Religious Terrorism - SAGE Publications Inc

1 13066 ReligiousTerrorism Terrorism in the name of religion has become the predominant model forpolitical violence in the modern world. This is not to suggest that it is the onlymodel because nationalism and ideology remain as potent catalysts for extremistbehavior. However, Religious extremism has become a central issue for the the modern era, Religious Terrorism has increased in its frequency, scale ofviolence, and global reach. At the same time, a relative decline has occurred in secular Terrorism .

2 The old ideologies of class conflict, anticolonial liberation, andsecular nationalism have been challenged by a new and vigorous infusion of sec-tarian ideologies. Grassroots extremist support for Religious violence has beenmost widespread among populations living in repressive societies that do not per-mit demands for reform or other expressions of is Religious Terrorism ? What are its fundamental attributes? Religious ter-rorism is a type of political violence motivated by an absolute belief that an other-worldly power hassanctioned and commanded terrorist violence for the greaterglory of the faith.

3 Acts committed in the name of the faith will be forgiven by theotherworldly power and perhaps rewarded in an afterlife. In essence, one s religiousfaith legitimizes violence as long as such violence is an expression of the will of one sdeity. Table presents a model that compares the fundamental characteristics ofreligious and secular discussion in this chapter will review the following: Historical perspectives on Religious violence The practice of Religious Terrorism Trends and projectionsHistorical Perspectives on Religious ViolenceTerrorism carried out in the name of the faith has long been a feature of humanaffairs.

4 The histories of people, civilizations, nations, and empires are replete withexamples of extremist true believers who engage in violence to promote their beliefsystem. Some Religious terrorists are inspired by defensive motives, others seek toensure the predominance of their faith, and others are motivated by an aggressiveamalgam of these Terrorism can be communal, genocidal, nihilistic, or revolutionary. Itcan be committed by lone wolves, clandestine cells, large dissident movements, orgovernments.

5 And, depending on one s perspective, there is often debate aboutwhether the perpetrators should be classified as terrorists or Religious freedom fight-ers. The following cases are historical examples of Religious violence. This is a selec-tive survey (by no means exhaustive) that will demonstrate how some examples offaith-based violence are clearly examples of Terrorism , how others are not so clear,and how each example must be considered within its historical and cultural 6 Religious Terrorism 131 Comparison.

6 Religious and Secular TerrorismActivity Profile EnvironmentEnvironmentQuality ofViolenceaScope ofViolenceConstituencyProfileRelationshi p toExisting SystemReligiousUnconstrainedscale of terroristviolenceResult:Unconstrainedcho ice of weaponsand tacticsExpansive targetdefinitionResult:Indiscriminateuse of violenceNarrow, insular,and isolated Result:Noappeals to abroaderaudienceAlienated truebelievers Result:Completelyreconfiguredsocial orderSecularConstrained scaleof terroristviolenceResult:Relative constraintin choice ofweapons and tacticsFocused targetdefinitionResult:Relativediscrimin ation inuse of violenceInclusive, for thechampionedgroup Result:Appeals to actualor potentialsupportersLiberatorsResult:Rest ructured orrebuilt societySOURCE:Bruce Hoffman, Inside Terrorism (New York.)

7 Columbia University Press, 1998), 94 Communal Terrorism is rarely constrained and is an example of convergence in the quality of violence used by religiousand secular PART IITERRORIST ENVIRONMENTSJ udeo-Christian AntiquityWithin the Judeo-Christian belief system, references in the Bible are not only toassassinations and conquest but also to the complete annihilation of enemynations in the name of the faith. One such campaign is described in the Book story of Joshua s conquest of Canaan is the story of the culmination of theancient Hebrews return to Canaan.

8 To Joshua and his followers, this was thePromised Land of the covenant between God and the chosen people. According tothe Bible, the Canaanite cities were destroyed and the Canaanites attacked until there was no one left who breathed. 1 Assuming that Joshua and his army put tothe sword all the inhabitants of the 31 cities mentioned in the Bible, and assumingthat each city averaged 10,000 people, his conquest cost 310,000 the ancient Hebrews, the Promised Land had been occupied by enemy trespassers. To fulfill God s covenant, it was rational and necessary from their perspective to drive them from the land, exterminating them when Perspective presents the passage that describes the conquest.

9 Ritualistic Ku Klux Klan (KKK) cross lighting ceremony in the UnitedStates. The KKK is a long-standing racist movement that lives according to a code ofracial supremacy. Its ceremonies invoke mystical symbols such as hooded gowns andthe burning cross, as well as the adoption of bizarre titles such as Imperial Wizard andExalted 6 Religious Terrorism 133 The Conquest of CanaanWhen King Jabin of Hazor heard of this, he sent to [other kings in the region for assistance to defeatthe Hebrews]..They came out, with all their troops, a great army, in number like the sand on theseashore, with very many horses and chariots.

10 All these kings joined their forces, and came andcamped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with the Lord said to Joshua, Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will hand overall of them, slain, to So Joshua came suddenly upon them with all his fighting force, by thewaters of Merom, and fell upon them. And the Lord handed them over to struck themdown, until they had left no one turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king down with the put to the sword all who were in it, utterly destroying them; there was no one left whobreathed, and he burned Hazor with fire.