Issis| Islamic Radicals and Political Naivete and Denial
The world has watched in horror as Islamic radicals, members of the group known as Isis, have invaded Iraq. Their cruelty, their bloodthirsty actions are unbelievable. They message to the citizens of the tows they were either getting ready to invade, or that they had captured was, you either convert to Islam, or you die. Those who refused to convert have been horrendously beheaded, on film. And, staggeringly, Isis has killed infants and children.
Even other Muslim leaders have condemned the actions of Isis. They have, at least some of them, not objected at all to American airstrikes against Isis. They understand that Isis would destroy even them, for in the eyes of Isis, anyone that does not ascribe to their radical form of Islam is apostate. And in the Islamic religion, there is nothing worse than an apostate, someone not faithful to the violent version of Islam that they embrace.
Political observers around the world have decried the violence of Isis and its rapid expansion and conquest of huge parts of Iraq. Warnings have been sounded that if they are able to successfully establish a Caliphate– which is their goal, and control some of the major population, economic, military centers of Iraq, that they pose a very, very serious threat to the entire western world.
(Thanks to the Kurdish forces, now, in conjunction with American airstrikes (finally) the success of Isis has been somewhat stymied. We can only hope that the politicians will not discontinue that support, but provide all the necessary support. The courage of those Kurdish forces is incredible).
From the beginning of the current “war on terrorism” American political leaders have blindly refused to accept that the radical Islamic forces are– by their own repeated statements and actions– at war with any and all non-Islamic nations and people. And, they call it JiHaad, which means “holy war.” In other words, for them, it most assuredly is a religious war! So, why have American political leaders refused to acknowledge this?
And yet, after 9-11 president Bush declared that the war against the radicals is not a religious war. Excuse me, but, this is utter nonsense.
But then, yesterday (8-20-14), president Obama, responding to the horrendous beheading by Isis of a captured journalist– which was filmed and distributed to the world, Mr. Obama, according to WBAP radio out of Dallas, actually said that Isis is not waging a religious war. They are simply terrorists! (This is the same man that said that Isis, was a “JV terror group” incapable of posing any threat!!) Excuse me, but, this is utter nonsense– and it is dangerous to American security and safety.
When Isis declares that all Jews and Christians are dogs and infidels, worthy of death unless they convert to Islam, this is religious war, and nothing else. Refusal to accept this and to address it is living in denial.
When Isis declared to all citizens of the towns they were invading that the only way to survive is to convert to Islam, that is religious war, and nothing else.
For American politicians to try and be “politically correct” and deflect attention away from the brutal truth that we truly are in a “religious war” is to invite disaster.
I suggest that the Christian world needs to be more aggressive in confronting the Islamic world with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, so many denominations have been “gutted” of their power because they believe in a failed Jesus. After all, he said he was coming back in the first century, but failed. So, we just follow him, sorta, kinda, because he was a pretty good man! In essence, many so-called Christian churches join with the Muslim world in saying that Jesus was a failed prophet! Nonsense!
The way for the Christian world to regain the successful power of militancy, is to proclaim a faithful, successful, conquering Jesus! He did not fail. He did not postpone. He did not recalculate. He came, and he is today, King of kings and Lord of lords!!
As long as the modern church continues to preach and teach a failed Lord, the enemies of the Cross will triumph. When the Christian church of today catches the power of the truth of Covenant Eschatology, it will be able to successfully confront the unbelieving Islamic, the Jewish, agnostic and atheistic world. Not militarily– that is the job of the government to awaken to the danger. But, on the grass root level, the message of God’s faithfulness must be proclaimed!