I have no real answers but I do know that explanations of poverty and powerlessness may not hold up. The suicidal terrorists we know about best were mostly privileged. One necessary component is a belief in an afterlife that rewards such behavior. That is Sam Harris's particular beef with Islam. He states that all religions are not equal in their sanctioning of such behavior. We don't see Buddhist terrorists even though they have often experienced as much oppression as any group. So for him it is unchallenged irrational beliefs of extremist which are protected by religious moderates who share less extreme, but still irrational , beliefs. I agree with his view but I really don't hold much hope for humans to give up their religious beliefs. As long as the scriptures are explicitly supporting such behaviors with a promise of reward in the afterlife I don't see anything getting better.
Personally I think our wonderful human ability for creative thought has run amuck in the case of these irrational beliefs. It is one of our greatest assets and it becomes our downfall when disconnected with reason. --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Gillam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- curtisdeltablues wrote: > > > > I agree with your point that blending crazy > > beliefs and explosives takes the whole discussion out of the > > theoretical and into the world of "holy shit! > > > > --- Dave" <bikemaster@> wrote: > > > > > > with people strapping on bombs and blowing > > > themselves up in coffee houses because they believe that 70 virgins > > > will greet them in paradise, it hits a lot closer to home. > > A short time before 9/11/2001, I read or heard > somewhere that terrorism arises from a deep sense > of hopelessness and powerlessness. But I'm surprised > that with all my reading, I haven't run across any kind > of compelling discourse as to why terrorists kill civilians > and themselves. Has anybody run across a cogent > essay somewhere that has some insight into terrorism? > Or do you have some insights yourself? Anyone. Thanks. > To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
