Let's say as a good Christian you are going to heaven. That seems to be a pervasive belief, that heaven awaits good people who have been baptized and accepted Jesus as their one and only true personal savior.

Let's say you are in a battle for the survival of your community and/or religion. The only chance your family and friends have is if the maximum damage can be inflicted upon those who threaten your existence.

So, you volunteer for a mission from which you won't return. Not suicide in the sense of not being able to cope with life, but suicide in the sense that it's a dirty business and someone (from the point of view of your community) and someone has to do it. Suicide in the sense of one American patriot who said "I regret I have but one life to give my country."

Now, would $25,000 influence your decision to leave family and friends? Given a difference in standard of living would $250,000 do it? How about $2,500,000?

I don't think the money is any factor at all, myself. I think there's a community which feels imperiled, and those folks are doing what they can. Going to heaven is certainly an asset, though, but I doubt that drives people. The Western military has chaplains, and good, religious people, but I didn't see anyone raising their head any higher than they had to even knowing they would go to heaven.

Now, should they? NO. Would I do it? Might, if my neck of the woods was occupied. Would I let any of my kids? Nope, I'd do it first. Couldn't live with myself if one of them had done that when I could have, anyway.

But could you buy me? I don't think so. (Oh, you could, and cheap, too. I have lunch all the time with people with whom I'd rather not.) Not my life, though.

Arf