Lots of things are clamoring for our attention these days. The political season is in full-swing, a hurricane is causing havoc in the South, and trumping those two for many is the start of the football season this weekend. In the midst of life here, perhaps you missed the news last week that Anders Behring Breivik was sentenced. He is the Norwegian convicted of bombing and shooting to death 77 of his countrymen last year. Do you think he got the death penalty? How about a life sentence? Hardly; Breivik was given 21 years for his killing spree. I did the math; that’s 3.67 years for each life he brutally took—and that’s rounding up.
I am somewhat of a news-junkie but I am unaware of any Norwegian outrage. Despite the fact that Breivik’s attack was the worst in Norway since World War II, as far as I know, Norwegians woke up the next day without comment and went about enjoying another helping of lutefisk.
Europe lost its way a long time ago. When higher criticism hit their seminaries and pulpits over a century ago, their churches and cathedrals began emptying. Why wouldn’t they? “What’s the Bible have for us,” inquired Joe-European, “When it really isn’t the authoritative Word of God?” Many of their places of worship became museums and tourist attractions. In addition, their birth rate has plummeted beyond salvaging while at the same time Muslim immigration has sky-rocketed. The nations of Europe are not the nations we used to study in our history books; they have been transformed and their once biblical worldview has been pushed into the Atlantic.
That is why it is not surprising that an unrepentant and smug “monster” gets 21 years for the slaying of seventy-seven. If you don’t believe Genesis 1:27: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” And if you no longer believe: “God created man, He made him in the likeness of God.” Then you’re certainly not going to subscribe to Genesis 9:6, either: “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed; for in the image of God has God made man.”
One wonders how far behind we are. Abortionists argue to kill babies but typically argue against capital punishment. Kill the innocent but save the guilty? We argue to save babies and most of us find no inconsistency when we argue that the price for taking life is the forfeiture of your own.
Sadly, Europe is probably already too far gone; may a biblical worldview keep us from a similar implosion.
Pastor Rich Hamlin August 30, 2012
Amen. John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Without a moral and religious people who bridle their own passions for the sake of others, the only suitable governing method is the one the Romans used: brute force. I think we see this approach used more and more in America–perhaps this is a symptom of secularization.
The 20th century was indisputably the bloodiest in the history of humankind, and this was at the hands of secular atheists such as Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, and many dozens more. Their actions were consistent with their secular (this-world-is-all-there-is-ism), viewpoint. Violence seems inevitable between those who pretend to be their own god, suppressing the truth that they will be held accountable before the King on that great and final day. Come Lord Jesus!
My calculators math says Mr Breivik was sentenced to about 100 days per murdered individual which makes your point even more valid.