Can you understand why terrorists do what they do?

Question

Ok so this is a rough question but take this into consideration:

1. They believe that Allah is real with all their hearts
2. They have been told from birth that western civilization is demonic.
3. They believe God requires them to Martyr themselves
4. They believe they are doing Gods will.

Answer 1

NONE of ur points are true, buddy (for REAL, EDUCATED Muslims because educated Muslims are NOT terrorists and don't support it any way cause it's not allowed in Islam). They do it for their PERSONAL pleasure!!!!! Terrorism is NOT permitted in Islam.

"Let there be no compulsion in religion; Truth stands out clearly from Error..." (Quran, 2:246).
In the Qur'an, the principle of fighting is purely self-defensive.
"Permission [to fight] is given to those against whom war is being wrongfully waged and, verily, God has indeed the power to succour them; those who have been driven from their homelands against all right for no other reason than their saying, 'Our sustainer is God!'" (22:39-40).
Now, anyone can commit acts of terror and aggression and say, "it's in self-defense." In fact, that is precisely what Al Qaeda is doing: they claim by killing 3,000 people in New York City and Washington, D.C., they are "defending" the Muslim nation against "Zionist and Crusader" aggression against the Muslims. What sheer rubbish! They're NOT following the Quran!!! They're killing others for personal pleasure as have done many, many other religious freaks throughout history.
The Qur'an clearly states, in the remainder of 2:190:
"...but do not commit aggression, for verily, God does not love aggressors."
"Committing aggression" includes killing innocent civilians in Tel Aviv, Beslan, New York, Baghdad, or wherever. Furthermore, when the enemy ceases its hostility, fighting must cease:

"...but if they desist, then all hostility shall cease, save against those who [willfully] do wrong" (2:193).

Another verse repeats this insistence that hostility must cease when the enemy stops its aggression against you:

"But if they [the enemy] incline to peace, incline thou to it as well, and place thy trust in God: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing! And should they seek but to deceive thee [by their show of peace] - behold, God is enough for thee! He it is who has strengthened thee with His succour, and by giving thee believing followers" (8:61-62).
Thus, even if the enemy is feigning a peaceful posture, the Muslims are still commanded to cease hostility and "place their trust in God."
It is quite clear that fighting is in self-defense, and aggression is not allowed. Now, Muslims have waged wars of aggression in the past, for sure, and they even called them "jihad against the infidels" in order to justify their desire for territorial expansion. In fact, one of the most pertinent examples of this was the Ummayad Dynasty, which enacted a policy of "jihad" as perpetual warfare. But, such a policy is not Islamically correct, and as the collapse of the Ummayad Dynasty showed, not sustainable.
Truly educated Muslims who practice Islam TRUTHFULLY do not kill women, children, civilians, elderly, religious leaders, etc even during wars (only the participant enemies fighting the war can be killed, duh!!!! THIS is the True Islam.

They are NOT doing God's will; (they DON'T get 72 virgins in heaven!!!!! THIS is a dumb LIE!!!!!!! The Quran says ONE man to ONE woman in heaven!!!!); God DOES NOT require anyone to be martyrs!!!!!!

Peace be upon you all, and stop believing everything you hear/read/see, people; it's NOT wise. And stop judging Islam based on what some ignorant, uneducated Muslims make it seem like! "The loud ones don't represent the norm."

Answer 2

We can say they have been 'brainwashed' by their radical imams. But have not Christians been 'brainwashed' in the same way?

And all of it was done with the best intentions.

But I don't believe you'll find anything about 70 virgins awaiting a martyr in heaven while thumbing through the Koran.

Incidentally, Muslims believe Allah is the God of Abraham - the same Abraham in the Old Testament. I would think God by any other name is Deity the same.

The Jews use terrorism to help establish Israel after WWII and look how they view terrorism against them now.

Answer 3

In respsonse to "1", why are you writing Allah? Allah is an Arabic word which means "the God". Jewish and Christian Arabs also use the word Allah.

2. Yes, there is a lot of ignorance about the west in some countries. They have been given prejudices.

3. Yes, there are many religious fanatics who misunderstand Islam, just like religious fanatics misunderstood Christianity in the Middle Ages (e.g. Crusades, Inquisition, etc.)

4. Yes, some of them probably do think that.

I would add 5. They feel desperate because of injustice in the world and the existence of extremes of wealth and poverty. This does NOT justify them and their heinous actions in any sense, but it is true that there are great inequalities in the world and a lot of terrorism is fuelled by suffering.

Answer 4

All of your points are well taken. I can't argue with the logic and truth of any of them. The question is why don't secular liberals join the fight against islamic fundamentalists? Secular liberals don't tolerate this behavior from Christian or Jewish wing-nuts. Perhaps it's because they are cowards. Liberals know that standing up to the Christian right is a walk in the park. Christians won't blow up the office of the NY Times, or descend on university campus' and behead those who oppose them. Islamics on the other hand have been know to kill people and burn buildings just for the perceived insult of cartoons in foreign newspapers(notice the NY Times never did publish them even though they ran pictures of the virgin Mary covered in elephant dung) I believe liberals do understand that terrorist want to kill us, but in true cowardly liberal fashion are not will to stand up to those who would fight back. This explains their wrong headed appeasement of the evil USSR, and their current support for hamas run Palestine. Perhaps with your insight into this situation and your connections with the liberal echo chamber, you can convince your fellow liberals that standing on the sidelines will not save them if islam becomes the dominant ideology in the world, that they will be lined up along with the Conservatives that tried to save them and killed as well. I would welcome them to the fight. Better late than never.

Answer 5

Nobody understands what goes on in the heads of terrorists except for the terrorists themselves.

Lots of serial killers, rapists, and mass murders/dictators were not Christian/Islamic/Jewish. Many were atheist. To them, "God" didn't tell them to do it, but perhaps their dog did.

The point is, there are crazy people with warped mindsets in every race and religion.

Nobody knows why these people do what they do. Islam promotes peace.

Answer 6

And here I was thinking it was due to Western colonization and lack of morals....

Ya know, these terrorists sound a lot like another religious group of the 12th century who started the Crusades...(name withheld to protect the sensibilities of the fundies on this site.)

Answer 7

Yes I can understand why the terrorists do what they do as I am a Muslim. Big difference between Muslims and terrorists. Muslims warn a country three times before they attack, they can't start wars, can't harm women, children, or elderly. Terrorists just kill everyone no matter who it is.

Answer 8

You are right.
It is a misconception that most terrorists are motivated by jealousy of our wealth or resentment of our interference with their countries. People who are jealous or resentful of our influence have already accepted much of our world view. They may use violence, but rarely terrorist tactics. They want to have what we have, not destroy what we have.
Those who embrace terrorism as a primary tactic are usually isolated from Western culture, either by circumstances or by choice. They want the world to be like them, not the other way around.

Answer 9

Well, I 'd say for most the root cause is lack of economic opportunity that leads them into a life of fundamentalist belief. For guys like Osama and some of the others who recruit others, I think it is a mix of personal extreme belief, frustration with western puppet governments and desire for power.

Answer 10

1 They are deluded ignorant peasants that have been duped by evil men.
2. They have been lied to since birth.....
3. They are dumb enough to believe God requires them to die.
4. They are stupid enough to think they are going to get 17, 71, or how ever many pre teen virgins to rape after they are dead.