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23 July 2011

My heart goes out to Norway

So I just found out about a horrible event in Norway.  Absolutely heart-wrenching!  Initial speculation of course ran rampant.  The specter of a muslim extremist was the the first thought on many people's minds.  Nothing like having the worst thoughts turned to reality so that one can continue to systematically demonize the enemy.  Well, turns out it was a Norwegian.  Anders Behring Breivik, a right-wing extremist, a christian, a nationalist, and islamophobe no less. Well, that just got me thinking:

Will the news media have the panoply of talking heads on talking about how christianity is inherently a violent religion, and that it is inimical to "our way of life" ans must be contained?
Will the christian faith be viewed as one inherently violent and cruel?
Will there be demands for action that christians are to be shunned and viewed with suspision?

OF COURSE NOT!  No, imagine if the suspect had been a brown, islamic immigrant...

Now, I am not claiming that islam is innocent by any stretch of the imagination.  The list of Cruelty and Violence in their book is depressing enough as it is (although I note with irony that the christian list is nearly three times as long!).  All I am saying is that irrationally held beliefs are fertile ground for irrational action.  That really is my main problem with any and all religions.

In the meantime, do what you can for the people of Norway.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

And already a right wing ideologue has got it totally wrong, and started screaming for more resources to go kill brown people... Since this blatantly wrong opinion peice will most likely get taken down, I'll link to PZ Myers's post on it:

http://scienceblogs.com/pharyngula/2011/07/psychopath_in_norway_increase.php