[link|http://www.israelnationalnews.com/article.php3?id=603&PHPSESSID=c2c32b018a107344404e1a8f6b56bd0f|An Egyptian intellectuals' take on the subject]

Excerpt:

Al-Naggar\ufffds article provides an insight into the Moslem view of the non-Moslem prioritizing of life over other values when he writes that they \ufffdprotect their [own] lives, as criminals do\ufffd or \ufffdlike a miser protects his money.\ufffd As explained by al-Naggar, it is a trait that is condemned by the Quran: \ufffd[Allah] has already said about them: \ufffdYou will find that they are the people who protect their [own] life more than anyone else.\ufffd In this verse, the term \ufffdlife\ufffd is given without the definite article, to indicate that they protect all kinds of life, even if it be a life of humiliation and misery.\ufffd It is, accordingly, disgraceful that \ufffdwhat is important as far as they are concerned is to live, even if their fate is a humiliating life, being kicked or whipped on their backsides.\ufffd

In contrast, the Moslems do not fear death, but welcome it, according to the author, especially when is in the context of Jihad. In that case, it is \ufffd\ufffda profitable bargain, selling their lives to Allah\ufffd in exchange for eternal paradise in the hereafter. Indeed, writes al-Naggar, Moslems \ufffddo not fear the enemy\ufffd and do not protect their lives, [because] Allah has promised them one of two good things: victory or martyrdom. Each of these is a great hope...\ufffd Whereas non-believers \ufffd\ufffddo not enter into battles seeking martyrdom [and] do not act in order [to attain] martyrdom,\ufffd Moslems do such things and \ufffd[t]his is the secret of the believers\ufffd victory over their enemies.\ufffd

However, al-Naggar does recognize a side-benefit to the infidel obsession with life: \ufffd\ufffdtheir protection of their life has become an incentive for them to bolster their status by means of science and inventions. They have explored all means of defending their lives\ufffd\ufffd This scientific advancement allows the enemies of Islam to \ufffdimpose their inferior ideas on humanity through force of arms\ufffd\ufffd Unfortunately, writes al-Naggar, \ufffd\ufffdthe men of truth have been negligent; they have not excelled at science and have not explored means that will guarantee their triumph in their struggle against men of falsehood.\ufffd

I say:

It's well and good to be mindful that we will all die someday, like it or not, and to try to live our lives for some greater purpose. But we must be selective of just what we sell our souls to. That life is finite makes it precious, not cheap.

A god that denigrates human life as such is not a god to be trusted.