Which Terror Is Greater: Secular or Religious?
Alexandra C. Zuñiga
CJ290/ Terrorism
Mr. Scott Thompson
Kaplan College
12/20/2012

Abstract
Secular terror is anything that does not have to do with religion; however, religious tactics can be used to get ahead in secular terrorist organizations. Religious terror is based on the protecting, converging, and maintaining beliefs of a religion upheld by a religious terrorist group. Although different tactics are carried out by each different group of terror, they have some core features in common, such as emotionally evocative symbols, rituals, and myths (Alcorta, Phillips, Sosis, 2012). With their differences and similarities, the question at hand is which terror is greater? Religious …show more content…

Religious Terror Outlined
Religious terror is a form of intimidation towards others to converge to the same religious beliefs as the religious terrorist group. Everything done by a religious group is done in the name of the “God” for that specific religion. These groups feel that they must defend their beliefs at all costs. If they feel threatened in the manner that their beliefs would be jeopardized or converged to other beliefs, they feel they must act. Their acts are done for a higher power and have divine significance in their eyes.
In contrast to secular groups, religious terror groups usually intend to impose as many casualties as possible. They use destructive tactics. The amount of lives “sacrificed” in the name of their cause is of no consequence to them. The benefits of the afterlife overweigh their actions in their life here on Earth. Anyone who is not a believer in their eyes, whether they are the immediate target or just collateral damage, deserves death. It is considered their “moral duty” to kill any non-believers. Religious terror groups do not concern themselves with the enemy’s counterattacks.
Religious Terrorist Organizations Al-Qaeda is a broad-based militant Islamist organization founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s. Al-Qaeda started as a logistical network to support Muslims who were fighting during the Afghan War against the Soviet Union. Their members are recruited throughout the entire world. After the Soviets retreated in