Heaven and Hell: In trying to understand suicide bombers, I've concluded that while the final moments of the final act take courage, the bomber actually commits an act of cowardice.
If you accept the premise of Islam, a faithful Muslim who kills in the name of Allah, who volunteers to be a martyr, goes to Paradise. Good for him. And the occasional her.
However, his family and friends are left on Earth, to face endless war and hate and terror.
Mr. Martyr is off to eat dates with virgins, while his mother, whether she grieves or blesses his sacrifice, still has to find food, fresh water with which hubbie can cleanse himself before praying, and otherwise cope with life in a war zone. And bury more of her children.
Not the boss of me: I don’t take orders from dead people. The Chinese say that their ancestors sit around in the afterlife, watching their grown children and punishing misbehavior. The Bible, the Quran and other holy books are full of “don’t” and “do” and ... all written by people now dead. They had their shot. It’s my turn.
Claims for an afterlife: Unimaginative, mundane, describing Heaven as like here, only better. The Greeks had their dreams of the Elysian Fields, where dead heroes sit around, bragging and eating grapes.
Boring. The next life should be exciting: Mardi Gras 24-7, 4th of July fireworks six times a night. I want to fly like an eagle and swim like a shark. Float on the winds of Venus, probe the depths of Jupiter.
Heaven should be so different that Fundamentalists, who have no imagination anyway, won't comprehend it.
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