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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social institutions > Death & dying
What should states do with the bodies of suicide bombers and other
jihadists who die while perpetrating terrorist attacks? This
original and unsettling book explores the host of ethical and
political questions raised by this dilemma, from (non-)
legitimisation of the 'enemy' and their cause to the
non-territorial identity of individuals who identified in life with
a global community of believers. Because states do not recognise
suicide bombers as enemy combatants, governments must decide
individually what to do with their remains. Riva Kastoryano offers
a window onto this challenging predicament through the responses of
the American, Spanish, British and French governments after the
Al-Qaeda suicide attacks in New York, Madrid and London, and
Islamic State's attacks on Paris in 2015. Interviewing officials,
religious and local leaders and jihadists' families, both in their
countries of origin and in the target nations, she has traced the
terrorists' travel history, discovering unexpected connections
between their itineraries and the handling of their burials. This
fascinating book reveals how states' approaches to a seemingly
practical issue are closely shaped by territory, culture,
globalisation and identity.
Before he runs out of time, Irish bon vivant MALACHY MCCOURT shares his
views on death - sometimes hilarious and often poignant - and on what will or
won't happen after his last breath is drawn.
During the course of his life, Malachy McCourt practically invented the single's bar;
was a pioneer in talk radio, a soap opera star, a best-selling author; a gold smuggler,
a political activist, and a candidate for governor of the state of New York.
It seems that the only two things he hasn't done are stick his head into a lion's mouth
and die. Since he is allergic to cats, he decided to write about the great hereafter and
answer the question on most minds: What's so great about it anyhow?
In Death Need Not Be Fatal, McCourt also trains a sober eye on the tragedies that
have shaped his life: the deaths of his sister and twin brothers; the real story behind
Angela's famous ashes; and a poignant account of the death of the man who left his
mother, brothers, and him to nearly die in squalor. McCourt writes with deep emotion
of the staggering losses of all three of his brothers, Frank, Mike, and Alphie. In his
inimitable way, McCourt takes the grim reaper by the lapels and shakes the truth out
of him.
As he rides the final blocks on his Rascal scooter, he looks too at the prospect of his
own demise with emotional clarity and insight. In this beautifully rendered memoir,
McCourt shows us how to live life to its fullest, how to grow old without acting old, and
how to die without regret.
Significant aspects of death and the afterlife continue to be
debated among evangelical Christians. In this NSBT volume Paul
Williamson surveys the perspectives of our contemporary culture and
the biblical world, and then highlights the traditional
understanding of the biblical teaching and the issues over which
evangelicals have become increasingly polarized. Subsequent
chapters explore the controversial areas: what happens immediately
after we die; bodily resurrection; a final, universal judgment; the
ultimate fate of those who do not receive God's approval on the
last day; and the biblical concept of an eschatological "heaven."
Taking care to understand the ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman
backgrounds, Williamson works through the most important Old and
New Testament passages. He demonstrates that there is considerable
exegetical support for the traditional evangelical understanding of
death and the afterlife, and raises questions about the basis for
the growing popularity of alternative understandings. Addressing
key issues in biblical theology, the works comprising New Studies
in Biblical Theology are creative attempts to help Christians
better understand their Bibles. The NSBT series is edited by D. A.
Carson, aiming to simultaneously instruct and to edify, to interact
with current scholarship and to point the way ahead.
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