[Air-l] Hitler & Bin Laden: The Psychology of Terror

[Orion Anderson]

Just Published: 
 
HITLER AND BIN LADEN: The Psychology of Terror
 
By Richard A. Koenigsberg
 
Nazism was conceived by Hitler as a religion. He declared, "We do not want
to have any other God-only Germany." For the true believer, belief is
threatened by the existence of non-believers. Acts of terror such as the
Final Solution and bombing of the World Trade Center are designed to create
shock and awe-to compel belief in the face of disbelief. Acts of destruction
proclaim, "This is the fate of those who do not believe in our God." Acts of
terror are undertaken as "proof."
 
The true believer finds it intolerable that other people do not bow down to
the object that he worships. Men fanatically attached to an ideology-such as
Hitler and Bin Laden-react with rage when they imagine the existence of
others who do not share their belief; do not worship the object that they
worship. Non-believers evoke doubt. Acts of terror are designed to destroy
doubt by crushing classes of people designated as non-believers.
 
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The complete paper by Dr. Richard Koenigsberg is available as an on-line
publication. 

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HITLER & BIN LADEN: The Psychology of Terror

Acts of terror derive from attachment to an object conceived to be
omnipotent and are performed in the name of this object. The object with
which the terrorist identifies works within and through his body, compelling
him to perform suicidal and murderous acts. Through the act of violence, the
terrorist seeks to make manifest the power of the God that he worships. The
act of terror declares: "This is what happens to those who do not believe.
No one can escape the wrath of our God."
 
The purpose of acts of warfare, genocide and terror is to assert or affirm
the omnipotence of an idea or entity with which a people or group identify.
Acts of violence are undertaken in order to persuade others-non-believers-of
the power of one's God or nation. How does one know that a societal entity
exists? How does one know that it possesses power? Imaginary objects come
into being by virtue of collective acts of destruction performed in their
name.
 
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