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Terrorism |
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Christianity |
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Christian terrorism, a form of religious terrorism, refers to terrorist acts which are committed by groups or individuals who profess Christian motivations or goals.[1] Christian terrorists justify their violent tactics through their interpretation of the Bible and Christianity, in accordance with their own objectives and worldview.[2][3][4]
Christian terrorism can be committed against members of other Christian denominations, adherents of other religions, secular governments, groups, individuals or society as a whole.[2] Christianity can also be cynically used as a rhetorical device to achieve political or military goals by terrorists.[5]
Christian terrorist groups include paramilitary organizations, cults, and loose groups of people that might come together in order to attempt to terrorize other groups. Some groups also encourage unaffiliated individuals to commit terrorist acts.[6] The paramilitary groups are typically tied to ethnic and political goals as well as religious goals[7][8] and many of these groups have religious beliefs which are at odds with the religious beliefs of conventional Christianity.[9]