Articles

Uganda: from the Holy Spirit Movement to the Lord's Resistance Army: Remarks on Christian terrorism in Africa

Vostok/Oriens '2018, №3

DOI: 10.31857/S086919080000048-9

 
Islamic terrorism has become a part of everyday life. Countless books and dissertations attempt to analyze the activities of Islamic terrorists. On the contrary, Christian terrorist groups operating in countries and regions all around the world receive much less attention, although they are no less dangerous. In the authors’ view, “Christian terrorism” can be defined as extremist activities characterized by a high level of violence, which, according to terrorists, is necessary for achieving the religious or, rather, pseudo-religious goals of “purifying” the faith itself and its adherents from all sorts of “filth”, of fighting “evil”, and of building the “Kingdom of God”—a society of “general prosperity”. The article examines the causes, preconditions for the emergence, and activities of the Lord’s Resistance Army, analyzes the religious views of its leader Joseph Kony, as well as external and internal factors that have influenced the tactics and strategy of the organization. It also assesses the religious nature of the movement and forecasts the spread of Christian extremism on the African continent.

Keywords: Uganda, Holy Spirit Movement, Lord’s Resistance Army, Christian terrorism, religion, Joseph Kony

Pages: С. 94–104