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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Suicide Bombers' Motivation / The Myth of Martyrdom


I just finished a book that I’d like to recommend to my readers.  The book is The Myth of Martyrdom by Adam Lankford.  It is a thoroughly researched book on “suicide bombers, rampage shooters and other self-destructive killers.”  Lankford is a Criminal Justice professor at The University of Alabama.

What his research has documented would seem to be intuitive to the average American citizen.  However, Lankford has taken the time and made the effort to bring the evidence to the table – interesting.

Many have erroneously compared the courage or motivations of suicide bombers and mass killers with war heroes; that suicide bombers are the equivalent of the soldier that throws himself on a grenade to protect his comrades.  Far from it.  However, this is a fiction promoted by many liberal scholars, prominent apologists, as well as radical Islamists.

In fact, it is the radical handlers who use troubled individuals to do their unholy work.  Suicide bombers, according to Lankford’s research, demonstrate little courage in their actions, are almost always deeply depressed, isolated and have previously indicated suicidal tendencies.

In the Muslim faith, suicide is considered a ‘mortal sin’ – if that is the appropriate designation.  However, potential candidates who volunteer for bombing attacks are convinced by handlers that strapping explosives to their bodies and detonating the blast in some public place is a final-exit technicality, or loophole, that will allow them to escape a hellish afterlife.  The frosting on the cake is that they will be considered a martyr – at least in some circles.

As Lankford stated:  “Today, there are more than ninety million people around the world who believe that suicide bombings are often or sometimes justified.  Within the United States, more than 200,000 people share the exact same view.”

There must be tens of thousands of potential mass killers available for the proper grooming (manipulation).  A sobering thought, don't you think?


True Nelson

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