Places that evoke happy memories of carefree summer, sun and strawberries have become tainted. Friday and Saturday I became glued to the internet as my Facebook (fb) and txt messages went to friends in Norway. Tragedy had struck close to where I used to live and work 10 years ago. With the bomb blast in downtown Oslo – I recognised – it most likely was close to the down town Adventist Church, where also a lot of young people live.
I was watching images in disbelief, I mean Oslo – Norway – of all places, a country of about 5 mill inhabitants, Oslo a city of 400.000 ppl, renown for its international focus on Peacework and for the Nobel Peace Price. A terror attack! It couldn’t be a Norwegian was my thoughts – for anyone having worked in Norway knows that July is vacation month and most offices are closed. On Friday afternoons the city offices become deserted as people head home early for the weekend (pretty much just after lunch). Anyone who wanted to cause more than material damage would have chosen another day – another month…
Then Utoya…
A small island in Tyrifjord – an hours drive out of Oslo – 5 miles from where I worked , a serene beautiful Lake with small islands. My friends boat is docked across from the island, unimaginable that someone would attack an island with a teen camp out convention. What was the likelihood of me knowing anyone there? Although most of the youth I taught and those I worked with, was not politically active, the mere proximity to my friend’s residence and my former workplace had me on edge.
Following the online Norwegian media – NRK and VG a picture emerged of a huge tragedy.
Via Facebook and txt I was in contact with friends and saw more and more people declaring themselves safe and alive on fb.
News kept emerging on the horrific tragedy.
As the dead tolls are rising and investigations are continuing, a young man with extreme fundamentalistic conservative ideas, claiming to be Christian, expresses extreme hatred for all non Norwegians, hatred for democracy. It begs for us to ponder over how we don’t speak up against people with extreme fundamentalist views, being it political or religious, thereby letting their views flourish and take root.
How often we let the extreme conservative gain foothold in our society and in our faith communities. Individuals who express fundamentalist conservatism become a threat to a democracy where all humans are equal. And that tragicly is the beauty of democracy; that all views have a right to free speech.
“Freedom is always the Freedom of those who think differently” Rosa Luxemborg
A democratic society is a society where censorship is unconstitutional. That is a democracy worth fighting for and, yes, we are to hear the thoughts of those who think different than ourselves, and that is often what Fundamentalist conservatism advocates against. And this, in my opinion, is why this group of individuals can be a more serious threat to a free democratic society than we dare to acknowledge. In Politics and Religion alike.
A generation of future political leaders in Norway if they survived, have been traumatised- To read one of the survivors’ blog please visit: (in Norwegian)
http://prableen.origo.no/-/bulletin/show/672218_helvete-paa-utoeya
a translated English version is on this blog:
http://midgetviking.wordpress.com/2011/07/23/hell-on-utoya-an-eyewitness-account/
As Im writing this blog and fb with my friend, Norweigian police forces are in action in east Oslo, the tragedy continues to develop as the People, Royalty and political leaders gather in Oslo Cathedral for prayer. On fb people are showing support by adding a Norwegian flag to their profile picture – and joining in fb groups encouraging others to light a candle. Grieving is not limited to Oslo and Utoya, but is global. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has said he hopes Norway remains an open and free society “without being afraid”.
My friends are safe, but I know of those who have lost loved ones.
Its easy to fear what we don’t know and it would have been less painful for Norway had it been an “outside” terrorist. Home grown terrorist cry out for a hard look at one self, what in our community breeds such hatred, its no longer the evil out there – but here among us. And not only in politics – I see it more and more in faith communities such as my own; where conservatism is on the march with extreme fundamentalist views following close behind.
Perhaps a danger to our community also lies in the part of society that is fundamentalistic and conservative – that do not share the True Christian values that all are equal, that love and respect for others really is the foundation of any civilised society – and Christian faith.
A young survivor Stine Renate Håheim was interviewed by CNN today and asked if they now wanted to fight terror more intensely. Her answer was: “If one man can show this much hatred, imagine how much love we can show together.” Her quote was repeated by the Prime minister and is resonating across the world.
As my heart cries out for Norway and the tragedy there, I wonder what it will take for us all to be serious about recognising that fundametalist conservatism is a threat to our society and faith.
Thank you for expressing your thoughts and reflections so well, Kirsten.
This is an awful tragedy, but an even greater, unrecognized tragedy might surround us each day, for were there any real freedom in Norway, I assure you that I’d move there immediately. I don’t agree with his views or acts, but neither do I agree with those of your society. Thanks.
Thanks Kirsten for your reflections – you are speaking out of my heart as well. I have been glued to VG (and read Prableen’s blog, watched interviews…) as well and started our church service yesterday with a time of thought and prayer for those suffering the consequences of this tragedy.
Sadly, though, most people don’t have your mental capacity (or are not willing) to transfer the principles discussed in the political realm to the religious field. Just a couple of minutes after our prayer for young people, parents, sibblings in Norway, there were answers given to Bible study questions that made me shiver of cold and unfeelingness. And the question is – how have we as a faith community become so uncaring? Why do we put principles above people – in the contrary to what Jesus teaches us?
God bless. / Sonja
I just read this though provoking entry on Facebook by David Cederström:
Death toll 9/11: 2753 including firefighters and police. US population (2010): almost 309million.
Death toll 22/7-11 in Norway: 90+ and rising. Norway’s population (2011): almost 5million.
” In terms of the loss of lives in proportion to population the Norwegian tragedy is about twice as bad as the attack on the Twin Towers. Horrid comparison, I know – but what makes me proud is the Norwegian response.
Not once in the interviews have I heard anyone express hatred or the wish for revenge. In the church service today, where Norway’s king was present, the PM instead urged that the proper response to such an act is greater freedom, democracy and transparency!”