Religious symbols. IMAGE: Howardcorn33 / Wikimedia Commons
In Finland, there has recently been a lively discussion about reforming religious education in primary and secondary schools and the possibility of replacing the current system with a shared worldview subject for all students. This alternative was also considered in the Finnish government’s 2022 report “Report on the current state of instruction in different worldview education and need for reform“ (In Finnish, abstract in English). However, the public debate has so far lacked a perspective on internal security. One of the key objectives of a shared worldview subject should be to prevent religious extremism and political radicalization.
Around the world, various forms of violent and undemocratic religious extremism exist, such as extreme Hinduism, extreme Buddhism, extreme Judaism, and extreme Islam, to name a few examples. Extreme Islam revealed its most brutal face through ISIS, and we must ensure that it does not gain a foothold here, for example, as a side effect of migration from Muslim-majority countries. According to the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service (Supo), there are likely radical Islamist actors in Finland with the intent and capability to carry out violent attacks. (Supo, 2024)
However, the form of extremism closest to us is extreme Christianity. Russia is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine with the blessing of the Orthodox Church. In the United States, with whom Finland is increasing its cooperation, evangelical Christians seek to push the world into end-times chaos through their leaders. In Finland, elements of extreme Christianity can be found within the government, advocating views where the interpretations of one religious group’s holy book are applied to the legislation of all citizens.
Political extremism in Finland is associated with both far-right and far-left movements. According to Supo, organized far-right activity does not currently pose a direct terrorist threat, but it creates a potential breeding ground for individual radicalization. The far-left, on the other hand, presents a low-level terrorist threat in Finland. (Supo, 2024)
Even the Green Party has not been entirely free from extremist thinking. Pentti Linkola represented a form of radical green extremism, where an otherwise accurate analysis led to some questionable conclusions and solutions: authoritarianism and restrictions on humanitarian aid. Fortunately, such thinking has no support within today’s Greens.
There is a clear need for a shared worldview subject that introduces different worldviews, ranging from philosophies and religions to atheism. Such a subject should equip students with the tools and perspectives necessary to avoid the pitfalls of extremism and support a pluralistic and peaceful society.
This article was previously published (15.1.2025) in a slightly shortened version in Verde magazine’s opinion section:
https://www.verdelehti.fi/2025/01/16/katsomusaineen-tulee-ehkaista-aariajattelua/ (in Finnish).
Sources:
Supo, National Terrorist Threat Assessment, https://supo.fi/en/terrorist-threat-assessment, accessed 22.12.2024.