What creates terrorists?

[Smart_Guy]

Well, that's "most" religious versus "all" humans.

I guess it is clear what makes terrorists here, or at least what "more" makes terrorists.

 

[ajay0]

Doesn't it seem like most terrorists are Religious people?? Please explain why you think this is. I'd say getting bullied, poverty, and humiliation all increases the likelihood of terrorists and military Dictatorships, but what is it about Religion that creates terrorists?

When religion is mixed with politics it becomes a toxic cocktail. I would blame the priests in this regard for getting into politics.

Religion is designed to create harmony, peace, love and unity in diverse peoples, while politics is by nature dualistic and designed to create divisiveness and disharmony amongst people, especially when there is diversity.

So I would say that both religion and politics is like matter and anti-matter. When they come together, there is bound to be a major explosion.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Doesn't it seem like most terrorists are Religious people?? Please explain why you think this is. I'd say getting bullied, poverty, and humiliation all increases the likelihood of terrorists and military Dictatorships, but what is it about Religion that creates terrorists?

Religions that promote bullying, poverty, and humiliation?

 

[psychoslice]

I think its because people are manipulated to believe in whatever, and because of this many are hoodwinked into ridiculous beliefs, they are so egocentric in their beliefs, that they truly believe in what they are told by whatever sick message they are told, they believe they are special and above all others, and therefore have the right to do what they do.

 

[Laika]

You are intelligent and educated...now if only you had God

I have communism. Will the anti-christ do?

 

[Sunstone]

From what I understand, terrorists can be pretty damn smart. They can also feel a great deal of empathy -- or at least sympathy -- for the people they identify with and their troubles. But I wonder if they are not lacking compassion, especially compassion for those who are not of their "tribe"? If so, that might explain something about what makes a terrorist.

Again, psychologists have told me that the human brain is not wired enough until the age of 13 to 15 for it to understand that people are not all good or not all bad. Before that age, children think of people as all good or all bad. Perhaps terrorists -- no matter how smart they are -- never really grew up when it comes to accepting that people aren't either all good or all bad, and thus they have an easier time than most of us would convincing themselves that they or their side is all good, and the other side is all bad, and deserving of death.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

From what I understand, terrorists can be pretty damn smart. They can also feel a great deal of empathy -- or at least sympathy -- for the people they identify with and their troubles. But I wonder if they are not lacking compassion, especially compassion for those who are not of their "tribe"? If so, that might explain something about what makes a terrorist.

Again, psychologists have told me that the human brain is not wired enough until the age of 13 to 15 for it to understand that people are not all good or not all bad. Before that age, children think of people as all good or all bad. Perhaps terrorists -- no matter how smart they are -- never really grew up when it comes to accepting that people aren't either all good or all bad, and thus they have an easier time than most of us would convincing themselves that they or their side is all good, and the other side is all bad, and deserving of death.

There are various theories on that, including identification of certain genes that can lead to increased propensity for violence. But my knowledge in that area is limited.

What I do know is that normalization of violence, high societal regard for terrorists (within their own communities), and cycles of retribution all become powerful factors in the sort of generational disputes that occurred in Ireland.

 

[Spiderman]

Attachment to desires, aversion from the unwanted, and delusion.

Yes...it is almost never that you hear of a Buddhist terrorist organization

 

[roger1440]

Doesn't it seem like most terrorists are Religious people?? Please explain why you think this is. I'd say getting bullied, poverty, and humiliation all increases the likelihood of terrorists and military Dictatorships, but what is it about Religion that creates terrorists?

Religion doesn't create the terrorist. The terrorist uses religion to justify himself.

 

[Augustus]

From what I understand, terrorists can be pretty damn smart. They can also feel a great deal of empathy -- or at least sympathy -- for the people they identify with and their troubles.

That's one of the problems with people labeling terrorists 'ignorant' or 'evil', terrorism is often a highly moral act (from the perspective of the terrorist). It is often a very selfless act (however misguided). OBL was from the highest level of privilege, but gave it up to fight on the behalf of others.

There are many different routes into terrorism, but 2 quite common ones are the 'socially concerned intellectual' and the 'petty criminal drifter'

I'll use left-wing terrorism as a case in point for this. Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin of the Red Army Fraction were both well educated, middle class and deeply concerned about those they saw as being oppressed. Both arrived as 'urban guerrillas' via a sense of injustice combined with exposure to radical ideological theories (modern equivalent Ayman al Zawahiri)

On the other hand, Andreas Baader of the RAF was a school dropout and petty criminal, perhaps more enamored with the violence, sense of adventure and need for purpose in their lives rather than complex ideological theories of emancipation (modern: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, countless European jihadis).

 

[Spiderman]

I have communism. Will the anti-christ do?

That will do! I think the Antichrist will be a great guy