Osama Bin laden said this on a tape: The only difference between us and the americans is that ... they love life ... and we love death. Can you explain this literally?
2006-12-01 04:09:30 · 5 answers · asked by Samlovesjesea 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
There is an interpretation in a Time magazine article that is different from many of the responses.
Ameicans love life in the sense that we believe we have the capability to make it better. As we look back, we see the changes that have been made over time as progress. Things are better generally than they used to be. Bin Laden looks back and misses the old days when the Muslim religion was taken literally. Here's what Time said:
“But somehow the rise of Osama bin Laden and terrorist extremism seems to call progress into question. Bin Laden and his followers embrace a medieval notion of religion and society (except of course when it comes to weapons, when they'd like to be scientifically up-to the minute). They missed out completely on the Enlightenment notion that the sacred and the secular should be kept separate as well as the 18th century notion that mankind had finally entered the age of reason.
Instead, bin Laden divides the world into believers and non-believers, that is, Muslims and infidels. He believes Islam needs to be purified and turned back a thousand years. He has identified himself and his followers as adoring death. He told a Pakistani interviewer after 9/11: "We love death. The U.S. loves life. That is the big difference between us."
"Yes, it is. The world is indeed divided into two groups, those who believe in the idea of progress, and those who don't. "
Click below for the whole article.
2006-12-01 06:40:47 · answer #1 · answered by jackbutler5555 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, break the phrase down, "they love life". So let's look at that part of the phrase. Basically, we are taught, from an early age, to fear death and to do anything for living. This is what he means. We, as Americans, are taught to embrace life and live life to the fullest. We try to make ourselves look younger. We go to botox and, for the most part, avoid things that are associated with death, or at least what we perciece as death. We make treaties with enemies and compromises to avoid war. We listen to people that may be wrong about things in order to keep a psuedo peace.
Now to look at the second half of that "we love death". They find death holy. After watching and hearing some extremists videos on news commentaries and listening to people you were once a part of that culture death is revered, it is not feared like in the Judeo-Christian communities. To die in honor for killing an enemy is the highest form of death in some of the extremists groups. That is the comparison. We, as Americans, will avoid death while they, as a form of extremist Muslim, raise death to the highest form.
2006-12-01 04:34:51 · answer #2 · answered by ambr95012 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means the Americans are afraid of dying because they love life too much but the terrorists love death because they think by dying for the "cause " they will be glorified in the next life!
2006-12-01 04:19:33 · answer #3 · answered by grumpyoldman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He meant that they are not afraid of dying, they think of it as an honorable thing, while Americans will do anything to hold on to life. Because Americans love life too much we would be afraid to die and will not win.
2006-12-01 04:22:33 · answer #4 · answered by fancyname 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
he is just a sad old fart who wants to die, his words cant be explained
2006-12-01 04:50:51 · answer #5 · answered by [ jD ] 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋