How Many Virgins?

In the aftermath of 9/11 I first heard this. Those kids were offered a certain number of virgins in heaven, I assumed that they were eager to deflower them as soon as they got there.

Today I heard that those kids are offered the virgins here on this Earth, not in Heaven. Also motorcycles and other perks. Of course they get their pay before dying; I assume though, that whatever they have to do is as dangerous as what those other men did.

Then it hit me. The kids in Ciudad Juárez join gangs under the same premise, as you can read in Bolaño's novel, 2666. Colombia, Pakistan, and on and on; finally I have a theory of global jihad. Those young men are denied their right to leave descendants on this Earth. Genghis Khan left many pregnant women. Since the beginning of time, armies raped and pillaged.

There is nothing new under the sun.