Dying for heaven : holy pleasure and suicide bombers--why the best qualities of religion are also its most dangerous /

Glucklich (Georgetown Univ.) posits that pleasure is the motivation for religious action; on the face of it, this idea may not appear especially convincing. Readers should bear in mind, however, that Glucklich describes religionists who are dying for heaven, including suicide bombers, and develops the intriguing idea that the best qualities of religion are also its most dangerous, as noted in the subtitle. He theorizes that "religious happiness" is an "evolutionary product." Pleasure begets happiness, including the phenomenon of religion, which can result in physically destructive behavior. In evolutionary terms, religious qualities are not particularly problematic but presently, with suicide bombings and a religiously motivated nuclear arms race, they are. The book is of interest because the author counters the argument that terrorists act out of hatred and are dying for a next-worldly paradise and that religious extremism is irrational. Glucklich advances the idea that religiously destructive people believe they are motivated by love, are troubled by enemies within their societies, and seek acclaim in this world. He illuminatingly demonstrates that religion, as a mental construct, is just as much Osama bin Laden as it is Mother Theresa. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-level undergraduates and above; general readers. G. M. Smith Delaware County Community College

*Starred Review* In this provocative book, theologian Glucklich tries to understand one of the most unsettling and disturbing behavioral trends of our time. What makes suicide bombers tick? he asks. To answer, he examines the impetus behind religion (why be religious?) and explains what happens when religious feelings lead to self-destruction. Throughout, he maintains that it is crucial that society take religion seriously that is, to take a scientific approach to it and avoid oversimplification, especially when it comes to vilifying that which we don't understand. He notes that, with the possible exceptions of certain European countries, religious activity is on the rise around the world, a development he attributes to religion's tendencies not only to make people feel happier but to give them purpose and a sense of belonging. In a nutshell, Religion makes us feel good. Unfortunately, religious pleasure and spiritual devotion sometimes lead to bloodshed. So Glucklich discusses the destructive aspects of religion; that is, the various theories of the pleasure of group behavior and its consequences, and the surprisingly close linkage between heaven and violence. An important and enlightening book for a dangerous age.--Sawyers, June Copyright 2009 Booklist

With profound clarity, insight, and skill, Glucklich (Hinduism, Georgetown Univ.; Sacred Pain) enters into the fray of post-9/11 discourses on religion, reorienting the perceptions about suicide bombers that obtain mostly in the West by examining the social, psychological, and historical roles of pleasure. Moving away from an oft-perceived Islamic-West dualism, Glucklich probes the very nature of what it means to be religious and the attractiveness of becoming religious. In nine chapters, he digs into the role that such concepts as pleasure, happiness, humor, and ridicule play in the social and religious realities of our worlds (Islamic or not), complete with examples from Mozart to the KKK. Through his explorations, he successfully elucidates both the emotive and the visceral foundations of not only the suicide bomber but also our Western perceptions and reactions. Verdict Extremely well written, and at times quite funny (e.g., when Glucklich writes about humor), this book is an absolute necessity for a public seeking to understand religious nuance and zealotry; it deserves careful attention and a broad readership. Highly recommended.-Anthony J. Elia, JKM Lib., Chicago (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.