I’m as shocked as the rest of you over recent events in Norway. Early reports said some Fundamental Islamic group had claimed credit (boy do they have egg on their faces now!). Did you think what I did? Norway?! What can possibly be offensive about Norway apart from their strange attraction to pickled herrings? When I think of Norway I think: Vikings, cross-country skiers, Nobel Peace Prize and snow. That’s about it. I mean… Norway?!!! Why would Al Quaeda want to attack little old Norway?

Then the news broke: they’d caught the guy and he was a Right-wing Christian extremist. Turns out he blew up the city and gunned down the teenagers as a protest against non-Europeans settling in Europe. Yep, slaughter a bunch of Norwegians…that’ll teach all those foreigners! He wasn’t killing people to get his jollies; he was making a “political statement”. Look, I get the “right-wing” bit. I get the “extremist” bit. But, “Christian”? He might well claim that’s what he is but I’m sorry, he’s definitely not Christian. He says “Christian” but he just means “white European”. The two terms aren’t synonymous.

I’m fighting mad (in a passivist manner) about this. Christian? Bah humbug. What a load of codswallop. No one can do such an horrific, bloody thing to children and claim they’re followers of Christ. He said: “Love your enemies. Forgive those who hurt you. Do good to those who persecute you.” It makes me see red that this fellow would have the nerve to link his name with Jesus. (Okay, he’s not the first: Crusaders, Inquisition… But, it still doesn’t make it right!)

And why should we give credence to his claim? Before 9/11 we would have said: This dude is a complete fruit loop. Post 9/11 everything is put down to political/religious terrorism. The fact is, every now and then some nutter does something like this and the only reason he’s doing it is because he’s BONKERS. It’s not his religion. It’s not his politics. It’s not because his father left home when he was ten. It’s not because he was a bed-wetter. It’s because he’s a sociopathic nut-case. End of story.

When I saw the images from the youth camp on the island, my mind flashed back to Martin Bryant and the massacre at Port Arthur in Tasmania. The spooky thing is the two men even look a bit alike. Of course Bryant had his gory moment pre-9/11 so he’s just a psychotic killer, instead of some sort of religious extremist. I guess it’s all in the timing.

My love and prayers are with the suffering people of Norway. This tragedy is a sad reminder that life is a fragile, precious thing and we should treasure each moment we get to share it with the ones we love.