Aren't suicide bombers a logical extension of belief in an afterlife?

Question

"Everybody hates death, fears death, but only those, the believers who know the life after death and the reward after death, would be the ones who will be seeking death."
— Mohamed Atta (Infamous 9/11 terrorist hijacker).

"The mother of a Palestinian suicide bomber who killed two Israeli soldiers says she prayed her son would be "killed in action, so he could be rewarded with the [72] virgins in heaven… The fact that my son killed Jews makes me happy," said the mother of Mahmud Alabad. She said when her son "left for his operation, his face was radiant as if he were meeting the girls of heaven right then and there. I wished him luck and that he enter heaven and marry the girls as soon as possible."
— WorldNetDaily.com (10/22/02)

AngelTress: Excellent point about their "leaders".

BMCR: An intelligent response, but one I still disagree with. BTW, I am also Jewish, but I don't see the relevance.

Answer 1

And yet, somehow, it is not the LEADERS of these suicide cults who strap on the bombs.
You'd think, if the rewards are so great, they would be running joyfully to their destinies....

But, to answer your question, I suppose it depends upon the afterlife you believe in.
Maybe I ought to quit pointing out to immature Christians the fact that hell is literally the grave, and that there isn't any such thing as an "eternal torture pit". Perhaps God has allowed this belief to go unchecked to keep us from doing these crazy stunts with airplanes...
Because, from what I've seen, there are "Christians" just looney enough to try it, in spite of all of God's commands against murder, and Jesus' admonishing them to love.

"There but for the grace of God..."

Answer 2

What are your views of the non-suicide bombers who go fly a plane, bomb some innocent people, children, women, old people and all, knowing fully well that most of them were not meant to be killed, but all civilized people know that collateral damage is a very civilized and expected thing in modern warfare. Then the non-suicide bomber can come back after an uneventful return, have coffee, relax, while their victims are moving to their after lives or thrashing around in agony, hoping they would go meet their creator, while the non-suicide bomber enjoys life right here, right now, and plan for sending some more people to their afterlives the next day!

What do you say?

Answer 3

Unfortunately, you haven't bothered to give us any logical argument so it is very hard for us to critique your "logical extension" since you assume we know what you are talking about.

But let's try this on for size.
"Isn't murder a logical extension of a disbelief in a soul?"
If one does not beleive in a soul then that can imply that human life is not sacred (and negates the very concept of anything being sacred) and thus ending that life is not such a big deal. Thus, an atheist belief leads to murder.
Of course, you'll argue that that argument is absurd. And I'll agree. But its absurdities can apply just as well to the argument you didn't bother to make (but only implied).

For the record, suicide bombing does not get its drive from belief in the afterlife but in the belief that in doing so is a noble calling. That of course, is how evil works many times.

Answer 4

Belief yes, logical, no.
The belief that actually murdering yourself along with as many others, at random, is a justifiable action in itself is justifiable psychosis.
Especially the fact about the virgins.
What would he do after the 72 days in heaven?
Absolutely illogically insane.

Get A Grip

Answer 5

Suicide bombing is plainly suicide and that's wrong and acceptable. No matter how we legitimize it, it's simply morally repulsive. While it is true that in some cases, people have to resort to suicide bombing to gain their independence from occupation; nevertheless life is sacred.

Personally, I rather prefer a living martyr who can contribute to the betterment of the whole society by reducing poverty, and moral degradation than a dead one.

I am like a Mandela fan, I think...

Peace to you...

Salaam

Answer 6

This is so disgusting to me....to believe that a Holy God would reward you with carnal things...it is the carnal mind that is evil....there will be no lust in heaven... A Mother who would want a son to die, to kill innocent people, just to have these things,,how do we have a meeting of minds with someone who belives these things...we can't...there is a great divide between this kind of thinking and Christian thinking.

Answer 7

I think we would also be blowing up enemy soldiers if they were occupying us for 50 years.
And we are killing far more innocent civilians than terrorists in Iraq.

Take the mote out of your eyes before you take the splinter out of some one else's eye.

Answer 8

because of the fact homicide is a sin, and suicide is a penultimate act of melancholy and rejection of love and existence. it incredibly isn't any longer elementary to declare it incredibly is the greater grievous contravention of God's will.

Answer 9

Yes and no, Tamil Tigers are atheist and have long used this tactic!

Answer 10

Yes, but they are sadly mistaken. The only thing they will wake up to is the judgment from God. It ain't gonna be pretty.