Sociology 3363F/G Chapter Notes - Chapter S14: Hindu Reform Movements, Khalistan Movement, Osho
23 Jun 2018
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“Holy Terror”: The Implications of Terrorism Motivated by a Religious Imperative
-Assassin derived from a religious terrorist group of the Muslim Shai’a who between 1090 and 1272 fought
Christian Crusaders attempting to conquer Syria and Iran
oSelf-sacrifice and suicidal martyrdom that is apparent in some Muslim terrorist’s movements today
-Thug comes from an Indian religious association of professional robbers and murders who from the 7th century
strangled travellers
-Religious terrorism is the only one that has acceptable justification of terrorism
o20-50% of active modern terrorist groups can be described as having a religious component or motivation
oProvisional Irish Republic Army, Palestine Liberation Organization and the Tamili Tigers and People’s
liberation Front have political dominant but also religious
-Holy terror differs from secular terror with a radically different value system, mechanism of legitimization and
justification concepts of morality, and Manichean world view that the holy terrorist embraces
-Religious terrorist:
oIs a sacramental act or divine duty executed in direct response to some theological perps are
unconstrained by the political, moral or practical constrains that seem to affect other terrorists
-Secular Terrorism:
oConsider indiscriminate violence to be immoral and counterproductive, religious terrorist regard such
violence to be immoral and not justified but a necessary expedient for the attainment of their goals
oReligion serves as a legitimating force
-Religious and secular terrorist differ in their constituencies
oSecular terrorists attempt to appeal to a constituency variously composed of actual and potential
sympathizers, members of the committees they purport to ‘defend’ or the aggravated people they claim to
speak for
Violence against anyone who is not a member of the terrorist’s religion or sect
This explains rhetoric of holy war and references to ‘infidels’ ‘nonbelievers’ and Children of
Satan’
oReligious terrorist are at once activists and constitutes engaged in what they regard as a ‘total war’
-Aims of secular political terrorism are utilitarian – seeking to bring about changes to achieve the greatest benefits
for the greatest number
-They have different perceptions of themselves and their violent acts
oSecular – regard violence as a way of instigating the correction of a flaw in a system that is basically good
or as a means to foment the creation of a new system, religious terrorists see themselves not as
components of a system worth preserving but as ‘outsiders’ and therefore seek vast changes in the
existing order
-Taheri ascribes three key differences in this respect between Islamic terrorism and secular forms of terrorism
1. Islam terrorism rejects all contemporary ideologies in various forms
2. It’s a Holy war that will only be achieved when they reach their goal
3. It forms the basis of a whole theory of both individualistic conduct of state policy – to Kill enemies of
Allah
-Three fundamental teachings of the Koran from Shiites Muslims
oFirst, the Shiites do not believe in the legitimate authority of a secular government and rule of God
applies and all states are illegitimate
oSecond, the Shiites see themselves as a persecuted minority and believe they hold special knowledge –
passed on by the Prophet Mohammad
oThird, the Shiites view themselves as victims of injustice and oppression
-Lebanon Hezbollah – we are fighting to wipe out the enemy
-Records indicate that religious terrorism is stronger than secular
-The legitimization of violence based on religious precepts, sense of alienation and preoccupation with the
elimination of broadly defined category of enemies are also used in Christian white militant groups in the US
oBoth groups say that indiscriminate violence is morally justified and a way to attain racial and religious
purity
-The Christian Identity movement
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