Does the insane act of suicide-bombing" prove worthiness of cause OR the brainwashing power of the religion?

Question

One of the most insane arguments, in the history of man, is the following (heard from Islamists and leftists alike):

"The extreme act of blowing yourself up shows the desperation of the people and how bad it must be for them. Thus their cause must be a just one".

Response:

From birth Muslims are raised to believe that the Quran is the literal word of God and is beyond questioning. Those who do question Islamic doctrines along the way are very quickly brought into line.

The Quran tells muslims that the religious clergy speaks for Allah "obey Allah and Muhammad and the religious leaders.." So as opposed to Christian preists or Buddist monks who offer opinions, Islamic clerics are essentially the real-time voice of Allah, and iN a world of 1.2 billion people, thats huge power.

Suicide bombers literally believe the Quran's promise of "reward" in heaven, when dying in the course of combat with kufr (unbelievers).

Imam's merely manage this resource of brainwashed drones.

Answer 1

The idea of dying for one's country, religion, or cause shows the dedication to the cause but not the worthiness of the cause itself. It might be an act of desperation, but not always. As the Japanese started losing the war in WW2, they resorted to suicide attacks. The 9/11 hijackers weren't desperate. Most had enough money to be quite well off but they decided to blow themselves up anyway. They do it mostly for the glory.

Answer 2

I am going with the brainwashing power of religion. No suicide bomber I know of has ever changed history, affected foreign policy, or done little else besides kill mostly innocent people who aren't even part if his problem. Anyone who thinks a bomb can solve a problem is a useless human being.

Answer 3

This act obviously proves religion can be a useful brainwashing instrument.
As for the reward in heaven, I have read some Muslim postings here which denied this concept, claiming that it is "Zionist" (Jewish) propaganda.
These people are very good at deflecting.

Answer 4

The worthiness of the cause is not undermined by the methods that are used to defend it. I'm not in favour of this particular cause, but it is a fact that sometimes people need to get violent to be heard. But then again, this proves only the lack of liberty to expose their cases, not the worthiness or lack of worthiness of any cause.

Answer 5

As Christian ministers manage the Christian resources. From their world view, dying in jihad is an honourable death. Very similar, in fact, to Christ's dying for a cause. Similar to the christian martyrs who died for a cause. Admittedly, they died, as opposed to carrying out wholesale slaughter, but the whole concept of dying for any religious cause, be it Islamic or Christian, is an obscenity (from my world view)

Answer 6

It proves the scary brainwashing power of religion.Like Chris Rock said in Dogma"It's better to have an idea than a belief.'People die for their beliefs,but an idea can change with time and the discovery of new evidence.Organized religion is scary.It's started so many wars,so many innocent people have died for it.

Answer 7

I think both. The people blowing themselves up (some of them) are doing it cause they are loyal to their cause. They may be loyal because they are brainwashed. They are brainwashed because they believe their 'god' is asking them to kill people, innocent people.

Answer 8

sure they might want to. yet they don't seem "human beings of religion". As they declare to be. they are human beings of outrage. they might want to not insure their church homes and mosques both. yet they do. back a teach of no faith.

Answer 9

yes, it shows the dark side of taking a religious text too far

Answer 10

In every war there are men/women who know they will not come back from a mission....they're giving their lives to advance or to save the majority.

Same thing.....different cause.