By Mark Ellis
If Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik is a fundamentalist Christian, he forgot something
fundamental to the teachings of Jesus: “Love your enemies.”
A variety of prominent news organizations have described Breivik as an extremist Christian or a fundamentalist Christian.
At the earliest televised news conference, a Norwegian police official, Roger Andresen, helped to create this impression when he said, “What we know is that he is right wing and a Christian fundamentalist.” Additionally, Breivik’s Facebook page lists his religious affiliation as “Christian.”
It appears that Breivik’s horrific acts were motivated by a violent hatred of Muslim immigration intoNorwayand other countries inEurope. His rage against Muslim immigrants finally consumed him, with many innocent victims in his wake.
If Breivik read the Bible, then he also forgot about God’s love for the poor and needy, widows and orphans, and yes, immigrants. In the Book of Exodus, God gives the following command: “Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.”
Similarly, in the Book of Psalms, David writes, “The Lord watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.”
When God describes his love for the “alien,” he is not talking about extraterrestrials. This is a clear reference to immigrants at the lowest rung of Hebrew culture – whether documented or undocumented.
God saw the Hebrew people’s misery and distress when they were immigrants in Egypt. He rescued the Jewish people from bondage, just as he stands ready to rescue any Muslim who calls on His name.
The famous Dutch Bible smuggler, Brother Andrew, captures this sentiment when he says that I.S.L.A.M. stands for “I sincerely love all Muslims.” Brother Andrew knows the West cannot defeat radical Islam with bombs. This is a spiritual battle, and it will be won heart-by-heart, as Muslims experience the power of the Father’s love for the first time.
Was the Norwegian terrorist really a fundamentalist Christian? In his rambling 1500-page manifesto he describes himself as “moderately religious,” and he calls for “a reformation of Protestantism leading to it being absorbed by Catholicism” – an unconventional view for a fundamentalist.
In the manifesto he also mocks salvation by faith, referring to Protestantism as “the Marxism of Christianity.”
Moreover, on page 1361 he states that those who join his cause do not need to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “As a cultural Christian, I believe Christendom is essential for cultural reasons. After all, Christianity is the ONLY cultural platform that can unite all Europeans, which will be needed in the coming period during the third expulsion of the Muslims,” he writes.
“You don’t need to have a personal relationship with God or Jesus to fight for our Christian cultural heritage,” Breivik continues. “It is enough that you are a Christian-agnostic or a Christian-atheist (an atheist who wants to preserve at least the basics of the European Christian cultural legacy (Christian holidays, Christmas and Easter)).”
Breivik’s tepid, lukewarm, cultural Christianity should not be confused with a vibrant, personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His version of Christianity has more in common with those who perpetrated the Bosnian genocide.
Through his own writings and horrific deeds, Breivik has distanced himself from all Christians with a living and active faith. The God of the Bible is reaching out to Muslims every day, showing them the power of His amazing love.
GREAT ARTICLE MARK. HE COULD BE A CHRISTIAN IF HE BELIEVES IN CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T FOLLOW CHRIST’S TEACHINGS. HE WAS CONSUMED WITH HATRED OR INSANITY FOR MUSLIM IMMIGRANTS. WHY DIDN’T HE TARGET MUSLIMS AND NOT A YOUTH CAMP? WE MAY SEE HIM IN HEAVEN SOMEDAY. HE’LL HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO READ UP ON THE BIBLE AND CHRISTIANITY. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PRISONERS THAT MAY END UP IN HEAVEN WHO HAVE COMMITTED TERRIBLE CRIMES LIKE THIS ONE. WE ARE NOT TO JUDGE BUT WE ARE TO LOVE AND FORGIVE. WHEN CRIMES ARE THIS HORRIBLE IT SURE DOES LEAVE US SCRATCHING OUR HEADS AND NOT UNDERSTANDING THE BIG “WHY”. POSSIBLY EVIL POSSESSION. DON
The majority of Norwegians claim to be ‘Christians’ because the state-sponsored church is Lutheran, though many do not have a relationship with Christ. When you’re born, you’re born into the church automatically. A lot of people are defined as Christians in Norway, but they may never have seriously read the Bible or have a relationship with God. They are merely considered ‘Christian’ by default.
In his 1500-page manifesto, he states he wants to support the Christian principles culturally, but there’s nothing in his blog that even indicated that he even has any personal relationship with Jesus or understands salvation or leading a Christian life.
In his manifesto, Breivik says he’s not religious, has doubts about God’s existence, and does not pray. But he does assert the primacy of Europe’s “Christian culture” as well as his own pagan Nordic culture. He mentions Charles Darwin and says, “As for the Church and science, it is essential that science takes an undisputed precedence over biblical teachings. Europe has always been the cradle of science, and it must always continue to be that way. Regarding my personal relationship with God, I guess I’m not an excessively religious man. I am first and foremost a man of logic. However, I am a supporter of a monocultural Christian Europe.”
Breivik said that a “Christian fundamentalist theocracy” is “everything we DO NOT want,” and a “secular European society” is “what we DO want.” “It is enough,” Breivik says, “that you are a Christian-agnostic or a Christian-atheist.” By that he means an atheist who wants to preserve at least the basics of the European Christian cultural legacy. Breivik did call himself a Christian, but he meant that in a cultural sense, rather than a theological one. He emphasized that he was not seeking a theocracy, but a secular society.
If Breivick hated immigrants, why did he target Norwegians? Breivik was not a killer of immigrants or Muslims. He was a killer of Norwegians. His obsessions that led him to mass murder largely sprang from an insane conviction that his own government was illegitimate. Revolutionaries and madmen, from the Russian anarchists to the Irish Republican Army, have justified the murder of innocent people on the grounds that it would hasten the end of an illegitimate government and bring to power some theoretically more authentic regime. This would be more like a Marxist who would say that if a few people die in the course of the revolution, it’s all for a good cause.
Breivik emphasized that “Knights Templar do not intend to persecute devout Muslims.” He even contemplated collaborating with them on terrorist attacks against Europe. He said, “An alliance with the Jihadists might prove beneficial to both parties…We both share one common goal.” In Breivik’s words, “They are asked to provide a biological compound manufactured by Muslim scientists in the Middle East. Hamas and several Jihadi groups have labs and they have the potential to provide such substances. Their problem is finding suitable martyrs who can pass “screenings” in Western Europe. This is where we come in. We will smuggle it in to the EU and distribute it at a target of our choosing. We must give them assurances that we are not to harm any Muslims etc.”
Breivik was not on any crusade against Islam. He is a deluded man who imagined himself leading a takeover of Europe, even if he had to serve as a Muslim proxy to do it. Breivik claimed to be part of a modern Templar Knights organization that was going to take over Europe. Breivik played role-playing video games obsessively. One of his favorites was Dragon Age, a game that has a Templar Knight character who hacks his way to power. Breivik was manic-depressive and used steroids while obsessively acting out power fantasies.
He built up a fantasy world that convinced him he could become “…a hero of Europe… A perfect example which should be copied, applauded and celebrated. The Perfect Knight I have always strived to be.” Like many killers, he was of above average intelligence, but below average sanity. Remove the politics, and Breivik fits the profile of most spree killers. He was angry at society, a loner, suffered from mental problems, abused drugs (steroids) and acted out violent scenarios in violent video games.
See the following:
Anders Breivik is not a Christian fundamentalist
http://hurryupharry.org/2011/07/27/anders-breivik-is-not-a-christian-fundamentalist/
Debunking 6 Myths About Anders Breivik
http://sultanknish.blogspot.com/2011/07/debunking-6-myths-about-anders-breivik.html
New York Times reader kills dozens in Norway
http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=326733
Who Is Lee Silver? Ask Anders Breivik
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/07/who-is-lee-silver-ask-anders-breivik.html
The New York Times Finds Its Poster Boy for Hate
http://spectator.org/archives/2011/07/26/the-new-york-times-finds-its-p#
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