Are suicide bombers brave or cowardly?

Question

Does the promise of martyrdom and the use of more than 70 virgens put them in the coward category?

Dstr---if your family was killed by enemy soldiers, are there not plenty of military or commercial targets to bomb w/o harming other innocents?

kris13iam---Soldiers don't normally deliberatly target innocents.

RUDY--- I believe when you have that many virgins they would have to be disposible.
Most guys wouldn't have the energy to reuse them.

maravichi---Suicide is not a brave choice if you really hate your life.

Answer 1

to be willing to die for a cause is hard to be characterized as cowardly regardless of what they believe faces them in the afterlife

Answer 2

The promise of martyrdom doesnt make them cowardly, strapping on a bomb and killing civilians make them chicken sh***t cowards. Suicide is a psychological malady that was left untreated until it manifested itself. And the whole "70 virgins thing" isnt even in the Koran ( Qu'Ran )

Answer 3

Suicide bombers are neither - they are in need of a serious psychiatric evaluation.

For examples:
When a normal, reasonable person does something heroic - he is brave.
When a normal, reasonable person refuses to testify to a crime he witnessed, he is acting cowardly.

When a terrorist fills his vest with explosives and lethal shrapnel before heading into a crowded mall full of innocent men, women and children - we cannot use terms designated for reasonable and normal people to describe his behavior.

Answer 4

cowardly and stupid. in a situation where there is no other option for fighting back, suicide can be acceptable. it's the targets that make the difference in whether or not they are fighting for a cause or killing because they can. the targeting of innocent civilians, for example, is unacceptable - the people who are killed are men, women and children just eating some pizza or going to work.

Answer 5

It depends who you ask. I have Islamic friends and they tell me that it is a sin and a cowardly act. I myself do not condon such acts of evil but I'm sure that radical Islamic followers feel that they are freedom fighters and brave.

Suicide bombers are in the mind set of "dying to win" (Note: there's a good book on this topic by the same name). They want all who stand against them to leave them alone.

Answer 6

I suppose you're right. If no virgins were promised and no one would honor their martyrdom then I bet there would be a decrease in suicide bombing.
I Corinthians 13;8a, Love never fails!!!!!
10-16-6

Answer 7

It would depend whom you were asking. In thier society they are seen as brave. I'm in no way saying that is right, it is merely reality.

Someone who attacks and/or kills a defenceless person is also considered a coward, therefore, they are indeed cowardly.

Answer 8

Dedication to a belief that will further their cause at the sacrifice of themselves has to count for something.

HOW they do it (killing people in the marketplace or on busses), is where the cowardly aspect come into play

Answer 9

I'd have to say neither apply. When your conviction in your belief is that strong, you can do anything, no matter how horrible.

Faith (any faith, not just Islam) taken to its extreme is a very frightening thing. Only doubt will keep you honest.

Answer 10

A lot of people may hate me for saying this;

but strapping a bomb to your chest and pushing that button takes balls man. BALLS. It may not be the most noble or intelligent thing to do, but it certainly merits cajones.

Personally I don't think it takes brevity OR cowardliness; it just takes plain fanaticism.