservatives."
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| − | </blockquote>
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| − | Norwegian minister. Olav Fykse Tveit, head of the World Council of Churches, representing 349 Protestant and Orthodox churches, told The Associated Press in response to the attack, "It's important to say to all Muslims wherever they are, in Europe or elsewhere in the world, that these actions in no way can express what is our Christian faith and our Christian values. It is blasphemous to make that kind of connection." <ref>[http://www.denverpost.com/fdcp?unique=1311801807723 Church's leader calls Norway rampage blasphemous] The Denver Post, 07/25/2011</ref>
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| − | It is also pointed out that while religious violence was sanctioned for Israel in a limited context, under the New Testament, the Bible does not offer any sanction for physical religious violence, such as, | |
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| | * Christians killing others due to their contrary views. | | * Christians killing others due to their contrary views. |
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| | * the church using violence in correcting false beliefs among church members | | * the church using violence in correcting false beliefs among church members |
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| | * the church exercising such to rule over those without | | * the church exercising such to rule over those without |
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| | * the church exercising such to expand the physical territory of the church | | * the church exercising such to expand the physical territory of the church |
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| | A possible exception might be in order to save others from being hurt in an immediate situation, but that is hardly a religious context. And historically, rather than religious violence, many Christian Evangelical “fundamentalist” groups have chosen to be complete pacifists, while acts such as the Crusades are seen to be the result of Biblical illiteracy and of men presuming a higher authority. This led to the conclusion that those who assert that Breivik was acting consistent with the Bible may be potentially as dangerous as he is.<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2752880/posts?page=32#32 Free Republic]</ref> | | A possible exception might be in order to save others from being hurt in an immediate situation, but that is hardly a religious context. And historically, rather than religious violence, many Christian Evangelical “fundamentalist” groups have chosen to be complete pacifists, while acts such as the Crusades are seen to be the result of Biblical illiteracy and of men presuming a higher authority. This led to the conclusion that those who assert that Breivik was acting consistent with the Bible may be potentially as dangerous as he is.<ref>[http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2752880/posts?page=32#32 Free Republic]</ref> |
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| − | ==Analysis==
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| − | Many liberal secular sources were quick to label Breivik a ''Christian extremist'', a "Christian fundamentalist with right-wing connections," or a "Christian terrorist," based upon a Facebook and a Twitter account in which he identifies himself as a Christian and a conservative.
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| − | However, rather than being product of Bible-preaching evangelical or fundamental preaching, which historically has taught that it is fundamentally contrary to Christ to engage in killing after the manner of Breivik, further research revealed that the Christianity of Breivik was that of a "cultural Christian," one that denied the necessity of the conversionary new birth (John 3:3) and its personal relationship with Christ. (p. 1307)
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| − | Breivik also claimed to be a fan of some violent video games, and whose favorite television show was the serial killer show "Dexter."<ref>[http://www.theatlanticwire.com/global/2011/07/christian-fundamentalist-charged-death-toll-norway-soars-past-90/40321 Christian fundamentalist charged]</ref> He was also an advocate of performance enhancing drugs for his mission, and was a somewhat advanced Mason.
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| − | Although Breivik valued Christian morality in general, and had a perverse hope of glorification as a martyr, much of the value he placed upon religion was for the practical purposes of fulfilling his mission.
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| | While Breivik could express a lucid understanding of problems due to liberalism, he also evidenced various delusions. His method of achieving a "a secular European society based on our Christian cultural heritage", (p. 1346) was itself immoral, and not in accordance with Scripture, as was much of his idea of a such a society itself.<ref>[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/just.how.christian.is.anders.behring.breivik/28334.htm "Just how Christian is Anders Behring Breivik?"], Christian Post, Tuesday, July 26, 2011</ref> | | While Breivik could express a lucid understanding of problems due to liberalism, he also evidenced various delusions. His method of achieving a "a secular European society based on our Christian cultural heritage", (p. 1346) was itself immoral, and not in accordance with Scripture, as was much of his idea of a such a society itself.<ref>[http://www.christiantoday.com/article/just.how.christian.is.anders.behring.breivik/28334.htm "Just how Christian is Anders Behring Breivik?"], Christian Post, Tuesday, July 26, 2011</ref> |