Dying for Heaven: Holy Pleasure and Suicide Bombers—Why the Best Qualities of Religion Are Also Its Most Dangerous

In Dying for Heaven, Georgetown scholar and advisor to the defense community Ariel Glucklich explains the religious motivation of terrorism. This provocative work of political science argues that the very best qualities of religion—its ability to make people feel good and bring them together—are in fact its most dangerous. Glucklich, author of Sacred Pain and Climbing Chamundi Hill, offers a new understanding of religion and provides a vision for preventing further religiously-inspired violence.

Why do the best qualities of religion—spiritual love, communal joy, and the promise of heaven—so often lead to the worst outcomes?

• The Psychology of Pleasure: Explore the science of hedonics and discover how religion evolved to control natural pleasures—from sex and food to money—and transform them into powerful social tools.
• The Martyr’s Theater: An unflinching analysis of what motivates self-sacrifice, from the historic roots of martyrdom to the surprising joy that can be found in self-annihilation.
• The Paradise Paradox: Uncover why the promise of a blissful afterlife can make believers less happy in the present and more willing to embrace violence for a future reward.
• Geopolitical Stakes: Apply these insights to the world's most dangerous flashpoints, analyzing whether nuclear deterrence can work in a high-stakes 'game of chicken' with religiously-motivated states.

Religion and the Motivation Behind Terrorism

Dying for Heaven reveals a groundbreaking theory of religion andreligious destructiveness, providing the key for understanding thereligious drive to self-destruct, and offering a new vision forpreventing further religiously inspired violence.

“This brilliant and gracefully written study sheds new light on religious behavior-including perplexing acts of suicide on behalf of a religious cause. Ariel Glucklich comes to the arresting conclusion that it is pleasure rather than the threat of punishment that compels religious actions, and what binds together communities of faith is the joy of altruistic service. Rich with examples and scholarly detail, this study should be read by policymakers, social scientists, and anyone fascinated with what lies behind the awesome power of religious faith.” - Mark Juergensmeyer, author of Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence

“This brilliant and gracefully written study sheds new light on religious behavior . . . Rich with examples and scholarly detail, this study should be read by policymakers, social scientists, and anyone fascinated with what lies behind the awesome power of religious faith.” - Mark Juergensmeyer, author of Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence

“A new and major treatise on what it takes to become a suicide bomber and what it takes to counter it. Glucklich combines religion, terrorism, hope and despair in a breathtaking and highly readable manner.” - Ahmed Rashid, author of Taliban and Jihad

“Ariel Glucklich’s Dying for Heaven offers a provocative explanation of religion and terrorism based on a Darwinian approach. Although not all readers will embrace this analysis, it provides absorbing food for thought and a surprisingly attractive solution for the problem it addresses.” - Carl W. Ernst, the William R. Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

“An important and enlightening book for a dangerous age.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Extremely well written, and at times quite funny, 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.” - Library Journal

“In his new book Dying for Heaven, Georgetown University religion professor Ariel Glucklich describes the religious, social and psychological motivations behind this disturbing phenomenon, the frightening ways it could affect the future of nuclear warfare and some surprising tactics to curb its growing influence.” - Time magazine

In Dying for Heaven, Ariel Glucklich argues against the misconception that religious terrorists fight their enemies out of hatred. Rather, it is the positive aspects of religion that inspire the most heinous actions. - Washington Post.com

“[Dying for Heaven] is more than 300 pages of gripping analysis about the inner motivations—the high-octane rocket fuel—within religion.” - Read the Spirit.com