Earlier this week 21 Coptic Christians were kidnapped in Libya and beheaded because they refused to deny Christ. The message posted on the brutal videotape was clear: “A Message Signed With Blood To The Nation Of The Cross.” 2015 has been a terror-filled year, and we're not even through our second month. A gunman in Copenhagen shouted ‘Allahu akbar’ as he targeted a free speech rally and Jewish Synogogue on Sunday leaving two dead and five wounded. Twelve Parisian journalists were killed in early January. And a Jordanian pilot was burned alive and the videotape was posted on the Internet. The connection between all outrages is that they were perpetrated by Muslims bent on violence in order to subjugate “infidels.”
However easy it is for the political novices to connect the dots, President Obama and his administration find it difficult to clearly call it what it is: Islamic perpetrated terrorism. Some call it a perversion of a "peaceful religion." This is neither theologically or historically accurate. The Koran explicitly directs followers to "Slay the unbelievers wherever you find them"; "Make war on the infidels living in your neighboorhood"; and "When opportunity arises, kill the infidels wherever you catch them." Islam, is a worldview with some adherents following it and living it out more seriously and faithfully than others.
It also has a long history or intolerance toward other religions and forceful subjection of other peoples and cultures. Contrary to what U.S. State Department spokesperson Marie Marf 's recent claim that the reason for the terror is because of a lack of jobs and poor economic conditions. Turning a blind eye to the truth makes no one safer. The least of which are our allies with Christian populations or minority Christian communities in the Middle East. Consider that Islamic nations are largely intolerant to Christians. A full 90 percent of Christian persecution is happening in Muslim dominated nations. Also consider that the persecutions have ramped with the advent of ISIS which is becoming a grave threat to peace. Graeme Wood's recent piece in the Atlantic called
What is the Islamic State? is a must read to understand what is behind ISIS and its campaign of terror. At the core of the ISIS is a theological and eschatological motivation. This is something our political leaders must understand. The United States is known as the guardian of both political and religious freedom. Each of us bears the responsibility to cherish and steward this gift. We expect our leaders to do the same—to act honorably, speak the truth, and stand for justice when enemies of freedom seek to extinguish that light.