BusterB: Are Islamic Terrorists Insane?

OK, so I know very little about Islam. Nonetheless, in thinking about what I do know, and thinking about September 11, 2001 and events before and since, something makes sense to me that a lot of people on TV seem to be asking about: Why would anyone but a complete nut case fly an airliner into a building?

If you've followed my previous writings on Christianity, you'll know that one my central theses is that believing in life after death changes your whole perspective. If you read the New Testament (not even the Qu'ran, just the New Testament), there are some statements in there that clear up some odd behaviour among religious folks. Let's dive in.

I'm going to start with a few basic messages from Jesus. I don't quote the Bible here: these messages show up over and over again throughout the New Testament:

If you devote your life to God and have faith in Jesus, you will live forever.
You should live your life concentrating on the life to come after death, not on the current world.
You learn how to live your life by giving it over to God, to doing God's work rather than working for yourself.

In the context of the first claim listed above, death doesn't matter. Whether you live to 100 years old or 20 years old, what matters is the life after. If you stood to gain $10,000,000 in one year, would you spend the year penny pinching and saving? Certainly if you thought you weren't going to last the year, you might, but beyond that, why would you care? Similarly, if you're convinced that you're going to live forever, why would you fret over living longer here on earth?

This, I think, is what puzzles most people about Muslim terrorists flying airliners into buildings: what kind of nut case wants to die? The answer is simple: the kind of nut case who doesn't believe in death.

Now, I have to leap in here and defend Jesus and this philosophy. While belief in life after death is what allows these guys to blow themselves up along with thousands of people, this same belief more commonly creates great charity. I disagree with the guy on CityTV last night, who sneered that the religious right in the U.S. was capitalizing on September 11th, "Religious fundamentalists taking advantage of the destruction wrought by... other religious fundamentalists." This ever-so-correct mocking atheist forgets something: that this same religious fundamentalism gave rise to Mother Theresa, not to mention thousands of people who travel to impoverished countries in an effort (successful or not) to help the less fortunate. Really, what other incentive is there to give up comfort and fun to go to squalid places and help the poor? The outcome of believing—really believing—in life after death is selflessness, and selflessness can manifest itself as great charity, or as warriors who don't fear death. Like everything else (including mocking atheism) it has its good side and its bad side.

So what makes Muslims, in particular, willing to martyr themselves (and they do use that word liberally)? Very simply it's the selfless attitude that comes from believing in eternal life and the subjugation to a higher power. This addresses the third point above. Again, isn't this a strike against religion? Isn't it a black mark that people don't think for themselves but instead blindly follow instructions? Well, like most other characterizations of religion by secular society, this is one is unfair.

The idea that subjugating yourself to a higher power is the act of an uncritical mind has two flaws: first, it underestimates the intelligence of the religious; second, it overestimates the critical thinking capacity of the irreligious. Take a look around you at ordinary people walking the streets, ordinary kids in high schools, ordinary working people. Do they all think critically? Hardly. Are atheistic organizations and people honest? Hardly. Are people who believe they're in control of their own lives honest, humble, and selfless? Hardly. In fact, the population of atheists is no different than the population of Catholics: some are wise; some think critically; some are full of fire and revolution, some are pacifists; most don't think much about anything; and most are lazy and just go with the flow. The only difference between church-going religious folks and the rest of the population is that they set aside at least one hour a week to be reminded of how they should live.

Although most religious people don't manage it, part of the faith is to stop thinking about what you want and start asking God what He wants, based on the theory that He, having watched over every civilization that ever was, knows better than you do what would be a good way for you to live.

In Islamic radicals, this manifests itself as a willingness, even an eagerness to die in what they believe is the service of God, or Allah, as they call Him. As far as they're concerned, Western society worships death and evil (more on that in another essay), and the Islamic religion, for all of its pacifism, also allows for warriors, war, and harsh punishment for those who oppose God / Allah. So, put the whole thing together, and you get people who are warriors for Allah, who are willing to do anything they think Allah wants them to do, and who are more than willing to die (since they believe that what comes after death will, for them, be far better than their lives).

This is where Islam and Christianity part company. Jesus often became angry, and he didn't shy away from slamming hypocrisy and evil, but he was completely non-violent. There is nothing in the New Testament that I know of that sanctions war or fighting.

In fact, one manifestation of Christian selflessness and belief in life after death is that a Christian should never need to fight, even when his or her life is threatened. After all, if some guy says, "Cooperate with me or I'll kill you," a Christian who truly believes in life after death will simply shrug. I mean, if you know you're going to live forever in glory, why do you care if you die? So, the same beliefs that allow Muslims to blow themselves up in the name of Allah should, in theory, allow Christians to be the ultimate pacifists in the name of Christ.

In the end, Muslim terrorists aren't deranged. They are simply taking their beliefs to their logical conclusion, given that their religion allows for war and violence.

Are Islamic Terrorists Insane? Up Are Islamic Terrorists Insane? Faith Why Are Religious People So Weird? Why Jesus?
	OK, so I know very little about Islam. Nonetheless, in thinking about what I do know, and thinking about September 11, 2001 and events before and since, something makes sense to me that a lot of people on TV seem to be asking about: Why would anyone but a complete nut case fly an airliner into a building? If you've followed my previous writings on Christianity, you'll know that one my central theses is that believing in life after death changes your whole perspective. If you read the New Testament (not even the Qu'ran, just the New Testament), there are some statements in there that clear up some odd behaviour among religious folks. Let's dive in. I'm going to start with a few basic messages from Jesus. I don't quote the Bible here: these messages show up over and over again throughout the New Testament: If you devote your life to God and have faith in Jesus, you will live forever. You should live your life concentrating on the life to come after death, not on the current world. You learn how to live your life by giving it over to God, to doing God's work rather than working for yourself. In the context of the first claim listed above, death doesn't matter. Whether you live to 100 years old or 20 years old, what matters is the life after. If you stood to gain $10,000,000 in one year, would you spend the year penny pinching and saving? Certainly if you thought you weren't going to last the year, you might, but beyond that, why would you care? Similarly, if you're convinced that you're going to live forever, why would you fret over living longer here on earth? This, I think, is what puzzles most people about Muslim terrorists flying airliners into buildings: what kind of nut case wants to die? The answer is simple: the kind of nut case who doesn't believe in death. Now, I have to leap in here and defend Jesus and this philosophy. While belief in life after death is what allows these guys to blow themselves up along with thousands of people, this same belief more commonly creates great charity. I disagree with the guy on CityTV last night, who sneered that the religious right in the U.S. was capitalizing on September 11th, "Religious fundamentalists taking advantage of the destruction wrought by... other religious fundamentalists." This ever-so-correct mocking atheist forgets something: that this same religious fundamentalism gave rise to Mother Theresa, not to mention thousands of people who travel to impoverished countries in an effort (successful or not) to help the less fortunate. Really, what other incentive is there to give up comfort and fun to go to squalid places and help the poor? The outcome of believing—really believing—in life after death is selflessness, and selflessness can manifest itself as great charity, or as warriors who don't fear death. Like everything else (including mocking atheism) it has its good side and its bad side. So what makes Muslims, in particular, willing to martyr themselves (and they do use that word liberally)? Very simply it's the selfless attitude that comes from believing in eternal life and the subjugation to a higher power. This addresses the third point above. Again, isn't this a strike against religion? Isn't it a black mark that people don't think for themselves but instead blindly follow instructions? Well, like most other characterizations of religion by secular society, this is one is unfair. The idea that subjugating yourself to a higher power is the act of an uncritical mind has two flaws: first, it underestimates the intelligence of the religious; second, it overestimates the critical thinking capacity of the irreligious. Take a look around you at ordinary people walking the streets, ordinary kids in high schools, ordinary working people. Do they all think critically? Hardly. Are atheistic organizations and people honest? Hardly. Are people who believe they're in control of their own lives honest, humble, and selfless? Hardly. In fact, the population of atheists is no different than the population of Catholics: some are wise; some think critically; some are full of fire and revolution, some are pacifists; most don't think much about anything; and most are lazy and just go with the flow. The only difference between church-going religious folks and the rest of the population is that they set aside at least one hour a week to be reminded of how they should live. Although most religious people don't manage it, part of the faith is to stop thinking about what you want and start asking God what He wants, based on the theory that He, having watched over every civilization that ever was, knows better than you do what would be a good way for you to live. In Islamic radicals, this manifests itself as a willingness, even an eagerness to die in what they believe is the service of God, or Allah, as they call Him. As far as they're concerned, Western society worships death and evil (more on that in another essay), and the Islamic religion, for all of its pacifism, also allows for warriors, war, and harsh punishment for those who oppose God / Allah. So, put the whole thing together, and you get people who are warriors for Allah, who are willing to do anything they think Allah wants them to do, and who are more than willing to die (since they believe that what comes after death will, for them, be far better than their lives). This is where Islam and Christianity part company. Jesus often became angry, and he didn't shy away from slamming hypocrisy and evil, but he was completely non-violent. There is nothing in the New Testament that I know of that sanctions war or fighting. In fact, one manifestation of Christian selflessness and belief in life after death is that a Christian should never need to fight, even when his or her life is threatened. After all, if some guy says, "Cooperate with me or I'll kill you," a Christian who truly believes in life after death will simply shrug. I mean, if you know you're going to live forever in glory, why do you care if you die? So, the same beliefs that allow Muslims to blow themselves up in the name of Allah should, in theory, allow Christians to be the ultimate pacifists in the name of Christ. In the end, Muslim terrorists aren't deranged. They are simply taking their beliefs to their logical conclusion, given that their religion allows for war and violence.