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Terror in the Name of God: Why Religious Militants Kill
For four years, Jessica Stern interviewed extremist members of three religions around the Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Traveling extensively—to refugee camps in Lebanon, to religious schools in Pakistan, to prisons in Amman, Asqelon, and Pensacola—she discovered that the Islamic jihadi in the mountains of Pakistan and the Christian fundamentalist bomber in Oklahoma have much in common.Based on her vast research, Stern lucidly explains how terrorist organizations are formed by opportunistic leaders who—using religion as both motivation and justification—recruit the disenfranchised. She depicts how moral fervor is transformed into sophisticated organizations that strive for money, power, and attention.Jessica Stern's extensive interaction with the faces behind the terror provide unprecedented insight into acts of inexplicable horror, and enable her to suggest how terrorism can most effectively be countered.A crucial book on terrorism, Terror in the Name of God is a brilliant and thought-provoking work.
400 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2003
71 people are currently reading
1156 people want to read
About the author
Jessica Stern
22 books121 followersJessica Stern is a Lecturer in Public Policy and a faculty affiliate of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. From 1994-95, she served as Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council, where she was responsible for national security policy toward Russia and the former Soviet states and for policies to reduce the threat of nuclear smuggling and terrorism. In 1998-99, she was the superterrorism Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and in 1995-96, she was a national Fellow at Hoover Institution at Stanford University. She also worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Stern received a bachelor's degree from Barnard College in chemistry, a master of science degree from MIT, and a doctorate in public policy from Harvard. She is the author of the New York Times Notable Book, Terror in the Name of God and The Ultimate Terrorists, as well as numerous articles on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. She lives in Cambridge, MA.
Stern received a bachelor's degree from Barnard College in chemistry, a master of science degree from MIT, and a doctorate in public policy from Harvard. She is the author of the New York Times Notable Book, Terror in the Name of God and The Ultimate Terrorists, as well as numerous articles on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. She lives in Cambridge, MA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
January 2, 2013
This is a very interesting book and it's one that I think most people should read. It discusses the rationale behind terrorist behaviour and what I found particularly concerning is how rational it is. All terrorists do is take their beliefs to their logical conclusion - if you believe you have a duty to defend your god, or unborn children, or your way of life, and if your value system enables you to conceive of killing as a necessary part of that duty (which, of course, makes one think of Nazis), then of course that's what you're going to do. And when the concepts you're defending are things like your culture, religion or beliefs, then it's almost impossible to conceive of people as innocent. Black and white thinking, where you're either with them or against them, prevails. I think she makes some good recommendations on how to deal with the causes behind terrorism, rather than the aftermath of successful attacks and I hope the people making those decisions are listening.
June 24, 2017
اونا همه جا هستند. نه فقط در افغانستان و آسیای شرقی، بلکه توی آمریکا و اروپا و در واقع کل جهان. شست و شوی ذهنی شده، اُرگانیز شده. بیشتر از بخش فقیر جامعه تشکیل شدن، افرادی که کنار گذاشته شدن، و اونا هم جذب دینداران افراطی شدن.
نگاه عمیق و دقیقی نویسنده به این موضوع انداخته و موفق شده با چند دسته از این افراد مصاحبه هم داشته باشه و ازشون راجع به انگیزه هاشون و تفکراتشون بپرسه. البته بیشتر تحقیقاتش برای قبل از حادثه یازده سپتامبر هستش اما نتایجش همچنان درست هستن. نثرش ساده و خوبه. نگاه دقیق و عمقی به مساله می اندازه، و دید رو خیلی باز میکنه.
نگاه عمیق و دقیقی نویسنده به این موضوع انداخته و موفق شده با چند دسته از این افراد مصاحبه هم داشته باشه و ازشون راجع به انگیزه هاشون و تفکراتشون بپرسه. البته بیشتر تحقیقاتش برای قبل از حادثه یازده سپتامبر هستش اما نتایجش همچنان درست هستن. نثرش ساده و خوبه. نگاه دقیق و عمقی به مساله می اندازه، و دید رو خیلی باز میکنه.
July 7, 2016
Stern brings a carefully nuanced, and thoroughly researched approach to a very difficult subject. Her journalistic chops are top-notch, and it is evident that she has done the hard work necessary to bring a clear-eyed view to the problem militant terrorists, and how they are radicalized through religion. As a Jewish woman, she placed herself in danger by interviewing directly extremists of many types - Muslim, Christian, white-supremacists, and even Jewish. She breaks down 5 major categories that drive extremist thought: alienation, humiliation, demographics, history, and territory, and she is very careful show that the problems are not simplistic. I'm not going to attempt to give a synopsis of the book, since I would be unable to do justice to the power of this book, but one theme I noticed that was particularly interesting was the pervasive antisemitism held by every single group, except of course, the Jewish extremists/Zionists. Apparently hatred of Jews can unite white bigots and Muslim bigots even though they hate each other in all other ways.
April 9, 2020
If you're a Palestinian teenager without job prospects so you don't have the money to take a girl out...
Terrorism almost made sense after that bit.
Terrorism almost made sense after that bit.
March 7, 2009
Good analysis of terrorism, including American anti-abortion terrorists. Interestingly, terrorists find rewards enough in the activity that they will find a reason to continue their actions even if the original reason for the terror has gone away.
July 7, 2013
С много интервюта и препратки към различни политически и исторически събития (реални и съществуващи само в свещените книги) Джесика Стърн търси корена на тероризма и причините, поради които религиозните екстремисти убиват. През техния светоглед и разбирания избирателното и целенасочено изкривено тълкуване на текстове, мотивите и наградата са еднакви както за мозъците на атентатите, така и за пионките и от трите монотеистични религии.
Колкото и да е трагично небрежна откъм пунктуация и правопис, тази книга трябва да се изучава по някой от предметите, включени в т.нар. Обществени науки и гражданско образование (особено след нелепото включване на библията в задължителната литература за девети клас).
Колкото и да е трагично небрежна откъм пунктуация и правопис, тази книга трябва да се изучава по някой от предметите, включени в т.нар. Обществени науки и гражданско образование (особено след нелепото включване на библията в задължителната литература за девети клас).
Read
September 20, 2010Fascinating read. Believes that we can't beat terrorism until we understand it and what motivates people to do this. I was engrossed as was transported to what it is like to live in Afghanistan. The control, lack of hope and inability to climb out of your existence. How easily in that environment young people are coerced into groups like Al Quaeda and the promise of great things in the afterlife/financial security for your family if you die as a suicide bomber. Easy to read, gripping and easy to understand.
November 13, 2018
Review: Terror In The Name Of God: Why Religious Militants Kill, Jessica Stern, NY: Harper Collins ECCO, 20003.
It’s easy to underestimate the value of this important study of religious militants. Although published over 15 years ago, Stern’s work provides a unique window into the motivation and organization of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim militants. What characterizes all of them is their belief that their killing of their enemies (in their minds, God’s enemies) rids the world of evil. Stern’s method is to empathize with the terrorist, however briefly, during their interviews, without in any way giving in to the draw of sympathy.
Stern taught “Terrorism” at Harvard University from 1999-2015, where she conducted her first-hand research into the motivations and the organizational patterns of terrorist networks. That research resulted in this book. She has since published other important works on this subject of compelling interest. Currently she teaches at the Fredrick S. Pardee School for Global Studies at Boston University.
Terrorists derive their justification for murder in God’s name from a number of grievances, as Stern explains in Part 1 of her book. Leaders exploit feelings of alienation and humiliation to create their warriors. Demographic shifts, the selective reading of history, and territorial disputes (e.g., Kashmir) also contribute to this motivation. What do terrorists achieve? They receive material, emotional, and spiritual benefits, she reports. When a small group of warriors give money or take up arms, others in the group benefit from this payment of a “tax.” Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a mastermind of the September 11 attacks, says, “It is imperative to pay a price for Heaven, for the commodity of Allah is dear, very dear. It is not acquired through rest, but [rather] blood and torn-off limbs must be the price.” He reminds Muslims that the moral “obligation of Jihad” is as important as prayer and giving alms. He warns Muslims that the punishment awaiting those who neglect to pay their “taxes” by waging jihad will be “painful and harsh” (p. 4). Motivation for terrorism derives from the promise of heavenly reward or the threat of heavenly retribution. “All the terrorists discussed in Part 1,” says Stern, “claim to be motivated by religious principles, but most pursue a mixture of spiritual and political goals.” (p. 6) The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord (Christian) and the Jewish Underground seek eternal, spiritual goals or aim to bring in the Endtimes predicted in Scripture. Others, like Hamas, which seeks political power to control Israel, and indigenous Indonesians aim to control their regional natural resources. The latter group created intense religious violence in Indonesia.
Part 2 describes Holy War Organizations from inspirational leadership on lone-wolf avengers to loosely organized Commanders to highly organized and disciplined groups like Al Qaeda. It explores how leaders run successful holy war operations. Leaders inspire leaderless-resistance individual to take individual action, without communicating their plans to others. Terrorist ideologies and personal grievances motivate lone-wolf avengers, such as those who kill abortion doctors in the name of Pro-Life. These are “defensive actions” against “baby butcheries”, i.e., killing doctors, their staff, and bombing abortion clinics. An example of this kind of leader, Michael Bray pastors the Reformed Lutheran Church near his home in Bowie, MD. When asked if Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, doesn’t supersede teaching on violent retribution in the Old Testament, Bray states, “Christians tend to be opposed to violence.” “Some oppose capital punishment,” he continues, “But there is nothing in the Scripture to support this view. Violence is amoral—its moral content is determined on the purpose of the violent act…There has been a progression of understanding, but there is still judgment of sin. The grace of God was manifested in his sending His Son to earth. But God did not change His standards.” (p. 162) I would also want to challenge Bray with St. Paul’s Old Testament quotation, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay.” But, like any cultist, he will have another rationalization.
At the other extreme of organization, stands Al Qaeda, which Stern describes as “The Ultimate Organization,” with Networks, Franchises, and Freelancers (Chapter Nine). Her summary regret: “It’s too bad that the terrorists’ revelations, including about the organization’s vast businesses holdings, its detailed planning of operations, its emplacements of sleepers, and its attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction, didn’t receive more attention.” (p. 237) We continue to ignore Al Qaeda at our peril.
In her final chapter, Stern provides her summary conclusions and policy recommendations. “As a result of my interviews,” she says, “I have come to see that apocalyptic violence intended to ‘cleanse’ the world of ‘impurities’ can create a transcendent state. All the terrorist groups examined in this book believe—or at least started out believing—that they are creating a more perfect world…purifying [it]…of injustice, cruelty, and all that is inhuman…all of them describe themselves as responding to a spiritual calling, and many report a kind of spiritual high or addiction related to its fulfillment.” (p. 281)
Stern singles out the Muslim world as particularly vulnerable to terrorism. She mentions the United States’ support for Israel, but also how Middle Eastern regimes successfully suppress terrorism with their borders, but ignore terrorist organizations as they shift focus to more vulnerable targets. Egypt successfully shut down Egyptian Islamic Jihad, members of which are exceptionally well-trained, for example. But the group shifted its target from its “near enemy” to its “far enemy”—the United States and the West. (p. 286) Muslim militants, humiliated by the “axis of envy,” the result of our economic and military might, globalization, and the New World Order, also respond to our hypocrisy, perceived and real, in our dealings with Middle Eastern nations. Allowing failed states, such as Afghanistan and several Latin American countries, to continue, creates a safe haven “for a variety of terrorist groups.” (p. 294)
Terrorism is as ancient as it is modern. It’s described in the history of the Ancient Near East: Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, and Greece. Rome, more benign, perhaps, than the others, but nevertheless extended its borders and conquer neighboring peoples. National policies lead to one tribe or nation conquering another to enslave their neighbors. The ancient story of Job, in addition to natural disasters, identifies two unprovoked attacks on Job’s holdings and murder of his servants, requiring of him a lengthy road to recovery. See my Tragedy Transformed: How Job’s Recovery Can Provide Hope for Yours. The violence which befall its victims creates tragedy in personal and family life now as it did then.
For anyone interested to learn how terrorists today think and how they can be thwarted, Jessica Stern’s Terror In The Name of God provides a valuable resource.
It’s easy to underestimate the value of this important study of religious militants. Although published over 15 years ago, Stern’s work provides a unique window into the motivation and organization of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim militants. What characterizes all of them is their belief that their killing of their enemies (in their minds, God’s enemies) rids the world of evil. Stern’s method is to empathize with the terrorist, however briefly, during their interviews, without in any way giving in to the draw of sympathy.
Stern taught “Terrorism” at Harvard University from 1999-2015, where she conducted her first-hand research into the motivations and the organizational patterns of terrorist networks. That research resulted in this book. She has since published other important works on this subject of compelling interest. Currently she teaches at the Fredrick S. Pardee School for Global Studies at Boston University.
Terrorists derive their justification for murder in God’s name from a number of grievances, as Stern explains in Part 1 of her book. Leaders exploit feelings of alienation and humiliation to create their warriors. Demographic shifts, the selective reading of history, and territorial disputes (e.g., Kashmir) also contribute to this motivation. What do terrorists achieve? They receive material, emotional, and spiritual benefits, she reports. When a small group of warriors give money or take up arms, others in the group benefit from this payment of a “tax.” Ramzi bin al-Shibh, a mastermind of the September 11 attacks, says, “It is imperative to pay a price for Heaven, for the commodity of Allah is dear, very dear. It is not acquired through rest, but [rather] blood and torn-off limbs must be the price.” He reminds Muslims that the moral “obligation of Jihad” is as important as prayer and giving alms. He warns Muslims that the punishment awaiting those who neglect to pay their “taxes” by waging jihad will be “painful and harsh” (p. 4). Motivation for terrorism derives from the promise of heavenly reward or the threat of heavenly retribution. “All the terrorists discussed in Part 1,” says Stern, “claim to be motivated by religious principles, but most pursue a mixture of spiritual and political goals.” (p. 6) The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord (Christian) and the Jewish Underground seek eternal, spiritual goals or aim to bring in the Endtimes predicted in Scripture. Others, like Hamas, which seeks political power to control Israel, and indigenous Indonesians aim to control their regional natural resources. The latter group created intense religious violence in Indonesia.
Part 2 describes Holy War Organizations from inspirational leadership on lone-wolf avengers to loosely organized Commanders to highly organized and disciplined groups like Al Qaeda. It explores how leaders run successful holy war operations. Leaders inspire leaderless-resistance individual to take individual action, without communicating their plans to others. Terrorist ideologies and personal grievances motivate lone-wolf avengers, such as those who kill abortion doctors in the name of Pro-Life. These are “defensive actions” against “baby butcheries”, i.e., killing doctors, their staff, and bombing abortion clinics. An example of this kind of leader, Michael Bray pastors the Reformed Lutheran Church near his home in Bowie, MD. When asked if Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, doesn’t supersede teaching on violent retribution in the Old Testament, Bray states, “Christians tend to be opposed to violence.” “Some oppose capital punishment,” he continues, “But there is nothing in the Scripture to support this view. Violence is amoral—its moral content is determined on the purpose of the violent act…There has been a progression of understanding, but there is still judgment of sin. The grace of God was manifested in his sending His Son to earth. But God did not change His standards.” (p. 162) I would also want to challenge Bray with St. Paul’s Old Testament quotation, “Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord, I will repay.” But, like any cultist, he will have another rationalization.
At the other extreme of organization, stands Al Qaeda, which Stern describes as “The Ultimate Organization,” with Networks, Franchises, and Freelancers (Chapter Nine). Her summary regret: “It’s too bad that the terrorists’ revelations, including about the organization’s vast businesses holdings, its detailed planning of operations, its emplacements of sleepers, and its attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction, didn’t receive more attention.” (p. 237) We continue to ignore Al Qaeda at our peril.
In her final chapter, Stern provides her summary conclusions and policy recommendations. “As a result of my interviews,” she says, “I have come to see that apocalyptic violence intended to ‘cleanse’ the world of ‘impurities’ can create a transcendent state. All the terrorist groups examined in this book believe—or at least started out believing—that they are creating a more perfect world…purifying [it]…of injustice, cruelty, and all that is inhuman…all of them describe themselves as responding to a spiritual calling, and many report a kind of spiritual high or addiction related to its fulfillment.” (p. 281)
Stern singles out the Muslim world as particularly vulnerable to terrorism. She mentions the United States’ support for Israel, but also how Middle Eastern regimes successfully suppress terrorism with their borders, but ignore terrorist organizations as they shift focus to more vulnerable targets. Egypt successfully shut down Egyptian Islamic Jihad, members of which are exceptionally well-trained, for example. But the group shifted its target from its “near enemy” to its “far enemy”—the United States and the West. (p. 286) Muslim militants, humiliated by the “axis of envy,” the result of our economic and military might, globalization, and the New World Order, also respond to our hypocrisy, perceived and real, in our dealings with Middle Eastern nations. Allowing failed states, such as Afghanistan and several Latin American countries, to continue, creates a safe haven “for a variety of terrorist groups.” (p. 294)
Terrorism is as ancient as it is modern. It’s described in the history of the Ancient Near East: Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, and Greece. Rome, more benign, perhaps, than the others, but nevertheless extended its borders and conquer neighboring peoples. National policies lead to one tribe or nation conquering another to enslave their neighbors. The ancient story of Job, in addition to natural disasters, identifies two unprovoked attacks on Job’s holdings and murder of his servants, requiring of him a lengthy road to recovery. See my Tragedy Transformed: How Job’s Recovery Can Provide Hope for Yours. The violence which befall its victims creates tragedy in personal and family life now as it did then.
For anyone interested to learn how terrorists today think and how they can be thwarted, Jessica Stern’s Terror In The Name of God provides a valuable resource.
July 1, 2025
The first half was really interesting as it tackled directly the psychology of terrorists, the second half on the organizational 101 of terrorist groups much less so … the book was divided thematically, but the contents of each chapter did not link that much to the theme. Just found it to be general case studies of different individuals and groups and it meandered at points. Still a good read, even though reading this immediately after I finished my dissertation probably wasn’t the wisest choice in terms of subject matter - it was heavy!
May 19, 2025
Read for class but very good book on the topic, reads fast and super interesting
November 17, 2021
There’s a lot of great information in this book, but some bits seem to be written by someone who has a superficial understanding of terrorism. In some parts the author mentions that Saudi helped AlQaeda while at the same time saying that AlQaeda found refuge and support in Iran (the enemy of Saudi), and at the same time the author says that AlQaeda did terror attacks against Saudi because Saudi are an ally of the US.
So how can Saudi support a terror group that lives in the land of its enemy Iran and plots terror attacks against Saudi from Iran with the help of Iran’s government? Why doesn’t Iran say “OMG! GET OUT ALQAEDA YOU WORK FOR MY ENEMY!” ? If Saudi has the same ideology as AlQaeda then why did the Saudi royal family welcome the US on Saudi soil despite AlQaeda’s protest and why does Saudi continue to be an ally of the US to this day?
It seems that the author was unable to think critically and analyze everything properly, and chose to write common statements such as “Saudi individuals were among the 9/11 terrorists, therefore the Saudi state is responsible” I expected more from an expert on terrorism, cause that statement doesn’t make sense given that terrorism is multinational. You can’t deduce that a government sponsored a terror attack JUST because one of its citizens who embraced a cross-border ideology committed a terror attack. By that logic the government of Tunisia is ISIS, cause most of ISIS come from Tunisia. Iraq is ISIS, cause Baghdadi was an Iraqi. AlQaeda now is Egyptian, cause their leader Zawahiri is Egyptian. That is a very odd logic, cause reality says that AlQaeda and ISIS attacked Tunisia, Iraq, Egypt and Saudi.
That same sort of logic occurred multiple times in the book, statements that either contradict each other or were mere allegations without foundations. But other than those multiple occurrences, I enjoyed this book very much and found it informative. It gives great insight into the minds of terrorists, especially given that the author went and interviewed them personally.
I think 3.5 out of 5 stars is a more accurate rating.
So how can Saudi support a terror group that lives in the land of its enemy Iran and plots terror attacks against Saudi from Iran with the help of Iran’s government? Why doesn’t Iran say “OMG! GET OUT ALQAEDA YOU WORK FOR MY ENEMY!” ? If Saudi has the same ideology as AlQaeda then why did the Saudi royal family welcome the US on Saudi soil despite AlQaeda’s protest and why does Saudi continue to be an ally of the US to this day?
It seems that the author was unable to think critically and analyze everything properly, and chose to write common statements such as “Saudi individuals were among the 9/11 terrorists, therefore the Saudi state is responsible” I expected more from an expert on terrorism, cause that statement doesn’t make sense given that terrorism is multinational. You can’t deduce that a government sponsored a terror attack JUST because one of its citizens who embraced a cross-border ideology committed a terror attack. By that logic the government of Tunisia is ISIS, cause most of ISIS come from Tunisia. Iraq is ISIS, cause Baghdadi was an Iraqi. AlQaeda now is Egyptian, cause their leader Zawahiri is Egyptian. That is a very odd logic, cause reality says that AlQaeda and ISIS attacked Tunisia, Iraq, Egypt and Saudi.
That same sort of logic occurred multiple times in the book, statements that either contradict each other or were mere allegations without foundations. But other than those multiple occurrences, I enjoyed this book very much and found it informative. It gives great insight into the minds of terrorists, especially given that the author went and interviewed them personally.
I think 3.5 out of 5 stars is a more accurate rating.
February 26, 2016
Although very depressing, this book gave me a lot of information about the many terrorist groups around the world. The leader of Hamas says "if Israelis withdraw to 1967 borders, we would consider that a truce, not the end of war." How can we hope for resolution after a statement like that. I did not know about Indonesia's conflict between Muslim and Christians. I had forgotten about the Kashmir conflict. The fact that Kashmir is divided into India-controlled, Pakistani-controlled, and China-controlled Kashmir.
Her conclusions are smart. "When we respond with violence- we assist terrorists in mobilizing recruits". But how do we respond? No one can answer that question.
Her conclusions are smart. "When we respond with violence- we assist terrorists in mobilizing recruits". But how do we respond? No one can answer that question.
October 27, 2008
Stern talks with terrorists of various kinds. It is interesting, sometimes a bit tedious, and there are definitely instances in which it appears that she is fronting for the CIA instead of trying hard to listen to these people, but overall it is an intriguing document. Most valuable perhaps is a final chapter on ways to deal with this growing danger.
September 20, 2016
Starts and ends strong but gets lost in its own details for most of the time between.
October 14, 2019
Keep hammering... that square peg just has to fit!
There is no moral equivalence between Christianity and Islam. It sounds so neat and tidy, this idea that 'fundamentalists' of every stripe are dangerous. The only problem is that if a belief system is based on loving ones enemies, then a fundamentalist of such belief would be a very loving person, not a terrorist. Of course, there are historical exceptions and a very few contemporary ones. People like to mention the Spanish Inquisition but fail to mention that more people are killed by Islamists in any given year than died in all 350 years of the Inquisition. I am amazed by these people who search high and low, far and wide to find some nerdy kooks who "plan to" "want to" were going to" do some terrible thing when Islamic terrorists by the hundreds of thousands are committing acts of terrorism, large and small, in 30 countries around the world. And within 10 miles of most American homes there is probably a Muslim family sending his check every month to support the charity/terrorist network. Oh yes, but what about the KKK? A few impotent bigots in Alabama and one or two lone gunmen here are there are not equivalent in severity, number, motive, or scope to the cancer of Islamic terror.
There simply is no moral equivalence between Islam and Christianity, fundamentalist or otherwise. People have committed atrocities in the name of the Christian God but such acts (comparatively minute in scope compared to Islamic aggression) put the terrorist at odds with Christian orthodoxy. You cannot be a good Christian and kill abortion doctors. The act of murder is forbidden and therefore the terrorist is no better than the abortionist. On the contrary a Muslim can and must participate in violent Jihad, either personally or through the financial support of it, according to most schools of thought within Islam. If a Muslim blows up a bus full of Jews, he is a hero and a martyr and a very good Muslim.
The Quran implores its legions, "make war on the infidels who dwell around you." Sura 9:123. Such verses are found throughout the Quran while there are no such incitements to violence in the New Testament but rather admonishments to humility, charity, and forgiveness. I know hundreds of Christian fundamentalists. Even the slightest suggestion of extremist thought would not be tolerated among them. The author must be a practitioner of yoga, because she has twisted herself and this book into a pretzel of faulty logic and research.
Just to mention the atrocities of one small drop in the river of blood that is Islam, one can consider the Danish cartoons furor. Estimates are that more than 250 people were killed and many buildings bombed and burned as a result of the cartoons. What was the Christian response to a much more offensive product though equally blasphemous to Christians--The Davinci Code? The result was a robust public discussion that caused millions of the faithful to read the book to see and decide for themselves. It is fine to talk about the religious roots of terror. They are not hard to find. Open the Quran and read how a Muslim will be rewarded for the horrific murder and dismemberment of innocent women, men, and children. Make that case, but leave Christians out of it.
There is no moral equivalence between Christianity and Islam. It sounds so neat and tidy, this idea that 'fundamentalists' of every stripe are dangerous. The only problem is that if a belief system is based on loving ones enemies, then a fundamentalist of such belief would be a very loving person, not a terrorist. Of course, there are historical exceptions and a very few contemporary ones. People like to mention the Spanish Inquisition but fail to mention that more people are killed by Islamists in any given year than died in all 350 years of the Inquisition. I am amazed by these people who search high and low, far and wide to find some nerdy kooks who "plan to" "want to" were going to" do some terrible thing when Islamic terrorists by the hundreds of thousands are committing acts of terrorism, large and small, in 30 countries around the world. And within 10 miles of most American homes there is probably a Muslim family sending his check every month to support the charity/terrorist network. Oh yes, but what about the KKK? A few impotent bigots in Alabama and one or two lone gunmen here are there are not equivalent in severity, number, motive, or scope to the cancer of Islamic terror.
There simply is no moral equivalence between Islam and Christianity, fundamentalist or otherwise. People have committed atrocities in the name of the Christian God but such acts (comparatively minute in scope compared to Islamic aggression) put the terrorist at odds with Christian orthodoxy. You cannot be a good Christian and kill abortion doctors. The act of murder is forbidden and therefore the terrorist is no better than the abortionist. On the contrary a Muslim can and must participate in violent Jihad, either personally or through the financial support of it, according to most schools of thought within Islam. If a Muslim blows up a bus full of Jews, he is a hero and a martyr and a very good Muslim.
The Quran implores its legions, "make war on the infidels who dwell around you." Sura 9:123. Such verses are found throughout the Quran while there are no such incitements to violence in the New Testament but rather admonishments to humility, charity, and forgiveness. I know hundreds of Christian fundamentalists. Even the slightest suggestion of extremist thought would not be tolerated among them. The author must be a practitioner of yoga, because she has twisted herself and this book into a pretzel of faulty logic and research.
Just to mention the atrocities of one small drop in the river of blood that is Islam, one can consider the Danish cartoons furor. Estimates are that more than 250 people were killed and many buildings bombed and burned as a result of the cartoons. What was the Christian response to a much more offensive product though equally blasphemous to Christians--The Davinci Code? The result was a robust public discussion that caused millions of the faithful to read the book to see and decide for themselves. It is fine to talk about the religious roots of terror. They are not hard to find. Open the Quran and read how a Muslim will be rewarded for the horrific murder and dismemberment of innocent women, men, and children. Make that case, but leave Christians out of it.
November 13, 2021
Buku ini mengkonfirmasi banyak hal yang sedang saya gumulkan beberapa waktu terakhir ini tentang agama. Namun memahami isu ini tidak sesederhana itu. Yang jelas agama sudah menjadi alat utama bagi individu atau kelompok tertentu untuk menjatuhkan kelompok-kelompok tertentu. Bangsa besar tegar tengkuk yang mengklaim diri sebagai bangsa yang dipilih Tuhan adalah musuh utama dari semuanya ini. Tapi tentu ini tidak berdiri sendiri. Ketika kekuatan agama disandingkan kekuatan uang dan logistik, ia menjadi kekuatan super yang bisa melakukan apa saja untuk kepentingan politik. Sementara peran-peran kecil yang dipilih untuk mati menjadi martir merasa mereka melakukan ini untuk iman yang mereka percaya, orang-orang yang duduk di jajaran paling atas menentukan musuh mana yang kali ini perlu diserang atas nama Tuhan.
What a messy world we are living in now.
What a messy world we are living in now.
October 27, 2023
I listened to the audiobook and it is dated and based on the dates and people interviewed the research was conducted prior to 2001 and shortly after 9/11.
I’m surprised Jessica was able to interview some of the people she did, terrorists, and she survived.
I was also surprised that she advocates for a change in settlement policy in Gaza by Israel. I write this less than 3-weeks after Hamas fired rockets into Israel from Gaza and protests in support of Hamas and Hezbollah are happening around the world.
I wonder if Jessica still holds this position?
I cannot recommend this book.
I’m surprised Jessica was able to interview some of the people she did, terrorists, and she survived.
I was also surprised that she advocates for a change in settlement policy in Gaza by Israel. I write this less than 3-weeks after Hamas fired rockets into Israel from Gaza and protests in support of Hamas and Hezbollah are happening around the world.
I wonder if Jessica still holds this position?
I cannot recommend this book.
September 15, 2018
This book is awesome. Well researched, well though out, and not condemning terrorists as horrible people but as trying to understand their grievances. Would recommend this book to anyone-though it was written in the wake of 9/11, it is a good way to understand terrorism today and see practical ways the American government could try to change policies on terrorists.
February 2, 2022
Jessica Stern is utterly fantastic and I truly wish she was an aunt or cousin of mine so I could call her regularly and pick her brain about an incredible assortment of subjects…from biological weapons and psychological warfare to favorite ice cream flavor and which font to use in professional emails. At the very least, I’m thankful to read her books!
December 7, 2022
One of the most important books I have ever read to try to grasp why acts of terrorism occur. I have deep respect for her work because it is so well researched and she interviews terrorists from all religions, races and walks of life to offer profound insights as to how we can stop terrorist acts from repeating.
March 24, 2018
This book should be everyone concerned about religiously motivated terrorism, especially the chapter about the anti-abortion extremist Bob Lokey, the middle-aged vegetarian who has been voluntarily celibate since 1984 after he was no longer "vaginally defeated."
January 3, 2021
Door het buitensluiten en denken aan ons eigen sturen we iedereen juist de andere kant op. Geen vuur met vuur bestrijden. En juist helpen op een manier dat in samenspraak is met anderen. Niet ons en zij creëren. Frustratie en geld (shell companies als fundraising en drugs en wapenhandel)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2017
Really fascinating book. Ethnographic in its investigation.
January 10, 2019
one of my favorite books to date. her courage and rationalism are admirable throughout the book.
May 3, 2021
Accessible read built o interviews with leaders and members of religious groups that carry out terrorist activities.
April 22, 2022
Really interesting, but too much referencing past chapters and a little awkward when she personalizes things.
March 3, 2009
"What seems to be most appealing about militant religious groups- whatever combination of reasons an individual will cite for joining- is the way life is simplified. Good and evil are brought out in stark relief."
"The creation of a new self, which Lifton calls doubling, helps to explain how 'banal' operatives come to kill innocent civilians."
"'Well it came about slowly,' she says. 'Over a couple of years. We got pulled into it, it became a way of life.'"
"Strict religious communities simplify life by proclaiming an exclusive truth- a closed, comprehesive, and eternal doctrine that proides answers to life's most troubling questions."
"Too much choice, especially regarding identity, can be overwhelming and even frightening. Under these circumstances, some people crave closing off options; they crave discipline imposed from the outside. The 'strictness' of militant religious groups- and the clarity they offer about self and other- is part of their appeal."
"It is at the moment that life begins to improve that people are most prone to revolt."
"He agrees. 'I now realize that my desire to help the umma- the Muslim community- was in itself a spiritual error. It is wrong to focus on your own people's suffering, to imagine that the suffering of your people is greater than others. Faith that is not able to make you understand the suffering of all people- not just your own- is unworthy of the name.' He continues, 'I now realize that we become prisoners of our rituals. Our rituals help us pray, but they also divide people.'"
"Holy war intensifies the boundaries between Us and Them, satisfying the inherently human longing for a clear identity and a definite purpose in life, creating a seductive state of bliss."
"Sociologists argue that the first requirement for mobilizing a group is the identification of a common enemy....Defining 'us' automatically entails in defining 'them.'"
"Nargis, the martyr's mother, tells me how proud she is to have donated her son, but she is sobbing as she says this."
"How does he feel about America? Down with America, he says. I ask why he feels that way. Everyone says that, he says. But do you know why? I ask him. No, he says."
"Americans tend to fixate on enemies that can be fought with military might. We have a much harder time seeing failing states, where terrorists thrive, as a source of danger. We need to assess why bin Laden's and other extremists' ideas spread. And we need to look for clues globally, not just in the Middle East."
"It seemed to me that Mohamed had a harder time facing his mother than he did facing his victims or accusers. There was a jolt of pain in the room, as though the air had been ionized with terror- his and ours. Not a fear of death, but the recognition of evil. The recognition that this person that had killed so many has a mother who loves him, despite his crimes, and that he is afraid to look her in the eye. That despite his evil actions, he is human, just like us. It is one thing to understand this intellectually. It is another to see her mother face her killer son, with his many victims looking on, seeing her fear, her agony, and her loss. The loss of her son- first to evil, and maybe to death."
"Ironically, the enemy's existence- and even his atrocities- help terrorist groups prove the importance of their mission."
"Bin Laden was competing for the hearts and minds of ordinary Muslims. He said that the September 11 'events' had split the world into two 'camps,' the Islamic world and 'infidels'- and that the time had come for 'every Muslim to defend his religion' (echoing President Bush's argument that from now on 'either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists')."
"Law-enforcement authorities will continue to discover new cells or clusters, but they will not be able to shut down the movement until bin Laden, his successors, and his sympathizers' call to destroy the New World Order loses its appeal among populations made vulnerable by perceived humiliation and violations of human rights, perceived economic deprivation, confused identities, and poor governance."
"It is part of the human condition to lack certainty about our identities; the desire to see ourselves in opposition to some Other is appealing to all of us. That is part- but only part- of what religion is all about. One of our goals must be to make the terrorists' purification project seem less urget: to demonstrate the humanity that binds us, rather than allow our adversaries to emphasize and exploit our differences to provide a seemingly clear (but false) identity, at the expense of peace."
"The terrorism we are fighting is a seductive idea, not a military target."
"In the end, however, what counts is what we fight for, not what we oppose."
"The creation of a new self, which Lifton calls doubling, helps to explain how 'banal' operatives come to kill innocent civilians."
"'Well it came about slowly,' she says. 'Over a couple of years. We got pulled into it, it became a way of life.'"
"Strict religious communities simplify life by proclaiming an exclusive truth- a closed, comprehesive, and eternal doctrine that proides answers to life's most troubling questions."
"Too much choice, especially regarding identity, can be overwhelming and even frightening. Under these circumstances, some people crave closing off options; they crave discipline imposed from the outside. The 'strictness' of militant religious groups- and the clarity they offer about self and other- is part of their appeal."
"It is at the moment that life begins to improve that people are most prone to revolt."
"He agrees. 'I now realize that my desire to help the umma- the Muslim community- was in itself a spiritual error. It is wrong to focus on your own people's suffering, to imagine that the suffering of your people is greater than others. Faith that is not able to make you understand the suffering of all people- not just your own- is unworthy of the name.' He continues, 'I now realize that we become prisoners of our rituals. Our rituals help us pray, but they also divide people.'"
"Holy war intensifies the boundaries between Us and Them, satisfying the inherently human longing for a clear identity and a definite purpose in life, creating a seductive state of bliss."
"Sociologists argue that the first requirement for mobilizing a group is the identification of a common enemy....Defining 'us' automatically entails in defining 'them.'"
"Nargis, the martyr's mother, tells me how proud she is to have donated her son, but she is sobbing as she says this."
"How does he feel about America? Down with America, he says. I ask why he feels that way. Everyone says that, he says. But do you know why? I ask him. No, he says."
"Americans tend to fixate on enemies that can be fought with military might. We have a much harder time seeing failing states, where terrorists thrive, as a source of danger. We need to assess why bin Laden's and other extremists' ideas spread. And we need to look for clues globally, not just in the Middle East."
"It seemed to me that Mohamed had a harder time facing his mother than he did facing his victims or accusers. There was a jolt of pain in the room, as though the air had been ionized with terror- his and ours. Not a fear of death, but the recognition of evil. The recognition that this person that had killed so many has a mother who loves him, despite his crimes, and that he is afraid to look her in the eye. That despite his evil actions, he is human, just like us. It is one thing to understand this intellectually. It is another to see her mother face her killer son, with his many victims looking on, seeing her fear, her agony, and her loss. The loss of her son- first to evil, and maybe to death."
"Ironically, the enemy's existence- and even his atrocities- help terrorist groups prove the importance of their mission."
"Bin Laden was competing for the hearts and minds of ordinary Muslims. He said that the September 11 'events' had split the world into two 'camps,' the Islamic world and 'infidels'- and that the time had come for 'every Muslim to defend his religion' (echoing President Bush's argument that from now on 'either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists')."
"Law-enforcement authorities will continue to discover new cells or clusters, but they will not be able to shut down the movement until bin Laden, his successors, and his sympathizers' call to destroy the New World Order loses its appeal among populations made vulnerable by perceived humiliation and violations of human rights, perceived economic deprivation, confused identities, and poor governance."
"It is part of the human condition to lack certainty about our identities; the desire to see ourselves in opposition to some Other is appealing to all of us. That is part- but only part- of what religion is all about. One of our goals must be to make the terrorists' purification project seem less urget: to demonstrate the humanity that binds us, rather than allow our adversaries to emphasize and exploit our differences to provide a seemingly clear (but false) identity, at the expense of peace."
"The terrorism we are fighting is a seductive idea, not a military target."
"In the end, however, what counts is what we fight for, not what we oppose."
August 31, 2014
This book has some outstanding information in it and some very well developed research. Similar in vein to other texts on the subject, such as the excellent title by John Horgan "The Psychology of Terrorism," Sterns qualitative research is top notch. Her fortitude and courage in traveling to dangerous and obscure locations is also noteworthy. Some will find her leftist reformist opinionated liberalism a bit hard to swallow let alone understand, much as I did. I tried to overlook her tendency for Israel bashing and her glowing admiration of those in the business of taking the lives of others. On page 109 Stern writes, speaking of a terrorist recruit, “Ahmed the young new recruit, is beautiful." Really? What is the point here and where is the academic objectivity for a serious study? Again on page 113, still speaking of Ahmed, she notes, "He does not want me to see his disappointment [that he cannot go and kill Indians in Kashmir]. He is a good boy." Later she reports he gets his wish and is killed soon afterwards much to her chagrin. Such an attachment to a ruthless killer is difficult to comprehend. All to often academic authors strive to hard to maintain a politically correct posture to the point of near fawning over these uncouth killers in the name of academic objectivity. While I can well understand the need to avoid labeling and pejorative perspectives, I feel Stern goes far too far in the opposite direction. One might call it sucking up to killers...Again on page 207 she lauds the terrorists with acclamation of their physical appearance and prowess.
Good points: Some of the theoretical analyses are spot on concerning the reasons terrorists join groups in the first place, why they remain and why they eventually leave a group. The perspectives of group dynamics through the use of isolationism, uniformity and group symbolism are all well-presented, as is the reinterpretation of spiritual texts (hermeneutics) as instrument of manipulation. The historical development of various groups is also well explained in detail. The concepts of resilience capacity and effectiveness of terrorist organizations are well developed and clarified several times throughout the book.
Off the mark: a terrorist who finds solitary confinement inhumane, but overlooks his own vile killing of innocents, remains without comment(p. 60).
Stern states that the solution to the Palestinian problem "...can only be solved with money. It can only be solved by providing the refugees with real housing and good jobs" (p. 61). This explanation comes directly out of left field as one of those magic bullet solutions to a complex problem. She entirely overlooks the fact that these poor refuges are also committing acts of terror. She invites her students of her class to put themselves in the shoes of the [poor, unfortunate, misunderstood and misguided] terrorists. I am afraid I would not fare well in her class after having served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Therein lays the rub. While she was rubbing shoulders and empathizing with these terrorists, she can never understand the ruthlessness of their operational tactics. While reading I had to ask myself was this the new Jane Fonda of al Qaeda?
Conclusions: It is an academically sound piece of work with much interesting and important information. It is made less enjoyable by her constant Harvard, leftist, liberal fascination for the terrorist figures themselves. Take the good, and try to overlook the diatribe. Still an important piece of field research in an area that is sorely lacking.
Good points: Some of the theoretical analyses are spot on concerning the reasons terrorists join groups in the first place, why they remain and why they eventually leave a group. The perspectives of group dynamics through the use of isolationism, uniformity and group symbolism are all well-presented, as is the reinterpretation of spiritual texts (hermeneutics) as instrument of manipulation. The historical development of various groups is also well explained in detail. The concepts of resilience capacity and effectiveness of terrorist organizations are well developed and clarified several times throughout the book.
Off the mark: a terrorist who finds solitary confinement inhumane, but overlooks his own vile killing of innocents, remains without comment(p. 60).
Stern states that the solution to the Palestinian problem "...can only be solved with money. It can only be solved by providing the refugees with real housing and good jobs" (p. 61). This explanation comes directly out of left field as one of those magic bullet solutions to a complex problem. She entirely overlooks the fact that these poor refuges are also committing acts of terror. She invites her students of her class to put themselves in the shoes of the [poor, unfortunate, misunderstood and misguided] terrorists. I am afraid I would not fare well in her class after having served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Therein lays the rub. While she was rubbing shoulders and empathizing with these terrorists, she can never understand the ruthlessness of their operational tactics. While reading I had to ask myself was this the new Jane Fonda of al Qaeda?
Conclusions: It is an academically sound piece of work with much interesting and important information. It is made less enjoyable by her constant Harvard, leftist, liberal fascination for the terrorist figures themselves. Take the good, and try to overlook the diatribe. Still an important piece of field research in an area that is sorely lacking.
October 10, 2015
“I started this project deeply puzzled about how people who claim to be motivated by religious principles come to kill innocent people in the service of ideas. I learned that several factors—seemingly unrelated to the grievances that motivate terrorist crimes—play an important role in turning spiritual longing into murder.”
While no easy subject to tackle as a researcher, Stern does a fine job at trying to uncover, analyze, and synthesize the elements to the equation of how anyone gets religiously radicalized to do violence upon others, be them Christian, Hindu, Muslim, or Jewish. Abstractions are for media pundits and the ignorant, and while Occam's razor would easily point to the simplistic dichotomy of a noble "us" versus the abhorrent, finger-pointed "them," the real answers to any human behaviors are typically Byzantine, but decipherable when examined with enough care and objectivity. I feel that Stern does this here, more as a sociologist than as a psychologist, which is just fine for this chosen research thesis. I'm sure there are other works that look more closely at the psychology of radicalization, be it religious, political, blind nationalism, or even stupid sports fanaticism. If you know of any, please drop a comment below. This is truly fascinating subject matter, one that impacts the species deeply throughout recorded history.
“Religious terrorism arises from pain and loss and from impatience with a God who is slow to respond to our plight, who doesn’t answer. Its converts often long for a simpler time, when right and wrong were clear, when there were heroes and martyrs, when the story was simple, when the neighborhood was small, when we knew one another. When the outside world, with its vulgar cosmopolitanism, didn’t humiliate us or threaten our children. When we did not envy these others or even know about them. It is about finding a clear purpose in a confusing world with too many choices. It is about purifying the world. The way forward is clear: kill or be killed. Kill and be rewarded in heaven. Kill and the Messiah will come. It is about seeing the world in black and white. About projecting all one’s fears and inadequacies on the Other. Why is my life not going as well as it should? The answer is America. The answer is affirmative action. The answer is the Jews. The answer is the Dome of the Rock. A devilish cabal controls the banking system and the press through globalization and world government, through the Council on Foreign Relations, or the Arab oil sheiks. My people are in the majority. This is the temple’s wall. The wall where his horse stood tied. It is clear from the Bible that this land is legitimately ours. Archaeologists show. History proves. My ancestors’ bones. My people are suffering. Without this piece of land or this temple, I am not whole. My people are not whole. We are spiritually dead. We are dry bones cast about the earth. This is where our Messiah will rule. This is where our prophets walked. This is the furthermost place of his nocturnal ride, where miracles happened, where He made us the chosen people, where loaves became fishes, where He comforted the afflicted, where He rose to heaven, where the angel Gabriel’s handprints remain. This, in short, is where bloodbaths begin.”
While no easy subject to tackle as a researcher, Stern does a fine job at trying to uncover, analyze, and synthesize the elements to the equation of how anyone gets religiously radicalized to do violence upon others, be them Christian, Hindu, Muslim, or Jewish. Abstractions are for media pundits and the ignorant, and while Occam's razor would easily point to the simplistic dichotomy of a noble "us" versus the abhorrent, finger-pointed "them," the real answers to any human behaviors are typically Byzantine, but decipherable when examined with enough care and objectivity. I feel that Stern does this here, more as a sociologist than as a psychologist, which is just fine for this chosen research thesis. I'm sure there are other works that look more closely at the psychology of radicalization, be it religious, political, blind nationalism, or even stupid sports fanaticism. If you know of any, please drop a comment below. This is truly fascinating subject matter, one that impacts the species deeply throughout recorded history.
“Religious terrorism arises from pain and loss and from impatience with a God who is slow to respond to our plight, who doesn’t answer. Its converts often long for a simpler time, when right and wrong were clear, when there were heroes and martyrs, when the story was simple, when the neighborhood was small, when we knew one another. When the outside world, with its vulgar cosmopolitanism, didn’t humiliate us or threaten our children. When we did not envy these others or even know about them. It is about finding a clear purpose in a confusing world with too many choices. It is about purifying the world. The way forward is clear: kill or be killed. Kill and be rewarded in heaven. Kill and the Messiah will come. It is about seeing the world in black and white. About projecting all one’s fears and inadequacies on the Other. Why is my life not going as well as it should? The answer is America. The answer is affirmative action. The answer is the Jews. The answer is the Dome of the Rock. A devilish cabal controls the banking system and the press through globalization and world government, through the Council on Foreign Relations, or the Arab oil sheiks. My people are in the majority. This is the temple’s wall. The wall where his horse stood tied. It is clear from the Bible that this land is legitimately ours. Archaeologists show. History proves. My ancestors’ bones. My people are suffering. Without this piece of land or this temple, I am not whole. My people are not whole. We are spiritually dead. We are dry bones cast about the earth. This is where our Messiah will rule. This is where our prophets walked. This is the furthermost place of his nocturnal ride, where miracles happened, where He made us the chosen people, where loaves became fishes, where He comforted the afflicted, where He rose to heaven, where the angel Gabriel’s handprints remain. This, in short, is where bloodbaths begin.”
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