Article October 21, 1996 Issue

Eliminating the roots of terrorism

Mark Swinney

The other night I heard a reporter on television's Hard Copy make this comment: "The message is clear. There is no place on earth where you can be safe and protected from terrorism."

It would be well to consider the authority of God's power to quell what would terrorize. The Bible offers many examples of this divine power. For instance, once, when Christ Jesus was preaching, his listeners, stung by his remarks, "were filled with wrath, and rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong." The account continues, "But he passing through the midst of them went his way" (Luke 4:28–30).

If Jesus had heard that reporter's comment about terrorism, how might he have responded? He would certainly have wanted everyone to know that, as his experience with the mob proved, spiritual-mindedness can free from fear and violence. But how does one have (and maintain) a Christlike state of thought? How can we pray about terrorism? In order to pray effectively, we need to address what is behind a terrorist act.

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