Is Islam A Death Cult?

[The Grand Nudger]

Still hoping for the return of islams golden age, eh? Crushed by professional soldiers, whose contracts have all long since expired. I think the problem you have is in believing that jihadis have a lock on fighting for a cause. They don't - they just have a lock on fighting for a particularly shitty cause. In our experience in the middle east, the best way to get them to fuck off was to give them money.

[Leonardo17]

“We may therefore conclude that there is neither jihad nor martyrdom outside the realm of truth, that martyrdom applies only when it is preceded by jihad, that jihad is an inclusive struggle for the cause of the truth, that a mujahid dies the death of a martyr even though he does not fall on the battlefield. He dies as a martyr even though he is not killed, on the condition that he stays loyal to the divine truth and stands ready to fight for the truth and to defend it at all costs, even at the cost of his own life. He is a mujahid while he lives, and a martyr if he dies or is killed for it.”

You can read that and see virtue. But try and read it as a infidel. IT implies that anyone claiming Jihad is claiming truth. It's right there in the first sentence. So anything after, death from martyrdom is in service to truth/jihad. It's not that slippery a slope to suicide bombers. AkA: A death Cult. "He dies a martyr even though he is not killed" implying some Devine armor that is nonsense. And if he dies? Well he didn't believe enough in the truth. The Armor didn't work for him. "He is mujahid while he lives, and a martyr if he dies or is killed for it." So he's a struggler and striver while he lives (that's what Mujahid means) and he's elevated to a saint hood (that's what martyr means) if he dies.

Yah no emphasis on death in this cult at all. Pfft.

- Absolutely. This is why I believe that we should read these texts as adults, without any indoctrination at a very young age. We’ve had this debate with Grand Nudger. An easy way to avoid this type of mistake is to approach these texts with the intention of uncovering their spiritual value only. If you seek worldliness in them you’ll end up doing all sorts of nonsense and you will end up harming yourself and others. And this is a problem in all major religions. And this is why everybody hates religion. But I am telling you that this is really not what these texts are saying. I am currently reading (listening to) “The Living Wisdom of the Tao” by Mr. Wayne Dyer. You should check it out sometime. And if you want to learn anything from other scriptures as well, this will give you an idea on “how” to read these scriptures.
 
If you want to see some “Mujahiddin” (according to my understanding) Here are some of them:

[Leonardo17]

[Leonardo17]

Many religions are death cults.

Billions spend their entire lives thinking about and preparing for an afterlife which, likely, does not exist.

….And you live only once. But the good side is that you can decide to open your eyes if you are in that situation. And religion itself can be your guide if you know where to look

[Leonardo17]

[Leonardo17]

[Leonardo17]

No you don't, you don't know of a single one, lol.  Murricans aren't interested in martyring ourselves.  Another failed tq.

Interested in cash + benefits of being in the army you mean?
Mercenaries in other words ?

That's a "Thank you" gift most civilized societies make to their soldiers. I see it as a good thing

[Leonardo17]

When do you declare unilateral victory over your vanquished foes in these forums?

It's all electrons jiggling on wires, and the occasional fiber optic connection to any "friend" or "foe", around here. What do you consider as "vanquished", and who are your "foes"?

These are good questions. Ask those questions whenever you study scriptures. That’s how I do things

[Leonardo17]

I wish I had me some of that mercenary money.

War economy institutions and employees are destined to fail in front of an army fighting for a "cause".
Money is finite unlike "an idea"; compare early Muslims that fought for the idea of God to the "Roman soldiers" or "Persian soldiers" who were fighting for money alone.

Money is finite and institutions that promise it will stop giving it once the contract is over. That's the catch.

BTW don't think that Islamist terrorists are out of the war economy circle: they too fight for cash.

The Roman army started to collapse when it started hiring German mercenaries in return for money. Machiavelli is also very critical of mercenary troops. Since you can’t really rely on volunteers to go and die on the battlefield, conscription seems to be the best method because it teaches you a lot when you are a young individual.
 
And reminder: I’m an advocate of peace. There are no two democratic nations who went to war with each other up to this day. So war fare is murder. No to War / Peace V

[Leonardo17]

Still hoping for the return of islams golden age, eh?  Crushed by professional soldiers, whose contracts have all long since expired.  I think the problem you have is in believing that jihadis have a lock on fighting for a cause.  They don't - they just have a lock on fighting for a particularly shitty cause.  In our experience in the middle east, the best way to get them to fuck off was to give them money.

- Our "Golden Age" if it ever existed was an era of free trade, philosophy, science, astronomical studies, beautyful works of art / architecture etc. (it coincides with the time of the Crusades). These people could not live in that era. They would be either executed or sent to die on the frontline of the Army of Salahaddin or someone else. As I said. They're simply Psychotic