Toward a Common Profile of Religious Terrorism: Some Psychosocial Determinants of Christian and Islamic Terrorists

Abstract:

Psychosocial attributes shared by Islamist terrorists were compared to those that afflicted abortion clinic bombers and the Order of Maronite Monks' logic, perception, and personality to confirm or disconfirm the commonality of a 30‐item religious terrorists' profile. The outcomes permitted this study to propose a set of moderator‐mediator variables as probable commonalities most likely culpable in rendering individuals from various cultures and beliefs susceptible to self‐immolation and the killing of unknown others.

Keywords: The Order of Maronite Monks; Abortion Clinic Bombers; Hizbullah; Phineas Priesthood; The Covenant, Sword, and Arm of the Lord; Common Profile of Religious Terrorism

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/15614260600919621