It is impossible to understand what could drive a person to perform the violent actions that have taken close to 100 lives in Norway. One must conclude that the perpetrator was an egomaniac set on destroying those who did not share his twisted point of view. An extremist of any stripe can easily become so convinced that his point of view is the only correct one that any act of violence is justified in promoting it. This type of person is so self-righteous that they see no evil in their actions but only their perceived greater good of promoting their “correct” cause. What made the Norwegian act more heinous is the fact that it was done in the name of religion something that is often the case but is never justified. Sadly it occurs so frequently in today’s world that Pope Benedict had this to say about it. “Faced with a world riven by conflict, where sometime violence is justified in the name of God, it is important to reiterate that religions can never become vehicles of hatred, that never by invoking the name of God can evil and violence be justified.” (21st Annual Meeting of Peace 2001) Our Christian tradition of moderation is well put in this quote often attributed to St. Augustine but frequently repeated by leaders like John Wesley and Pope John XXIII: “in essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” We can only imagine the heavy hearts of the families of the victims of this horrific event. We pray for the victims and their families and for the end to such senseless tragedies.