Fd ski, LOL, you are a master of obfuscation. I don't know if you do this on purpose or not, but I'll try to respond to something that you have thouroughly mixed up and/or confused with several other's comments.
"I recommend reading of Old Testament again. It is filled with all sorts of horrible deeds which are just as bad as what we see today. - Fd ski
I never read, or claimed to have read the Old Testament. I concede that it may contain text that describes horrible deeds. I don't understand what your point might be.
"Killing in the name of God has never been exclusive to one religion, and chistianity thoughout the history has proven to be just as murderous as Islam.
Interesting study of habits of Islam conquerers in southern europe as compared to Christian ones has been published while back. They seem to have been much more tolerant to other religions ( including Jews !!! ) and far better behaved to local populace." - Fd ski
This may well be true. (I never commented on these issues at all.)
"As for quoting passages of Koran proving premissability of murderer, we can also do same with bible.
Problem is not with text but with the interpretation." - Fd ski
I absolutely agree. Certain passages have been interpreted by extremists as permitting murder of innocents. I thought my post was clear that I don't think all Islamic believers are extremists.
"You take few whackos of Bin Laden's type, who just Islam to their own ends, and use that as a standard rule to measure the whole culture.
In that case we should judge whole christian world in prizm of Pat Robertson ? It's quite idiotic, don't you think ?" - Fd ski
In my post I stated, " My personal doctor, Saleem Haq, is Islamic. I need to make it clear that I don't believe that the majority of those believers are militant extremists. Especially in our culture. Are you confusing me with someone else?
"Returning to original conversation:
If bravery is depended on what is on the other side for the "brave" person, then anyone who believes in post mortern life, is disqualified. - Fd ski
I strongly disagree.
As far as I'm concerned, the quality of bravery arises in a circumstance in which the subject feels very strong fear, but for the sake of an ideal larger than himself, resolves to persevere in the face of grave danger, death and/or other horrible personal consequence. (IMHO)
I believe that cultural brainwashing can mitigate the degree of fear that is felt, no matter what culture the subject is from. Without feeling fear, a person cannot be brave. Less fear = Less bravery in the above case.
But consider the person who believes in an afterlife, (post mortem life in your example) and who also believes that commiting suicide is a sin against God. If that person hijacks an airliner to kill innocent people and himself, believing that he is going straight to hell for eternal punishment for his act, I submit to you that he is brave.
I also believe "bravery" is a continuum. There are degrees of "bravery". I stated, "I'm not saying that fear doesn't exist in terrorists, and that the resolve to overcome that fear isn't exhibited by some of them. I'm saying its pretty simplistic to characterise terrorists as "brave."
I stand by that.
However, the semantics are not important. I still think Ted Turner is a jerk for saying what he did with total insensitivity to the survivors of 911.