Description
Book SynopsisWhy would anybody believe that God could sanction terrorism? Why has the rediscovery of religion's power in recent years manifested in such a bloody way? What, if anything, can be done about it? This book answers these questions and more. It analyzes in detail terrorism related to almost all the world's major religious traditions.
Trade Review"This dark, enthralling book not only documents the global rise of religious terrorism but seeks to understand the 'odd attraction of religion and violence.' Starred Review." * Publishers Weekly *
"Juergensmeyer's work is a sensitive, comparative study of terrorist movements and the religious beliefs that motivate them." * Washington Post *
"An unsettling book but also a courageous one. No one who truly cares about matters of faith can afford to ignore the dangers that lurk within religious extremism, and Juergensmeyer ultimately serves the highest aspirations of organized religion when he insists on shedding light on the darker corners of human belief and human conduct." * Los Angeles Times *
"The fourth edition of Mark Juergensmeyer’s ground-breaking book testifies to the ongoing relevance of its subject matter and to the value of its author’s insights. . . .
Terror in the Mind of God was a good book to begin with; it is a better, more current, book thanks to the additions made in this fourth edition." * Nova Religio *
“
Terror in the Mind of God is written in an engaging style and is clearly directed towards a popular audience. . . . [it] will no doubt continue to garner the attention of those interested in gaining a deeper knowledge of religious violence.” * Patterns of Prejudice *
"Juergensmeyer should be commended for his judicious yet very insightful treatment of different religious groups. . . . a solid piece of scholarship; all would benefit from reading it." * Millennium: Journal of International Studies *
"The book was published in 2000 and might never have circulated much beyond academic libraries, but was rushed into paperback with a new preface in the autumn of 2001. Yet not only was it carefully prepared when few were paying attention, the book stands out because the author presents traditional, well-informed terrorist studies in an unusual way. He interviews terrorists. . . . [the book] belongs in even the smallest collection on terrorism." * Journal of Conflict Studies *
Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: Terror and God The Meaning of Religious Terrorism Seeing Inside Cultures of Violence PART ONE. CULTURES OF VIOLENCE 2. Soldiers for Christ Anders Breivik, Defender of Christendom Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City Federal Building Bombing Michael Bray and Abortion Clinic Bombings Christian Justifi cations for Violence Ian Paisley and the Troubles in Belfast 3. Zion Betrayed Meir Ettinger, the Ghost of Meir Kahane Yoel Lerner and the Assassination of Yitzhak Rabin Baruch Goldstein's Attack at the Tomb of the Patriarchs 4. Islam's "Neglected Duty" Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the Caliph of ISIS Mahmud Abouhalima and the World Trade Center Bombing Abdul Aziz Rantisi and Hamas Suicide Missions Modern Islamic Justifi cations for Violence 5. The Spear of Shiva, the Sword of Sikhism Maya Kodnani and the Gujarat Massacre Simranjit Singh Mann and the Lure of Khalistan Hindu and Sikh Justifi cations for Violence 6. Buddhist Faces of Terror Ashin Wirathu and the Defense of Burmese Buddhism Takeshi Nakamura and the Aum Shinrikyo Assault Can Buddhist Violence Be Justified? PART TWO. THE LOGIC OF RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE 7. Theater of Terror Performance Violence Setting the Stage A Time to Kill Reaching the Audience 8. Cosmic War Grand Scenarios Symbolic War When Symbols Become Deadly 9. Martyrs and Demons Sacrificial Victims The Invention of Enemies America as Enemy Satanization and the Stages of Empowerment 10. Warriors' Power Empowering Marginal Men Why Guys Throw Bombs Fighting for the Rule of God 11. The Mind of God Empowering Religion Postmodern Terror Curing Violence Healing Politics with Religion Notes List of Interviews and Correspondence Selected Bibliography Index
