The Theological Implications of Blowing Oneself Up

   With the recent loss of LTC Mac, and a Marine dog handler, and over 30 Iraqi civilians last month, the theological implications of a suicide bombing have been heavy on my mind. The research could be endless. The differences of lifestyle, upbringing, religious interpretations, and belief systems make for a complex topic. It’s something that has my interest, so I’m sure I’ll study this more when I’m home, and can look back at this war as a series of memories, and at Islam itself a bit more objectively, rather than the belief system of the enemy that’s trying to kill us every day.

   I spoke to my Chaplain about this matter. He’s the resident expert, and has done a lot of research. He says some believe that dying in a Holy War, or Jihad, brings honor to your family. When a Muslim dies, there is a cleansing, or a cleaning of the physical body involved. When they die in a Jihad, they don’t even clean the body. They leave is just as it is, covered with blood. Well, that works out well for this suicide bomber we had out here – there was virtually nothing left of him. You have to wonder what happens on the other side. From where I’m sitting right now, I see suicide bombers as cowardly lunatics who have been brainwashed by people with more money, power, or prestige than themselves. They are not soldiers. They are not just in their actions. And they deserve no honor for ending the lives of innocent civilians with the push of that button.

   What are the theological implications of blowing oneself up? You are an Islamic Terrorist in the midst of what you consider a Holy War, or Jihad, and you are told that you will use your own body and life as a weapon to cause death and destruction to the enemy (In this case, Coalition Forces). Does Allah approve? Does God? Are not Allah, God, and Buddha all variations on the same omni prescient force? Faith is defined as “firm belief in something for which there is no proof,” and “belief and trust in and loyalty to God.” It is a powerful catalyst indeed, but we here on earth cannot be certain of what happens when the lights go out. Some say faith alone makes it real. There’s no debating philosophy with these people. Their faith is so strong, nothing you can say, no counter-point, no well-worded argument, no logic or deduction can shake it. I have always admired that, although sometimes even the most obvious arguments are ignored. I wonder if this suicide bomber had this kind of faith, or if he had been fooled into doing it by some sinister personality that had power over him?

   I don’t care what religion you are. I don’t care if you haven’t gone to confession in years, or if you feel like too much of a sinner to take the Holy Communion. It doesn’t matter if you think marriage is a sham, or if you believe in its sanctity so much that it carries on even in the afterlife. Buddhist, Baptist, or Jehovah’s Witness, you still cannot tell me, beyond all doubt, what the afterlife has to offer, or if there even is an afterlife. And it is neither here nor there whether you eat red meat on Fridays during lent, or you walk around with a grey mark on your forehead on Ash Wednesday. My mother recently passed. My own belief system,  and my faith, tell me that she in a better “place,” where she has the ability to see me and watch my life unfold, and, in some mysterious way hear my prayers directly and lend me guidance and strength in my life. Does that mean it’s true? Damn right it does, at least to me. I know she’s watching over me, and in fact many people have reached out to me lately through e-mails and otherwise who I believe are somehow connected in the divinity of nature, and with my mother, in helping me when I need help, even if I don’t realize I need it. But these are my beliefs, and as strong as they may be, I cannot prove them to you.

   Once you leave this three-dimensional world, there is no religion. There is no race, and there are no language barriers. And I don’t think you’ll be rewarded for blowing yourself up and killing thirty other people as well. Whether you believe that the spirit actually rises from the body at the scene of the death, or that you find yourself in another realm, suddenly “awake” and in possession of knowledge about humanity you didn’t think possible, you have to wonder if the man who pushed the button on his suicide vest - that ugly accoutrement of human ingenuity - and the people he took with him, will see each other immediately after it happens.

What words might be exchanged?

“You are forgiven, brother.”

Or no words? Only the nodding of his head from side to side and the bomber crying with shame?

Or no judgment – just instant understanding and forgiveness that all concerned were only playing their part in the vast Shakespearean drama of three-dimensional existence?

I believe in the afterlife, and in reincarnation. And I like the image of a vast classroom. I picture the spirits there sitting cross-legged on soft mats on a wooden floor in a kind of Buddhist temple setting. Calm. Peaceful. And when you die, you wake up. You open your eyes and you are one of many sitting in a classroom among infinite classrooms. And you know. You understand why you were incarnated, and you immediately know whether or not you learned what you went there to learn. And perhaps this is where reincarnation comes in – if you failed miserably you might want to try again. If you feel that you succeeded, you might want to move on in the spiritual realm, providing support for those who have yet to experience life on a physical plane of existence. Or, in another light, you may get the feeling one gets after a roller coaster ride, with spirals and loops, and moments of complete confusion followed by moments of pure excitement – you want to do it again right away, like a little child. I also like the idea that whatever you imagine as your most peaceful and solemn setting is exactly what heaven becomes for you. You create your own "paradise."

   We all know that terrorists, and especially Islamic terrorists do not care about the Geneva conventions , the Rules of War, or any other modern affectations humans have created in an attempt to make even warfare itself a more civilized art. But is there no limit? Do they really believe that beheading a non-combatant who shares nationality with a combatant, or killing innocent people in an act of suicide are noble? Can they honestly believe that they will be rewarded in heaven for causing so much deliberate pain? 

   Of course, these are only one man’s thoughts. One man in this vast universe who’s voice is no louder and no softer than any other. It’s just a voice. Perhaps I’m blinded by this life, barricaded by language, and too constricted in my understanding of the universe to make these assumptions. Perhaps all of the forces of nature and synchronicity were in place so that when he pushed the button that morning– all those who died were supposed to die; their mission here on earth was complete. And all those who were injured were in need of those injuries to learn something from them, or to teach others. I like to think that’s true. If one truly believes that all things, and I mean ALL things (a plane crash, a lottery winner, hitting a deer, the death of a child, a chance meeting with an old friend, a war, cancer, a suicide bomber, a marriage, a divorce) happen for a reason, and that reason is pre-destined somehow within the greater framework of the existence we know – isn’t that a liberating thought? To simply do the best you can to savor each moment (which few people actually do) in the knowledge (the true belief, not just the cliché) that every single thing that happens, happens for a reason. The alternative, and the opposing end of the argument, is that there is no reason at all, and we are simply human animals caught up in our own drama, and when it’s over, it’s over. I do not buy that, for countless reasons. But I think that’s a discussion for another time.

I went through some ROTC training with a Muslim American. He was a very good guy, he worked hard, and we all respected his space when he pulled out his prayer mat, faced Mecca,  and worshiped Allah. Hours later, we were training together to be U.S. Army officers. We had some deep conversations. I can say with confidence that he does not interpret his beliefs the same way a suicide bomber does. Here is an excerpt from a pretty good article on this issue:

African American Muslim Army Chaplain Ibraheem Raheem, stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., says a new facet of his work has been teaching several special classes on Islam to Army personnel since the tragedies. "The biggest question is always how does the faith of Islam view the actual act [of suicide bombings]. Definitely, it's unacceptable in our faith," he says.

“I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.” -Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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