Syrian bomb and Syrian machete attack in Germany

[Thumpalumpacus]

The guy in Ansbach was rejected for asylum and had known psychological issues. The direction the debate will go is pretty obvious.

Yes, I just watched it on the news. As usual there's much more to the story than meets the eye at first glance. Several suicide attempts and having been in mental treatment. It's pure speculation at this time, but I would find it worrying if someone took advantage of suicidal tendencies to offer that guy sort of a "meaningful" way out.

We still don't know the motivation, but it would be on the same lines as the attack at Nizza, where the attacker suddenly came into lots of money to send home to his family or the suicide attackers at the Brussels airport, who basically were criminal fugitives and left messages of not being willing to go back to jail and rather take that way out. If that's a pattern emerging, the ones behind all of this are actively looking for people already painted into a very tight corner to instrumentalise them.

Which brings to the forefront once again the point that terrorism, of whatever sort, is nourished more by desperation than it is by faith. Comfortable people don't happily kill themselves, most times.

[abaris]

Which brings to the forefront once again the point that terrorism, of whatever sort, is nourished more by desperation than it is by faith. Comfortable people don't happily kill themselves, most times.

Of course it is. It's much easier to offer a disenfranchised person a supposed meaning than it is to someone enjoying their lives. It was the same with any radical movement of any color. It doesn't have to be religious. A simple political ideology offering a way of belonging to a superior group, is more than sufficient.

[Aoi Magi]

Which brings to the forefront once again the point that terrorism, of whatever sort, is nourished more by desperation than it is by faith. Comfortable people don't happily kill themselves, most times.

But it is a faith of a particular kind that causes the "discomfort" in most cases. In fact, faith requires people to be in discomfort

[abaris]

But it is a faith of a particular kind that causes the "discomfort" in most cases. In fact, faith requires people to be in discomfort

No, it isn't. Otherwise the Nazis wouldn't have had their strongest base within the unemployed and other disenfranchised people. They're the easiest prey for snake oil vendors because they desperatly crave some kind of hope, some way to feel meaningful. Some seemingly ulterior cause can offer that. Regardless if it's political or religious

[I_am_not_mafia]

No, it isn't. Otherwise the Nazis Trump wouldn't have had their his strongest base within the unemployed and other disenfranchised people. They're the easiest prey for snake oil vendors because they desperatly crave some kind of hope, some way to feel meaningful. Some seemingly ulterior cause can offer that. Regardless if it's political or religious

You're correct but I'm just updating you what said to make it more relevant to today.

Or for those of us from the UK you can substitute Trump with UKIP

https://yougov.co.uk/news/2014/02/24/whe...s-support/

But one of the striking things about UKIP is its appeal to older, working class former Tories, especially those who left school at 15 or 16 and earn less than £20,000 a year. They are people who might be thought to be natural Labour voters – but have tended to look to tax cuts rather than social solidarity to improve their lot. Now, five years of squeezed living standards and three decades of mounting inequality and job insecurity, many have given up on all three of the traditional main parties. UKIP has had far less success appealing to better-off voters, graduates and those under 40.

[abaris]

I didn't want to do that, since they're not violent - as of yet. But it sure is the same base, yet again falling for snake oil vendors.

[The Grand Nudger]

Which brings to the forefront once again the point that terrorism, of whatever sort, is nourished more by desperation than it is by faith. Comfortable people don't happily kill themselves, most times.

Faith simply offers a context for negotiations, and an implicit sense of trust and consideration both of the other party, and whatever it is they've proposed.  

Let's say you weren't comfortable, that you were positively stifled by desperation...and you were looking to end your life.  If someone suggested that you die for allah/ummah in a terror attack, you'd tell them to pound sand.

[abaris]

Let's say you weren't comfortable, that you were positively stifled by desperation...and you were looking to end your life.  If someone suggested that you die for allah/ummah in a terror attack, you'd tell them to pound sand.

But any ideology can take up that role if people are susceptible to it. Nationalism, patriotism, all of them have already served as a conduit to evoke irrational acts. The only thing needed is some seemingly ulterior cause and people being susceptible.

[The Grand Nudger]

That's true.  Some ideologies, however, seem to be better at it than others. The issue of faith, or god...is in faithful people...more important than national affiliation, more important than patriotism. It takes primacy.

[Alex K]

That's true.  Some ideologies, however, seem to be better at it than others. The issue of faith, or god...is in faithful people...more important than national affiliation, more important than patriotism. It takes primacy.

tautology?