I mean, help me understand. Why would anyone in their right mind(I think that may be the key) strap a vest to their body and blow themselves and others to smithereens? Does it take someone who is insane to do that? Someone who is brainwashed by religion? Someone just filled with an unfathomable amount of hate and self-disgust?

 

Feel free to comment not only on the suicide bomber, but analyze any of these people who commit mass murder and then either kill themselves or are killed by police. What in the hell is wrong with these people? What in the hell was wrong with this Omar Mateen ? He didn't blow himself up but he knew he was going to die in a shootout. What would make a man kiss his wife and child for the last time, and then go to a nightclub to mow down dozens of people, knowing he would die as well?

 

Many of you are already scholars in multiple fields, but now I'm asking you to put your psychology degree to work and help me to understand what makes a human being voluntarily blow himself to pieces? Does it take a really , really special love or allegiance to God(or Allah) to have this as your goal? Keep in mind, you don't have to(though I suspect you will want to) confine your thoughts to Muslim terrorists. We have plenty of other material we can comment on as well - Adam Lanza, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, Seung Hui-Cho(VA Tech), Elliot Rodger(Santa Barbara).

 

What would make anyone want to go out of this world in this manner?

 

I'm sure we've all known someone in our lives who has committed suicide. Life gets hard, some can't live with the pain. Okay, happens all the time. I mean, if life became intolerable for me I would go to the garage, close the door, start my car up, put some Boston on the CD player, and breathe in the CO until I had passed out of this world. But blowing yourself up so you can blow up forty more along with you? Can anyone help me begin to understand the thinking of these individuals? Is it as simple as saying all of these people are just insane? No sane person would want to do this would they?

 

Comments?

Its easy access to guns of coarse!

A cult can convince you to do anything.

@Science Friction I really only know of one group doing suicide bombs.....:popcorn:

I guess they do it for the virgins.

Japanese pilots did the same thing as a last ditch effort trying to defeat the US Navy. They did out of a sense of duty and pride, a sense of doing something for the greater good as they saw it.

 

My point being, all aren't doing it because they see no way out and want to take others with them...Some do it because they believe in the bigger cause, whatever that may be.

Edited June 18, 201610 yr by Jumper_Dad

A lot of these poeple are poor desperate and lack hope. Their surving families recieve lump some payments from the sponsored terrorist group. They think they will go heaven and get 40 virgins for sacrificing themselves for the cause, and be remembered as martyrs, one of their highest honors. They feel justified to kill in the name of allah.

I think the majority reason is they are brainwashed. It happens in religions/cults in many forms but a suicide shooter, bomber, or hijacked plane flown into buildings would be the extreme form of brainwashing.

 

And it occurs across all cultures and geography. One doesn't have to look any further than the hapless 900+ that drank Kool-aid laced with poison and died in a South American rain forest along with their spiritual leader Jim Jones. Or the 30+ victims that died in a mansion as part of the UFO based Heaven's Gate cult (and most of them with college and post college degrees). Most of the ones I've listed harmed themselves more than others, but in some religions if the doctrine is interpreted in a violent manner or twisted to fit the political or hate filled beliefs of those in control, the result is these massive killings and the killer(s) dying as well.

 

Brainwashing is a powerful instrument when used in the hands of the right people or groups.

In regard to jihadists, it's very simple ... they hate you more than they love themselves.

@Science Friction I really only know of one group doing suicide bombs.....:popcorn:

 

Careful, don't identify that group! We don't want to offend anybody! After all, violence in America is gun problem! If we keep insisting its a gun problem, it will go away! And if The Emperor of Political Correctness tells us we are safe, then we are.

Somewhat of a tangent post, but oh well....

 

This is an excellent question in the sense that if we truly want to figure out how to stop it, we must first understand the why. The who, what, when, etc., is irrelevant. The why is the most important thing. I honestly don't know. I'm fairly confident my understanding of the Islamic faith is greater than most on here. I don't say that to prop myself up, but to add context. Why a person who identifies as a Muslim would decide to commit these atrociticies is beyond any rational thought. The religion preached in the Koran is not a violent one. It's one of peace, love, and understanding. While they don't believe in the same things that you and I, as Christians do, the basic tenants are the same.

 

As much as most don't want to believe or admit it, we both praise and love the same God. We just don't see them as the same. Both are rooted from the same place though.

I actually think some are forced to blow them selves up. I think their families are threatened and if they don't do it they will kill their family.