…for your beleifs?
Lots of people like jews have died because they stuck up for their gods and religions.
in the christian bible, people come back to life when they die loyaly, but real life it doesnt happen. if people came into your school with guns killing all your friends who beleived in your religion (this actually happened) would you stick up for your religion, even if it meant dying? It's easy to say yes, but do you really mean it?

this is a song about cassie, who died because of her religion
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgpHF4zOGnI&feature=related

If a religious nut points a gun and asks if I believe in God, I say “Praise the LORD!”

That's not cowardice, that's common sense.

When in danger, use your brains and choose safety, unless there's a REALLY good reason not to. Those survival instincts are built into even the smallest mammals.

I would like to say that my answer would be Yes. and many times in the face of death my thoughts turned to my religion. But in a situation where i had a choice in this death, i don't know how i would answer.

Die for atheism?

I don't know if it works that way.

I Am The 1337 Master
Die for atheism?

I don't know if it works that way.

Praise Almighty Science!

Eh, I wouldn't, mostly beacuse I don't have any beleifs.

Die for religion? hell no that would be idiotic.

If I believed that by dying something good or remarkable would come it… too broad a question but ultimately I want to live, I enjoy it and want to keep doing it.
As for dying for atheism, no it doesn't work that way, atheism isn't a belief but a lack of belief. that said many people have died for atheism, just not through choice.

Genejoke
As for dying for atheism, no it doesn't work that way, atheism isn't a belief but a lack of belief. that said many people have died for atheism, just not through choice.

psst!!!

GENEJOKE!!!

PSSST!!!

…I was being sarcastic!!!


:P :)

I wanted to run with it regardless.

For my religious beliefs, no.

For other beliefs, I hope I could. I think of those horrible stories out of Rwanda where family members are forced to abuse, maim, rape, kill neighbors and family members at gun point. I really want to believe that I would prefer death. I think that's true of me, but you don't know until you're a gun point, do you?

As far as being a martyr for my beliefs — no! In that case, it's far more courageous (and important) to live.

ayesinback
For other beliefs, I hope I could. I think of those horrible stories out of Rwanda where family members are forced to abuse, maim, rape, kill neighbors and family members at gun point. I really want to believe that I would prefer death. I think that's true of me, but you don't know until you're a gun point, do you?

I find this to be an insightful look at this topic.

No, I wouldn't. I'm pretty content to let people believe whatever they like about me, regardless of what the truth of the matter is. Particularly about what beliefs I hold. It's much more difficult to extinguish the unknown.

Yes.

But I dont have a religion. Religion is man-made. Spirituality IS. Jesus himself was very anti-religion. See how he constantly rebuked the Pharisees? He had alot of bravery whether or not you believe he is the son of God.

Alot of people these days seem to be in a state of hypnosis. Their thoughts arent their thoughts anymore that its embarrassing. Everyone's going along to get along. Individuality is constantly disappearing as we are all made to conform like a herd of sheep. For fear of being ridiculed or rejected. All boiling down to because you care about what the others will say. When your self esteem is based upon other people's opinions of you, you are a pussycat.

Regardless if I agree or disagree with your beliefs, I cannot help but have high respect for you if you are willing to die for them (in the sense of facing persecution with your head held up high. Not like those jihad suicide bomber types).

/end rant

I'd be willing to die for my beliefs if I was able to return fire and make them die for their beliefs.

As Patton said it isn't about dying for your country but making the other poor dumb bastard die for his.

I've suffered a lot for my beliefs, was proven right in the end and sometimes even changed stuff. I have an uncanny knack for survival.

Otherwise I'm passive/aggressive. Sure I'll go along with you if you're going to kill me, but once I get a chance to strike back? You're going down. And I know it takes a lot to kill me because I've been in a pool of my own blood and other hopeless situations and my day will come and I'm patient.

Only crazy people and historical Saints die for their beliefs, -as individuals.
Not necessarily mutually exclusive categories.

People generally aren't crazy though, but we are massively social, pack-creatures by evolution. It's MUCH easier for people to “die for their beliefs” when they're doing it at the same time as a bunch of other people. -Whatever those beliefs are at the time… some common goal or whatever.

So… most people's answers would change depending on the right social context. They just don't know it yet :)

Somehow I don't think the Flying Spaghetti Monster would like it.
Yes, I'm one of those people down as Pastafarian on the latest England census.

However it depends on what you mean by belief. You can believe in a lot of things. I am pro choice, euthanasia and anti-death penalty. I probably wouldn't die for them considering there are much more societally beneficial but slower ways of doing the same.
If I dropped down dead and every government in the world allowed gay marriage it would be pretty stupid.

ozoneocean
Only crazy people and historical Saints die for their beliefs, -as individuals.
Not necessarily mutually exclusive categories.

The thread's based on this story, right?

I'd lie if it'd offer an increased chance of survival, but my personal beliefs likely make no difference to someone who's intent on shooting me anyway. If they respected my personal beliefs and this would make a difference, I could just share with them my extraordinarily strong personal belief in not getting shot and dying.

Sorry. Can't die for my beliefs by choice. Especially the one belief that as long as you're alive you can change the world on one way or another.

If a gun was pointed at me with the guy behind it desiring to shove his beliefs down my throat I'd probably distract him somehow, then either flee or fight (if there's nowhere else to run). :)

Sayomi
Lots of people like jews have died because they stuck up for their gods and religions.

I'm probably the only one cracking up at that, aren't I?

To answer the original question, yes. I would die for my core beliefs. However, I'm not sold on the idea that being martyred for a belief constitutes insanity or saintdom as I'm fairly confident I'm not lumped in with either of those.

The underlying presumption in the “well that's just idiotic” argument is that I'm trying to make a difference by dying for what I believe in. The logic is this: dying for what you believe will possibly make a difference, but living to see another day and using your life to further your beliefs is almost garunteed to have more of an impact on the world.

To use the previously mentioned “gun to the head” scenario: I would not deny my faith to spare myself the bullet. This isn't from some philanthropic need to usher in change through a noble death. I believe in a God who states, “If you deny me before men, I will deny you before the Father.”

In essence, I'm not out to “make a difference” with my death. I simply believe something that claims devotion (even unto death) is the only acceptable form of devotion there is. I believe this and would follow it through to it's logical end. I fear the judgement of God more than I fear man. (I have heard the argument that any institute of religion is a controlled form of insanity, and I'm not sold on that one either.)



I'm actually interested in everyone's estimation of what it means to be a martyr. We've heard the “gun to the head” definition of martyrdom, and this certainly qualifies. But what about murder on the basis of beliefs. Was Ghandi an indirect martyr by definition? What about Abraham Lincoln? Martin Luther King Jr.?

Interested on your thoughts.

I really don't have any beliefs strong enough to die for. Would I die trying to save a loved one? Hell yes. Would I die trying to save a not so loved one? Hell no, I'd run like hell.

This is a difficult question. The true answer is one doesn't really know how they'd react in such a situation.

People have stood up to murderers over small, insignificant things as well.

I don't think that God is “testing” anyone to see if they will stand up for their beliefs by having a murderer put a gun to their face. At least, I hope not. There are things, such as people, that I would probably give my life for. However, I'd hope God would be forgiving if I didn't stand up once for my religion with a gun in my face.

I would not die (or do anything remotely significant) for religion. I look on current organized religion the same way I look on ancient religions – as interesting mythologies, which may have wise and interesting things to say. I don't know if there's a God, but I don't think any true God would be the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God, just like it wouldn't be the Greek-Roman Gods, or the Norse Gods, or the Zoroastrian God, or whoever.