Religion and Suicide Bombing

Religion and suicide bombing

There is not a shadow of doubt that many horrible wars were fought in the past in the name of religion or a pertinent ideology. But no religion preaches violence and killing of innocent civilians in dastardly acts of terrorism. But it is the misguided followers who resort to violent actions to kill guiltless people by misinterpreting true religious doctrines and seek out of context references in religious scriptures to justify their unjust actions while turning a blind eye towards the crystal clear verses that preach tolerance, fraternity, justice, self-sacrifice and peace. The violence must be determined in framework of its use. The countries that launch unwarranted wars on other nations use brutal force in their unjust acts of naked aggression that is totally inexcusable while the natives of the assaulted country also use violent means to resist this fierce battering to safeguard their national sovereignty that is totally justified. Mao Zedong (1893-1976), Chinese statesman said in “Problems of War and Strategy” (November 6, 1938), “We are advocates of the abolition of war, we do not want war; but war can only be abolished through war, and in order to get rid of the gun it is necessary to take up the gun.”1

According to Jesus (AH) teachings if someone slap at one cheek, offer him the other one. But the followers of Christianity distanced themselves from this humane doctrine. History bears testimony that the misguided followers of Christianity used brutal methods to crush others. Crusaders that wreak havoc during 11th to 13th centuries were Christians. During the Dark Ages the Christian clergy used most brutal means to subjugate people in the western countries. Majority of the countries who participated in the two horrible world wars were Christians or Communists. Almost all the colonial powers were the followers of Christianity. Adolph Hitler and Benito Mussolini who inflicted Holocaust was a Christian. Majority of the population of America that dropped nukes on beautiful cities of Nagasaki and Hiroshima harbors population following Christianity. President Roosevelt that permitted such horrible actions against a civilian population was also Christian.

According to Encarta Dictionary Christian means kind and unselfish. But ironically majority of the rulers of the countries that project themselves as custodians of this prophetic religion are neither kind nor unselfish. Joseph Stalin started his studies at a seminary because he was the devout believer of Orthodox Christianity. He became aware of the revolutionary ideas after reading works of German political philosopher Karl Marx. In 1899 he gave up his religious education when he was about to graduate and devoted himself to radical activities against Russian Monarchy. He followed communist ideology that is theoretical a classless political system. In order to kill his potential opponents he used services of the NKVD that was a predecessor agency of the KGB to carry out Great Terror or Great Purge that led to killing of about one million people.Leon Trotsky (1879-1940), Russian revolutionary, 1924, said in Terrorism and Communism (1920), “The dictatorship of the Communist Party is maintained by recourse to every form of violence.”2