CHURCH BURNINGS IN NORWAY

 EDITORS NOTE: It's unfortunate that I have to write this journal entry. When I found out about the Norwegian church burnings, arsons and murders in the early 90's I found out through the local college radio station that I worked at, and with all of the "humor" and my naivete, I thought it was some sick joke. The Norwegian church burnings were confirmed through METAL MANIACS and ROLLING STONE (I only read ROLLING STONE for the HUNTER S. THOMPSON pieces).
Of course the douches that burned down churches in Norway burned down Heathen churches that existed BEFORE Christianity, duh. Sammoth of EMPOROR, VARK VIKERNES (Burzum/Mayhem), Snorre (MAYHEM) did time in prison in their teens for their role in the church burnings.
Sure, I like the MUSIC of the second wave of Norwegian black metal, but the dysfunctional behavior of these teens and scene power struggles is nothing to imitate, along with their self destructive behavior.
I felt even back then, specifically since I grew up the 80's during the PMRC hearings, that the church burnings, media coverage and the Satanist blame would give the metal community a bad name. This recent church burning in NORWAY comes just a week or two after BURZUM mastermind and former MAYHEM bassist VARG VIKERNES was released from prison after serving over 17 years for murdering a band mate, and church arsons. I would never underestimate how dangerous VARG VIRKENES can be, with cult idol worship, and copy cat behavior. In the first video on the "Crack Down on Metal in the Middle East" journal entry ( from GLOBAL METAL), an Israeli band, explained how much of a NAZI VIKERNES is and how networked he is (from prison!) as they got bomb threats.
ITP do NOT and NEVER have encouraged church burnings, arson, grave desecration or/and murders. It's simply uncalled for. Sure I'm an atheist, sure I can't stand that hate mongering campaign of the "Storm is Coming" anti gay marriage bullshit campaign via Mormons and right wing religious wingnuts. I prefer separation between church and state. However, many involved in the 90's Norwegian church burnings are just as right wing, nazi and homophobic as two out of the three murders between Sweden and Norway during the 90's, were hate crimes (Faust-Bard Ethiun of Emperor murdering a gay man and Jon of Dissection an accessory to a murder of a gay man).
I understand that many in NORWAY want to return to their Pagan roots and feel that Christians burned down their churches and feel "repressed" or "oppressed". However, Norway is one of the richest countries in the world, with oil that is kept with in a socialist country, socialized medical care, and liberal as in gay marriages are legal, and the highest prison sentence is 21 years with weekend furlows, parole and no death penalty. There isn't a HUGE gap in Norway between the rich and poor as in America. There are only 4 million people in Norway (more than 4 million people live in New York State), and they complain?
Yeh, ...Right..
Perhaps PAGANS, and ODINISTS can get a out a hammer and nail and help build their own churches as NORWAY is in the middle of a Columbine like identity crisis.
Although I'm an atheist, churches in America serve a purpose to the community outside of religion and politics: *Homeless shelters *Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous *Food pantries and soup kitchens all help serve the less fortunate in times of economic and personal crisis. *50's and 60's U.S.A. civil rights movement *METAL shows on rare occasion take place in Masonic Temples.
It's one thing to challenge the philosophy and illusions of religion, but physically, no.
It's getting sketchy and WEIRD in the Hudson Valley Area of New York as well, as a few moronic terrorists targeted a Jewish Center near White Plains New York along with other plotted terrorist attacks: http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1900377,00.html
Here in the USA, Norwegians whom burn down churches would be considered terrorists via the Department of Homeland Security. Scandinavians whom murder gays would be considered a HATE CRIME in the USA.
I'm not sure what role the church has in the Norwegian community. What would metal do without the aesthetic imagery ,beautiful architecture of churches and graves yards?
However, these arsonists, and church burning kids in NORWAY are more confused then a feather in a wirldwind.
FROM BLABBERMOUTH.NET: Norway's NRK reports that a Satanism expert believes that Friday's (May 29) arson attack on a church in Våler, about 150 km northeast of Oslo, could mean the beginning of a new wave of attacks on churches in Norway.

According to About.com's guide to Scandinavia travel, Norwegian police were called to the historic wooden church, which was built in 1805, on Friday morning, where fire was quickly engulfing the beautiful church within just a few hours. They later confirmed that the fire had been intentionally set, reminding of the number of arson fires taking place in the '90s in Norwegian places of worship.

The local police have now asked for assistance from the National Bureau of Crime Investigation (KRIPOS), and for information from the public, to help solve the crime, reports The Norway Post.

The firemen managed to bring out an altarpiece from 1697 and the Communion silver, but many irreplaceable pieces of church art were destroyed in the raging fire.

A semingly unrelated incident occurred in early May which involved graveyard vandalism in Oslo and Sandefjord. Journalist Jonathan Tisdall reported on his blog that just under 30 headstones were toppled in Sandefjord, according to newspaper Tønsbergs Blad, while Nordstrand Church in Oslo had 30-40 gravestones overturned and "Satanistic" messages as part of damages to the church itself.

Aftenposten's web site reported that windows were smashed and unpleasant messages scribbled on the church windows. Photos in the article show both the damage to the graveyard and the church door defaced with such messages as "Satan lives" and "666."

Members and fans of the early '90s Norwegian black metal scene claimed responsibility for inspiring (and perpetrating) over 50 arsons directed at Christian churches between 1992 and 1996. Many of the buildings were hundreds of years old, and widely regarded as important historical landmarks. One of the first and most notable was Norway's Fantoft stave church, which the police believed was destroyed by BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes. He was found guilty for the arsons of Holmenkollen Chapel, Skjold Church and Åsane Church.

Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-