Some modern American Christians, particularly adherents of the Prosperity Gospel, believe that if they are devout, Jesus Christ will help them with everyday problems. They believe faith can solve issues like alcoholism, lead to business success, and help maintain family cohesion (“a family that prays together, stays together”).
For these fundamentalist Christians, Jesus Christ is viewed as a practical solution, a figure to whom they can turn for absolutely every problem.
Fundamentalist interpretations of Islam differ. Just as early Christians did, fundamentalist Muslims often emphasize that it is not the current, earthly life that counts, but the afterlife, especially for those who die as martyrs in the fight against the enemies of their faith.
According to certain literalist interpretations of Hadith literature, martyrs will enter paradise and be rewarded with heavenly companions (*houris*). However, it is factually incorrect to claim this is the definitive hallmark of the Islamic paradise, as mainstream Islamic theology emphasizes spiritual fulfillment and the presence of God over purely physical rewards.
Extremist recruiters exploit these literalist beliefs to motivate young men to become suicide bombers. If their ideological commitment is strong enough, they may carry out attacks believing they are transitioning to the heavenly rewards promised in scripture, with nothing to be afraid of.
Some critics argue that Western policies of the new millennium wrongly assume that allowing Muslims to establish conservative Islamic societies will mitigate extremism. However, sociological studies show that radicalization is driven by a complex mix of political, economic, and social grievances. While it is true that 15 of the 19 September 11 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia, attributing terrorism solely to religious strictness ignores the vast majority of peaceful citizens in strict countries and the geopolitical factors that actually drive extremism.
From this secular perspective, the proposed solution to extremism is not religious tolerance, but rather educating the public to view religions as ideological constructs that distract from secular life, rather than objective truths.