Many terrorists of any ilk act in the name of an ideology, whether it be religious or political. They think they are doing their cause a favor by killing as many people as possible who don't believe in their cause or just happen to be in the way as they kill their targets.
Many think these terrorists should be executed if caught, with or without a trial, fair or otherwise. But this is just what some of them want – to be martyrs to their cause. An example is former Major Nidal Hassan who has been sentenced to death for shooting and killing thirteen people at Fort Hood. This probably won't happen and really shouldn't happen.
He probably won't be executed because the military hasn't executed any active military personnel for some time and the appeal process can take decades. He shouldn't be executed because this is just what he claimed to want – to be a martyr to his cause.
I don't think terrorists should be subjected to forced watching of similar crimes like that in Stanley Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange". I do think they should be subjected to repeated recitations of the non-violent portions of their beliefs. For example,
“O People of the Book! [Jews, Christians, Muslims] Come to what is common between us and you: That we worship none but God, that we associate no partners with Him, that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords other than Allah. If then they turn back, say: 'Bear witness that we are bowing to Allah’s will.'" From "The Qur'an and Tolerance of Christianity and Judaism", Islam Online.
The same kind of tolerance can be found in the Talmud and the Bible.
Narrow interpretations or even misinterpretations are found over and over again down through the centuries. Catholics killed Protestants and Jews. Protestants killed Catholics and Jews. Jews killed the worshippers of Ba'al. Christians killed Christians and Muslims in the Crusades. Muslims killed Christians and Muslims in the Crusades. Muslims seem to be killing more Muslims in these times than they are killing Christians. All this despite the fact that the text they hold in common states unequivocally "Thou shalt not kill"! It does not state "That shalt not kill any who believe as you do but thou mayest kill those who believe even slightly differently."
So, if terrorists are jailed and subjected to similar recitations, videos of their listening to these should be made widely available. If the terrorists wish to make any statements recanting their previous beliefs, then these statements should be widely circulated.
I know this is wishful thinking and probably won't happen. But those of us who believe that these three faiths (and others) have many tenets of generosity can avoid general statements of hate and counter those who do spew hate.
