Why suicide bombers (and self-immolators) really do what they do

[yllus]

Came across a couple of paragraphs in a Foreign Policy piece on the rise of self-immolation after the incident that sparked the revolt in Tunisia. The author seems to have conducted proper studies on would-be suicide bombers to try to figure out their motives. It's interesting reading.

Foreign Policy: Suicide for a Cause

In interviews conducted by Israeli researchers with failed Palestinian suicide bombers, they usually claim that they wanted to kill themselves for the cause because of their hatred for Israel and its treatment of their people. However, if you dig a little deeper, their true psychological motives surface: Suicide bombers are often consumed by clinical risk factors for conventional suicide such as depression, hopelessness, guilt, shame, and rage.

I have conducted a series of studies on the life histories and underlying motives of suicide terrorists, and there is a consistent pattern of these individuals attempting to mask their psychological angst as self-sacrificial martyrdom. Furthermore, their attacks are often triggered by the same types of personal crises that cause people to kill themselves in New York, Paris, or Tokyo, including financial problems, divorce, unwanted pregnancies, inability to get married, poor health, physical disabilities, or the death of a loved one.

Both self-immolators and suicide terrorists may indeed channel the political frustrations of a much larger population, but the primary difference between the very few who choose to kill themselves "for the cause" and the much greater majority who do not is usually the presence of classic suicidal traits.

Despite this evidence, both types of suicide are often interpreted as primarily constituting political acts. Perhaps this says as much about us, the public, as it does about the deceased. We see an increase in suicide bombings or an increase in people setting themselves on fire, and we put it in a broader political context because it is this context -- and not the personal psychological problems of the individuals involved -- that has the biggest effect on our lives.

However, studies suggest that the apparent increase in these behaviors may have nothing to do with politics at all, that conventional suicide can spread via social contagion, and that a "copycat effect" may increase suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, regardless of political developments.

 

[Infohawk]

"Depression, hopelessness, guilt, shame, and rage."'

These symptoms exist all over the world. Yet in Muslim culture they translate into blowing oneself up in the name of Islam.

 

[BoberFett]

"Depression, hopelessness, guilt, shame, and rage."'

These symptoms exist all over the world. Yet in Muslim culture they translate into blowing oneself up in the name of Islam.

And in the US it sometimes manifests itself in shooting sprees. Different cultures, different outlets for crazy.

 

[Infohawk]

And in the US it sometimes manifests itself in shooting sprees. Different cultures, different outlets for crazy.

There's crazy and then there's crazy. Loughner was batshit crazy and was motivated by thinking the moonlanding was fake and that the congresswomen was "fake." Abortion shooters have religious motives too. Suicide bombers are ultimately motivated by Islam. And when you add up the numbers Islam is the deadliest religion with no redeeming qualities.

 

[bfdd]

i thought we already knew they were suicidal hence the term "suicide bomber"

 

[Svnla]

72 virgins?

 

[CitizenKain]

Suicide bombers are ultimately motivated by Islam. And when you add up the numbers Islam is the deadliest religion with no redeeming qualities.

Nah, its a ways behind Christianity.

 

[highland145]

72 virgins?

Virginians. Let the eternity a** whipping commence.

 

[iGas]

buddhist monk - self immolation -- NSFW

Buddhist Monk Self Immolation - Fire - Call Me Anadarko -- NSFW -- The Dragon Lady (Ngo Dinh Nhu Wife) heartless and cruel comment that fit her personality and the evil dictator right hand husband.

IMHO, some selfimmolators & bombers truly believe that their last act is the only way to send the message out to unite people and immobilized them to stop war/s.

 

[Infohawk]

Nah, its a ways behind Christianity.

Maybe a thousand years ago... Care to expand on how you more people have been killed in the name of Christianity in the last 50 years?

 

[CanOWorms]

There have been several minorities setting themselves on fire in Europe over the last few months, too.

 

[Zebo]

Havnt you seen Lawrence of Arabia? The Jihadi is most revered in Islam his family too. Almost guaranteed a sweet spot in Heaven. However the subject of suicide bombing is still very controversial in Islamic world since suicide is harem (forbidden) Some Immans thinks it's okay, the ends justifies the means, others no.

 

[Moonbeam]

Thanks for your post Yllus. You dropped it, unfortunately on a collection of morons so stuffed full of their own opinions they have no room to take in anything new.

I mentioned this point a number of moths back in some other thread.

The reason this happens is Islam is that in Islam there is a tremendous taboo on taking your own life. All the folk who want to commit suicide in Islam are thoroughly steeped in the notion they will go to hell if they do. That is why the appeal of killing yourself as a free trip to heaven appeals and convinces them and it is that the Mullahs play on who seek to use them as living bombs.

It might be interesting for the West to undertake free psychiatric help for Muslims who are depressed if they first off one of these types of Mullahs, perhaps.

 

[JEDIYoda]

And in the US it sometimes manifests itself in shooting sprees. Different cultures, different outlets for crazy.

Thats a crock load of you know what......funny thing is you actually believe your own garbage.

 

[Infohawk]

That is why the appeal of killing yourself as a free trip to heaven appeals and convinces them and it is that the Mullahs play on who seek to use them as living bombs.

It might be interesting for the West to undertake free psychiatric help for Muslims who are depressed if they first off one of these types of Mullahs, perhaps.

So it IS a Muslim thing?

Your second idea is retarded. A more reasonable course of action is to have people drop Islam since there's no upside to it.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

It's a suicide bomber when they take themselves out alone with nobody else. When they are gunning to take out others too, call them what they are - homicide bombers.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

The reason this happens is Islam is that in Islam there is a tremendous taboo on taking your own life. All the folk who want to commit suicide in Islam are thoroughly steeped in the notion they will go to hell if they do. That is why the appeal of killing yourself as a free trip to heaven appeals and convinces them and it is that the Mullahs play on who seek to use them as living bombs.

Another fix would be to stop putting them in societies in which they are so damned depressed (and lace their water with lithium).

72 virgins?

Part of the depression and angst is that most men can not have a wife if even 1/3rd of men are polygamists!

Polygamy only works in a society in which a large number of men are removed from it; Islam is the perfect religion for tribal warrior races.

Christianity, with its forgiveness of those who harm you and desire to serve is the perfect religion for building a consolidated empire on.

The difference I see is that those who build an empire with the teachings of Christ are no longer following the teachings of Christ. Those who war tribally in the name of Islam are, in deed, following the teachings of Mohamed.

 

[Zebo]

Polygamy is not that common any more. Even the richest Saudi royals only have one wife in this generation while their fathers all have 4. Saudi is pretty fundi too so it works fine.

 

[Moonbeam]

So it IS a Muslim thing?

Your second idea is retarded. A more reasonable course of action is to have people drop Islam since there's no upside to it.

Yes, like aspirin to cure pain is a medicine thing. Every real philosophy and religion on earth tries to teach the value of human life and Islam has done it it spades. Naturally there's no up side to it because you're living proof that life is meaningless and wasted. You are such an incredible brainwashed fool you'll never be able to know it. But thanks for telling me what you think is reasonable. I will be laughing for weeks.

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Yes, like aspirin to cure pain is a medicine thing. Every real philosophy and religion on earth tries to teach the value of human life and Islam has done it it spades. Naturally there's no up side to it because you're living proof that life is meaningless and wasted. You are such an incredible brainwashed fool you'll never be able to know it. But thanks for telling me what you think is reasonable. I will be laughing for weeks.

How do you know it isn't your own brain washing that has lead you to believe him to be brain washed?

 

[JohnOfSheffield]

There's crazy and then there's crazy. Loughner was batshit crazy and was motivated by thinking the moonlanding was fake and that the congresswomen was "fake." Abortion shooters have religious motives too. Suicide bombers are ultimately motivated by Islam. And when you add up the numbers Islam is the deadliest religion with no redeeming qualities.

Actually, that depends on where you are at, in Europe, out of 2200 terrorist acts during this last decade, six were committed by Muslims.

We don't really have a big problem with Muslims committing terrorist acts, those problems are pretty much contained in the nations where Muslims are killing each other or in Africa where Muslim and Christian tribes are about equal in killing each others family members.

I see no good reason trying to stop them from doing so, neither does any military at this point, the solution is simply to contain it, not to stop it.

 

[Infohawk]

Yes, like aspirin to cure pain is a medicine thing. Every real philosophy and religion on earth tries to teach the value of human life and Islam has done it it spades. Naturally there's no up side to it because you're living proof that life is meaningless and wasted. You are such an incredible brainwashed fool you'll never be able to know it. But thanks for telling me what you think is reasonable. I will be laughing for weeks.

I'm brainwashed now?

Please feel free to share the upsides of Islam. Maybe you can spout of some Sufi wisdom from that book you must have been so proud to have bought at the independent book store. LOL.

 

[Infohawk]

Actually, that depends on where you are at, in Europe, out of 2200 terrorist acts during this last decade, six were committed by Muslims.

And how many deaths attributable to those attacks?

 

[Throckmorton]

Thats a crock load of you know what......funny thing is you actually believe your own garbage.

What? You think the same mental illness root cause doesn't exist for American shooting spree perpetrators?

Weren't you conservatives squeeling with glee when it became clear that the Giffords shooter had mental problems rather than political motivation?

 

[Lemon law]

And how many deaths attributable to those attacks?

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Get em clue Infohawk, through history millions. What about all those Christians who cheerfully allowed them selves to be fed to lions by Romans. All those Buddhists who cheerfully burned themselves to death in Vietnam. Them are the pacifists, once Christian got in power they cheerfully butchered everyone and their brother in law.

Get em clue, terrorism is not the problem, its a symptom of a problem. And any time a human being is willing to opt for suicide, there are powerful motivations behind it. If you are clueless Infohawk, it may be impossible for anyone to explain it to you.

Maybe you should walk an inch in Palestinian shoes, or an inch in Chechen shoes. Lots of shoes of despair to walk in, your complacency does nothing to help their exploitation. Why should not they do everything to shake up the very system that screws them by every means available? If that concert blows your minuscule mind Infohawk, you have a very limited mind.

These people are not wacko nuts like Jadad Loughner by in large, they are products of their society.