Citation

White JR. Am. Behav. Sci. 2001; 44(6): 937-956.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/00027640121956601

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This article explores apocalyptic theology in four American extremist religions: Christian Identity; Nordic Christianity and Odinism; violent, "freewheeling" fundamentalism; and Creatorism. It is argued that violent eschatology interacts with criminology in the sense that politicized religions produce criminal behavior and, at times, terrorism. A brief history of the relationship between religion and racist violence is presented as well as an analysis of the social factors that produce political eschatology. The article concludes with an examination of religious terrorism and technological weapons. Mass destruction is the greatest threat of religiously motivated terrorism.