Seventy two virgins? I know when I was 19-22. My hormones raged and all I could think of was sex. Now, if you are deny yourself natural course of a young men's needs you have two options. 1) wield that enormous energy to great things create art, build a mountain. 2) Blow things up and self-destruct. I urge everyone to self examine religious fanaticism and self-denial for whatever purpose/religion (catholic, jew muslim) - it is a pressure cooked (no pun intended.)
I meant to say "pressure-cooker"....this morning (when posting) I was a little "busy"....nudge, budge, wink, wink....you know what I mean
Religious beliefs, and matters of life, death, annihilation or immortality are much deeper(pun intended) than this.
I do believe, but I do agree with the OP. I have a problem with the Catholic Priests not being married. I think it provided a haven for too many whackos and and it may have even caused some of the very serious problems. When you want some and you are not getting some it forces you to deal with things. Most people resolve the situation well... but not everyone. Religions which do not want us sleeping around should be promoting early marriage.
When reading the article of people who knew the older brother, he was described as "cocky" and a "man-of-the-house" type (i.e. - arrogant). It reminded me of the interview of a Florida pilot who met the 9-11 hijacker and described him the same way - an arrogant, in-your-face type. These are people who are egotists. They have some belief that they are better than others and will use whatever rationale they can to self-elevate themselves. In these cases, religion is their tool for self-aggrandizement and self-delusion. If not religion, it would be something else (birthright, whatever...) Think of it - they are, in their own delusion, saying "God wants these people dead, but He can't do it Himself, so I'm going to have to do it for Him." Arrogant to the point of Blasphemous - they elevate themselves into being their own version of God because, in their own view, God can't handle it. Make that Arrogant AND Ignorant....
Never met a jihadist (at least that I know of). I'm sure of the egotist pricks I've met, some were liberals. Though I'm sure it crosses a wide spectrum. Because an egotist is, by definition, first and foremost an egotist (because that's how that works ). Everything they call themselves after that is more like an incidental rider on the first part of being an egotist prick....
According to my homespun philosophy self-denial is dangerous. 2:1 times it will blow in your face...most catholics, who cannot marry are queers, very few are serious. Especially if someone takes up the religion in an early age. This by no means "explains" the Boston events in their entirety but my lense of the events.