As to your latest tagline, I've always thought of the 72 virgins as the torture the Islamic martyrs will receive because a virgin who is truly dedicated to God won't give it up to anyone. They have God and He has them.
>> I've always thought of the 72 virgins as the torture the Islamic martyrs will receive because a virgin who is truly dedicated to God won't give it up to anyone.
:-)
Hey, if they do give up their virginity, the next thing you know, our poor martyr will be out cleaning the garage.
On a slightly more serious note, Jesus was a Rabbi -- a holy man. Mohammed was a conqueror -- a military man. Where Jesus was the Good Shepherd, Mohammed mixed religion with militarism to hurl thunderbolts at his foes and to keep his own people in line. Those 72 houris, none too well translated as "virgins," were a recruiting advertisement. "Join my army, lads, and if you happen to get slain on the battlefield, lo!, Allah will fix you up with enough chicks to satisfy even a randy dog like you!"
By his own boast in the Koran, Mohammed would have needed 2,880 of those virgins to keep himself satisfied. The man had onions, no doubt about it.