Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Terry Eagleton offers his views on suicide bombings. An interesting treatment, but I disagree with him. Not only due to my categorical rejection of all forms of suicide--regardless of motives, but also he is not accurate that sucide bombers do not necesarrily embrace death. Some suicide bombers (especially those who are driven-- even if partially--by religious motives) do embrace death as they look forward to their vision of the hereafter. I am not saying that this is their only motive. But it makes the suicide easier, and thus their relationship with death is affected. This is not to mention the effect that it causes on the society at large, where civilian human life (yours and the enemy's) becomes expendible. I have written on this before, so some of you know my take.