What makes a martyr?

By Sam Redd
Buffalo High School

The definition of a martyr is different for all religions and people. A general definition, though, is a person who dies because of his or her faith. All throughout history, people have become martyrs for their faith and views.

Perhaps some of the most well-known martyr stories come from the Christian faith. Luke 17:33 in the King James Bible says, “Whoever seeks his life shall lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.” Christianity is, in essence, founded on the single, ultimate act of martyrdom.

St. Stephen, the first recorded martyr, was stoned to death by a crowd for preaching in the name of God. Six of Jesus’ disciples were crucified for teaching his words. In ancient Rome, people were martyred daily, suffering cruel deaths or exile.

More recently, two of the 13 victims of the Columbine High School shooting — Rachael Scott and Cassie Bernall — were Christian martyrs. While it is in question whether or not the words “Yes, I do believe in God” were uttered during this horrible act, the victims nonetheless took a brave stand.

“I think martyrs are very heroic for standing up for what they believe in when nobody else will,” said Buffalo sophomore Kaitlyn Scott.

Jews accept a broader view on martyrdom. They believe if a person dies in a struggle or seeks and causes his or her own death as a final act for God, they are considered a martyr. Martyrdom in Judaism is referred to by the Hebrew phrase “Kiddush Hashem” which means sanctification in God’s name.

Sophomore Frankie Carte said, “I’m not saying that everyone should go out and die for their faith because they think it guarantees them a reward, but if it is what they believe, we have to respect that.”

Freshman Matt Moore agrees. “Everyone has their own set of beliefs. If people believe they should go out on ‘missions’ from their God and end up dying, I suppose that’s alright. I have to say that anyone who would die for their beliefs, no matter what their beliefs are, should be honored because it takes a lot of courage.”

The Islamic term for martyrdom is “shahada,” and it appears several times in the Quran. It means to “see, witness or become a model of.” Muslims believe that prophets and martyrs are closely related and recognize them both as guides.

In the year 624, 14 Muslims were martyred in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet Muhammad and 313 of his companions defeated 1,000 more heavily armed polythiests in this battle, which Muslims believe established Islam as the one true religion. Muslims also believe that martyrs are rewarded with a rich paradise after death.

“If you die for your beliefs, then that would put a better view on them and show how you view your own religion,” said freshman Aaron Hayes.

In World War II, the Japanese used martyrdom as a type of warfare through the creation of kamikaze squads. Pilots were specifically trained in airborne attack and would deliberately crash their planes into enemy ships — causing great damage but dying in the process.

“Martyrs are heroic because it takes someone true to be able to take a stand when everyone else backs down. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to be a martyr,” said senior Sarah Litton. “If I were ever caught in that kind of situation, I would like to think I would take a stand for what I believe in.”

Every day people take a stand for their beliefs. And whether you believe martyrs are heroes or just people who are confident in what they stand for, they will continue to exist as long as people continue to take a stand for their beliefs.

Interested? Here is some reading material for you.

• "Jesus Freaks" and "Jesus Freaks, Volume 2" by dc Talk

• “Rachel's Tears: The Spiritual Journey of Columbine Martyr Rachael Scott" by Beth Nimmo, Darrell Scott and Steve Rabey

• "She Said Yes: The Unlikely Martyrdom of Cassie Bernall" by Misty Bernall