London may no longer be the capital of an avowedly 'Christian' nation, but much of its culture is still built on Christian values. The terrorists' bombs may have rocked London, but they will not kill its resilient spirit.

Mostly, they want to attract attention. They feel that the world has ignored them or their cause. For them, violence is the way to push their agenda onto the world stage. Sadly, violence always begets greater violence.

Terror groups also want to produce anarchy and disorder. This is what really makes them dangerous: they have no positive vision for the future. They offer only a negative view of the present and a hateful interpretation of the past.

Terrorist groups often set out a list of wrongs that they say need to be corrected. But they give no solutions to the pressing problems of hunger, poverty or disease -- even among their own people.

At times like these, it is healthy to reconsider the way we view the world and our purpose in it. Events like these remind us of just how short and how unpredictable our human existence can be.

In situations like this, thousands will take comfort from the teachings of the great religious leaders of history, and perhaps more will turn to the words and example of Jesus Christ that any other.

People the world over will tell you that Jesus was one of the greatest peacemakers ever to walk this earth. His life has inspired some of the greatest modern peacemakers, too, including Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Yet he lived during one of the most violent periods in human history. He faced oppression, fear, extremism and violence in a very personal way.

He was born into a nation that had been living under the heel of oppression for many years. Having had their culture and religion spat upon by their Roman rulers, many Jews were paying up to eighty percent of their income in taxes to Rome. As a result, Israel was a hotbed of political and nationalistic unrest.

As a man of extraordinary compassion, Jesus must have been keenly aware of the suffering all around him. That makes his words and actions all the more remarkable. Can you imagine how these oppressed people must have reacted when he told them to love their enemies?

Jesus knew that people only ever really change when they choose to do so. Coercion through fear never brings about lasting solutions; only love can do that.

Jesus also confronted religious extremism. He had major problems with leaders of strict religious sects, because he was a man of grace.

Extremism is built on legalism. Legalists have no interest in freeing people to lead better lives; they want people bound up in chains, doing only what they're told.

Legalism treats laws as ends in themselves. Jesus taught a different way. Rules are important, but the best they can ever be is a means to an end. The end is grace.

What would Jesus say to a terrorist? He'd say, right up front, "God loves you. If you've committed crimes, you will have to pay a penalty. But God is willing to forgive anyone who sincerely calls on his help."