Muslims Say "Samson" was the first suicide bomber

answering christianity ^ | 07/11/05 | osama abdullah

[ElisabethInCincy]

The story of the Mighty Samson:

"Self sacrifice" and giving your life away intentionally and taking as many enemy lives with you as possible for the sake of GOD Almighty and your people exists in the Bible. Let us look at the story of the Mighty Samson in the Bible:

"Samson said to the servant who held his hand, "Put me where I can feel the pillars that support the temple, so that I may lean against them." Now the temple was crowded with men and women; all the rulers of the Philistines were there, and on the roof were about three thousand men and women watching Samson perform. Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O Sovereign LORD , remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood. Bracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other, Samson said, "Let me die with the Philistines!" Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people in it. Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. (From the NIV Bible, Judges 16:26-30)"

Note: I called him "Mighty Samson" because he was extremely powerful. He was far much more stronger than all men in his time.

As we clearly see from the Bible, Samson gave his life for his people by killing as much from the enemy as possible.

Samson prayed to GOD to give him back his power (Samson lost his power after the seven braids of his hair were shaven by Delilah and her people while he was sleeping, Judges 16:1-20), and GOD Almighty granted him that revoked power back. Samson then was able to bring the temple down upon him and his enemies.

Question was raised to me: I was asked to show a proof that GOD Almighty approved of Samson's suicide that killed himself and his enemies. Well, GOD Almighty apparently knew what Samson was up to and thus He decided to grant him his revoked power back to enable him to kill himself and his enemies. So therefore, GOD Almighty did approve of Samson's action. Otherwise, why would GOD give back Samson his power after revoking it from him? And didn't He know about Samson's plan and intentions of suicide?

Another Question raised to me: I was asked to show from the Bible where did GOD Almighty indeed grant Samson his power back so he can commit suicide in the intention of taking his enemies with him. Well, let us read Judges 16:19-22:

"Having put him to sleep on her lap, she called a man to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Then she called, "Samson, the Philistines are upon you!" He awoke from his sleep and thought, "I'll go out as before and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had left him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison. But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved. (From the NIV Bible, Judges 16:19-22)"

Now let us read Judges 16:28:

"Then Samson prayed to the LORD, "O Sovereign LORD , remember me. O God, please strengthen me just once more, and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes." (From the NIV Bible, Judges 16:28)"

Here we see that GOD Almighty apparently gave Samson the chance to get his power back through growing his hair back. GOD Almighty wanted for Samson to take his own life and the life of his enemies with him. He willed for him to die this way. He could've simply willed for Samson to die on the spot after his enemies gouged his eyes for him. But no, instead, GOD Almighty decided for Samson to die while enabling him to take as many pagan Philistines with him as possible.

GOD in the Bible actually makes the point very clear: "Thus he killed many more when he died than while he lived. (From the NIV Bible, Judges 16:30)"

My challenge to all Jews and Christians: Show me in the Bible where GOD Almighty condemned the actions of Samson.

So to all of those hypocrites from Jewish and Christian Rabies and Ministers who call the Palestinian Suicide Martyrs as "Homicide Bombers", how are the Palestinians today different from what Samson did before?

I was just in a huge debate about this.. Wanted to get some freepers refuations of this also Thanks

[ladyinred]

Well, seems to me lightening should be striking this idiot any minute now! :-0

[spunkets]

Hey Osama! Sampson didn't sneak around and kill innocent people to terrorize the villagers.

This Osama guy's a perverted moron.

[null and void]

Interesting that an Arab Muslim would use this argument. Samson's victims were Philistines, i.e., Palestinians.

Bingo...

[lonestar67]

The heart of this question is why is Samson unlike Palestinian suicide bombers:

1. Samson was Jewish. The text affirmed here takes the side of Jewish tradition not Koranic tradition.

2. Israel allows Palestinians to live within its borders. No comparable right exists within Palestine.

3. Egypt, Syria, and Lebannon all control lands that are arguably Palestinian. There are no international or Palestinian demands to give up that land or face suicide bombings. Palestinian suicide bombers are engaged in a purely arbitrary rage of anti-semitism. The occupiers are "evil" only because they are Jewish.

4. Samson has been mistreated. He was not the recipient of 3 billion dollars in aid (see G8 summit for more details).

5. Christianity fairly easily distinguishes these claims based on Jesus' admonition to turn the other cheek and his refusal to use the sword for his Father's kingdom. I would be happy to elaborate but the web site seems to concede this.

6. Actually, you are somewhat correct. The Jewish tradition does not per se condemn this. This largely explains why you are getting your rear end kicked around the Middle East by the Jews. If you think they will let you blow up their buses like the British do, you may want to consult this clever hermenutic you have selectively built for yourself more closely. The Jews can hit back while Christians are more limited.

I will pause there.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Git 'er done!

[solzhenitsyn]

"'Palestinians' are Arabs, they are not descendants of the ancient Aegean people the Philistines. Why would you think they are, because both names start with a P?"

Because both names start with a "P"?! Oh, please!

"Palestine: From L. Palestina (name of a Roman province), from Gk. Palaistine (Herodotus), from Heb. Pelesheth "Philistia, land of the Philistines." Revived as a political territorial name 1920." -- Online Etymology Dictionary
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=palestine&searchmode=none

[Arioch7]

Old Testament= Yes.

New Testament= No.

[Echo Talon]

Well, GOD Almighty apparently knew what Samson was up to and thus He decided to grant him his revoked power back to enable him to kill himself and his enemies.

The Lord gave us free will, replacing his power only let him cary out his free will, in no way does it show support for what he did.

[jwh_Denver]

First of all you'll never understand the Scriptures you quoted or get your questioned answered until you understand this first:

Jdg 13:5 ............... for the child shall be a Nazirite unto God from the womb: and he shall begin to save Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.

Israel was occupied by the Philistines. God needed an army to run the Philistines out of Israel but He only had Samson. So God gave him mighty strength but only upon God's command would that strength be exerted.

2nd thing to understand:

Jdg 14:4 But his father and his mother knew not that it was of Jehovah; for he sought an occasion against the Philistines. Now at that time the Philistines had rule over Israel.

Sampson sought an occasion to fight the Philistines but when you read Samson's story he only killed the ones who tried to mess with him. They harassed his first wife to get the answer to the riddle, etc. All the things he did to the Philistines they deserved. Deliah harangued and harassed him to tell her the secret of his strength so she could tell the Philistines. He just wore out and told her the answer. Once his head was shaved the Lord left him, meaning God's strength was no longer in him. But when his hair grew back and he prayed to God to once more give him mighty strength God did. God did not like the Philistines occupying Israel so He allowed the rulers and lords to be killed.

[Sabramerican]

The Romans, after the final Jewish revolt, destroyed what was left of Judea, ancient Israel, expelled the Jews and renamed the area- as an insult- after the Jews' ancient long extinct enemies, the Philistines.

This all, by the way, decades after the time of Jesus. I mention that because I often read and hear in documentaries of Jesus "in Palestine". Its a anti-Israel bias.

For the next almost two thousand years, the only people on Earth who were ever called Palestinians were Jews. My father, and many generations before him were born Palestinians.

Arabs were Arabs or in some cases they were called Palestinian Arabs (as a modifier). Never was an Arab referred to as a Palestinian.

That all changed after 1948, when the Arabs- as propaganda- with the Jews now calling themselves Israelis, the Arabs in that area started calling themselves Palestinians. That really took off after the 1967 war.

There is no relationship between today's "Palestinians" and the ancient Philistines.

[LachlanMinnesota]

I don't much about a lot, but there were these books in the Bible I was told about called the new testament...I think there is something in there about forgiveness and "turning the other cheek." If the old testament is the only criteria, then "an eye for an eye" is appropriate.

WHo took out the first eye?

[WKB]

Just for the record the Bible is pretty clear on where Samsom got his power :>)

Judg. 14: 5 Samson went down to Timnah together with his father and mother. As they approached the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion came roaring toward him.
6 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power so that he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he told neither his father nor his mother what he had done.
7 Then he went down and talked with the woman, and he liked her.

Judg. 15:14 As he approached Lehi, the Philistines came toward him shouting. The Spirit of the LORD came upon him in power The ropes on his arms became like charred flax, and the bindings dropped from his hands. 15
Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.
16 Then Samson said, “With a donkey’s jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey’s jawbone I have killed a thousand men.”

[Ma3lst0rm]

Samson was a prisoner of his enemy, he was beaten and blind. He called on God and God gave him the power to strike his enemies in death. Whether one believes the story or not the story of Samson has no corollary in suicide bombing which has at its core cowardice of the highest order. The difference is clear when one considers the difference between a beaten prisoner taking the lives of those who imprison him and a man who takes a bomb into a public square not to attack those who have oppressed him but to attack those who are defenseless against him. Those who can not see the distinction have a purposeful comprehension problem.

[Sabramerican]

Explain this to me.

A Google search: Jesus in Palestine

Then compare historical dates: Year 135- Emperor Aelius Hadrian decides to build in Jerusalem the temple to Jupiter Capitolinus, and rename the city as Aelia Capitolina. This triggers the revolt of Shimon Bar Kohba. Jerusalem razed; population deported; Judea renamed into Syria Palestina. Diaspora.

Jesus, in his time, would never have heard of "Palestine". Why all the references to Jesus and Palestine?

[unlearner]

Samson was empowered by the God of Israel. The Philistine's mockery of Sampson was really a mockery of God. They were in Dagon's temple engaged in idolatrous celebration while mocking the God of the Jews.

Samson death is not a normative condition. His circumstances were arranged by God not a terrorist organization. God even made the final decision because Samson (and no other man for that matter) could not have brought the building down without God giving him the power.

To make this a normative condition would be like making Abraham's offering his son on the altar to mean we should practice human sacrifice.

God can do whatever He wants in His sovereignty. My question for these Muslims would be why their God will not do His own fighting? He fought for Israel in the Bible - even in the life and death of Samson.

[tang-soo]

Interesting that an Arab Muslim would use this argument. Samson's victims were Philistines, i.e., Palestinians.

Not True. There is no such thing as a Palistinian. THere is no Palistinian language, art, history, literature ... etc. The term Palistine can from 1st century Rome. When Israel rebelled against Rome, the local governor is said to have asked his staff to identify Israel's biggest enemy throughtout the ages. The answer, 'the Phillistines'. So he forced Judea to be renamed Phillistia - 'Land of the Phillistines'.

What's important about this argument is that while the Phillistines WERE a people-group (thought to be from Greece or Macadonia), the people who today call themselves Palistinian's are Arabs who have hijacked the name.

During the late 1800's, everyone (including Jews) that lived in that area called themselves Palistinians. Even the Jewish newspaper was named the 'Palistinian Post'. It wasn't until the 1960's with the aid of some Madison Ave. (in the words of Dave Berry, I'm not making this up), Arafat took on the name Palistianian in a failed attempt to establish an ancient heritage to the land. In other words, today's Hamas whackos have NO biological ties to the Philistines.

Sorry to sound like I'm ranting, I'm not, just want to claify a myth that's been out there for many years.

[Logophile]

I was asked to show a proof that GOD Almighty approved of Samson's suicide that killed himself and his enemies. Well, GOD Almighty apparently knew what Samson was up to and thus He decided to grant him his revoked power back to enable him to kill himself and his enemies. So therefore, GOD Almighty did approve of Samson's action. Otherwise, why would GOD give back Samson his power after revoking it from him? And didn't He know about Samson's plan and intentions of suicide?

God answered Samson's prayer and gave him the strength to do what he did. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that God approved the action.

However, it would be extremely unwise to conclude that God therefore approves of every act of suicide or homicide that has since been committed in the world.

Muslim terrorists talk a lot about God, and they at least pretend to pray. However, they cannot point to Samson to justify their actions because those actions do not rely on God's power. God does not miraculously create an explosive belt and place it on a suicide bomber with the instruction, "Go kill yourself and some of my chosen people."

[Hot Tabasco]

And Delilah was a member of the Little Rascals.....oops, maybe it was Darla.

[Ditto]

Sampson was a prisoner who had alread been blinded by his enemies and was slated for death.

[sheik yerbouty]

The Philistines were originally Mycaneans. The Arab Muslim invasion of the area had not yet occurred.