Norway's Tragedy

More than eighty future leaders shot dead on an island. It seems only yesterday that I was on an island where Norway's young socialists were gathered for their summer school. Our group had an open air service and band, and some of the young politicians joined us for this. What makes a young man hate and kill? In my experience, the root cause is often linked to repression. Such persons may project their hate on to particular groups, but this may hide a jealousy that their own potential is not recognised.

Brad, one of our Community members in Adelaide, has a heavy metal band named after a Norwegian saint, Synnove (Sunniva) Brad says that heavy metal started in Norway with young people who hated God and burned down churches. So Brad's band is angry, not at God, but at godlessness.

Is this tragedy a call for moderate Christians and democrats to become passionate - passionate in loving people and buiding a world that reflects God's love? From the suffering and the rubble may the noble values of Norwegians be deepened and may a Way of Life grow strong and spread far.