Topic > Morality in Terror in the Name of God by Jessica Stern

In her book, Terror in the Name of God, Jessica Stern writes about religious terrorism, how terrorist organizations are formed using charismatic leaders, opportunistic and ambitious people who recruit the oppressed using religion as justification and motivation for their acts. In March 1998, Stern met religious terrorist Kenny Noble, an American who belonged to a cult in the 1980s, and had his first extended conversation with a religious terrorist: "Although I had studied and worked on terrorism for many years , nothing I had read or heard had prepared me for that conversation, which was about faith at least as much as violence.” (Poppa XIV) Stern pointed out that there was little difference between what the Nobel cult wanted and what big name terrorist groups like Al Qaeda wanted; they targeted the same institutions, they had the same enemy, the only difference was religion Noble explained how all those who rejected the word of the Lord (liberals, Jews, etc .) were enemies and they had to be dealt with: “'They were the enemies. And therefore they should die.'” (Stern. XV) Terrorist groups believe their killings are moral because they serve to protect the greater good of the world when it comes to their beliefs. Of course, where Nobel thought he was on the moral lane to commit such heinous acts, people who did not follow his beliefs and faith saw him as a terrorist with no morals, anything to do with morality is relative depending on of the individual. . Stern talked about how South African lesbians faced abuse and violence just because they didn't meet social expectations of how women should act and look. Where as in some counties