After the Oslo Attacks, Violent Religious Extremism Cause for Concern

COMMENTARY | The world experienced another horrible shock Saturday as Anders Behring Breivik of Oslo, Norway, allegedly killed a total of 93 people in cold blood - most of them children. While the media focus on Breivik as an alleged lone gunman, a report from The Telegraph has come in wherein he claims to be only one of many cells and that more attacks are coming.

In the 1,500-page manifesto allegedly authored by the suspect, Breivik mentions his beliefs about the dangers of Islam and cultural Marxism, and also having met with other like-minded individuals in the past. Within the document, Breivik shares how strongly they influenced his political and religious beliefs. Rather than calling the violent attacks what they were, he states that he saw himself as performing a self-initiated "martyrdom operation."

Was he in a sort of partnership with others? Or are his claims simply those of a delusional madman? While the world will simply have to trust Norwegian authorities to do a thorough investigation, the question should still be asked: Will religious extremism lead to more violence in the United States, whether the participants are connected to Breivik or not?

A quick search on Facebook for Conservative American groups will uncover thousands of profiles who seem unafraid to openly express a call for violence against the "Muslim invasion" of the United States. Those same profiles also tend to be the ones which make repeated reference to their personal religious beliefs. Breivik also allegedly identified himself as a Christian conservative within his own manifesto.

Concerns over the possibility of violence aren't intended to limit the freedoms of worship for any one particular religion, but rather dangerous behaviors of the extremists of any belief system. One violent disposition toward other people is just as dangerous as any other to all of us, regardless of what belief system is associated. Any threats of violence coming from any demographic should be reported to authorities immediately.

No rational person can deny the good things which have been done in the name of religion over the centuries. Nor can one deny the value or contributions of conservatives. We don't have to mistrust all, but we should be mindful and wary of those who claim a "calling" to take up arms against their fellow man - in any action other than self-defense - regardless of their political or religious leanings. Such a calling would be nothing more than a misguided imagination. We may never solve our problems peacefully, but most assuredly they won't be solved by one-man wars.