The Terrorist within

What makes a terrorist? Are they a different species of human beings created by some mutation in the gene pool.

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Courtesy: http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/

Many explanations have been given to try and understand it. Quite a few voices (most prominent being that of William Tucker) have raised stating that Polygamy in Islam is one of the leading causes for suicide attacks. The argument goes something like this. In a monogamous society, every man is more or less guaranteed a woman and he goes on to build a family and have dependents. This makes him value his life. However in a polygamous society, most of the women are concentrated with the rich and successful and hence there is a whole lot of men who not having any possibility of finding a mate, don't value their life anymore (Darwinian thinking at best, stating that reproduction is one of the primary purposes of any creature). Also there is the promise of 72 virgins in heaven if one where do die for the cause of Islam. Commenting on this some one cheekily stated that the only way to stop suicide attacks where to catch an Imam who has had a near death experience and make him say that all the virgins in heaven are fat and ugly. I however do not subscribe to this view completely because though this may be one factor, I don't believe it can be the clinching one.

Another major problem is the absence of a single authority for Islam, like say the Pope of Christianity (the other major Political Religion), since the abolition of the Caliphate. The Holy Qur'an much like any sacred text is open to multiple interpretation. The word Jihad, for example, is being given a plethora of meanings from various organisations. It is therefore very easy for any Imam to influence the people under him for what ever his intentions, to any phrase in the Holy Qur'an. It is therefore very refreshing and pleasing to read an independent and impressive interpretation of Islam by the Heart2Heart team through the teachings of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The links to their two part series is given below,

The Enigma of Islam: Enlightened by Sai

Salah: The Flag of Islam

However the main reason I feel is something independent of Islam, something which can influence anyone and that is "The Peril of Obedience". This was a study done by Stanley Milgram to understand if what happened to Nazis can happen to anyone? During the dark days of the Nazi regime, doctors, nurses, tailors and even teachers, people whom you would be most comfortable to share a lonely train ride with (at least for the amusement), turned genocidal maniacs. When questioned about it, many denied it, a few broke down but some admitted and said they where not guilty as they where only obeying instructions. So what was the result of the experiment(please click on the link and read. Very interesting)? 65% of the participants where likely to take obedience to the very extreme irrespective of pangs of the conscience if they are assured that they are absolved of the responsibility. The results where similar across societal backgrounds.

The greatest peril of obedience therefore is that it gives one the illusion of absolvement from responsibility. Just take this many notches further up. The Nazis were after all obeying the Fuhrer. What happens when you feel you are obeying God. If you can be convinced that the dastardly act which you are commanded to do did not come from a man but is verily the Order of God. Scary.

The last reason is that of elitism. This is of course a lot more fundamental and is probably the source of all divisions all over the world. Any faction which feels that it is more elite than any other faction is basically trouble. They feel it is their birth right to suppress other factions. Genocides and ethnic wars all over the world is because of this repeated refusal of man to believe that he is equal to every one else. Indians and Sri Lankans so easily fell victim to the 'Divide and Rule' policy of the British Colonists leading to the formation of Pakistan in 1947 and the demand for a Tamil Eelam from 1973.

So what then is the solution? Abolishment of Religion? Rise of Communism?

At the individual level, I feel it is the development of a sense of humour in its truest sense. The ability to laugh at oneself. The ability to not take oneself seriously. As the famous Mr.Anonymous a.k.a Mr. Unattributed (He/She seems to have given the best quotes) once said, "Don't take Life too seriously. No one gets out of it alive[;)]." Donald Walters (Swami Kriyananda), a direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda wrote in his book (The Path: Autobiography of a Western Yogi) in reference to one of his German classmates the following lines,

"... I've never known a bully to possess a sense of humour. I don't mean they can't laugh at people; that they do readily enough. It's that they can't laugh with others. Humour certainly was conspicuous by its absence among those who succumbed to the disease of Nazism."

Let us all develop this ability to laugh at oneself. No one can mock a person who does not take himself seriously. Just imagine this conversation. "You walk like a baboon"; "Yeah, but don't say it too loud. The baboon is a sensitive guy. He may take offense." The conversation ends there. No more bullying is possible.

This is not only an Idea whose Time has come but also one which extremely critical.

What about at the level of the society? What is the one unifying force which can bring everyone together. I would say it is Advaita (Non-Dualism) for even Rationalism cant help but fall under its broad umbrella. However I shall not elaborate further on this and merely let you contemplate on the same. Cheerio [:D]