ISIS

ISIS—True Muslims or Not?

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In my last post, I showed how ISIS is causing Muslims to question their faith. At the core of their questioning, they must decide who the true Muslims are—themselves or the brutal members of ISIS.

Many people around the world are asking, “Are the members of ISIS true Muslims or merely terrorists seeking religious legitimacy?”

President Obama has repeatedly stated that the religion of violent extremists savaging Iraq and Syria is irrelevant. ManyISIS-poses-for-photo-Twitter-640x480 have criticized him for refusing to call ISIS Islamic terrorists. But he insists, “We are not at war with Islam. We are at war with people who have perverted Islam.”

Yet ISIS unashamedly claims that they are true and great Muslims.

So who is the true Muslim?

If we ask this question about Christianity, isn’t it logical to say whoever most closely follows the teaching of Jesus and His example is the most true Christian? The definition of a good Christian is not subjective, but comes from solid criteria. Whichever people follow the example of their holy book and their leader, they are the better adherents to that faith.

This same criteria will tell us who is a good Muslim: the one who lives out the teaching of the Quran and follows the example of Mohammed more closely.

Using that objective criteria, we must conclude that the members of ISIS are very good Muslims. What they are doing is based on numerous Quranic verses and the practices of the Prophet Mohammad. Yes, indeed they are following Islam more closely than “Moderate Muslims” who ignore those call-to-violence verses in the Quran, and downplay their own historical record of what Prophet Mohammad did.  

ISIS is challenging all Muslims to have another look at their faith. Many Muslims are taking up that challenge, looking at the Quran more objectively, and coming to the conclusion that the root of their problem is not ISIS but Islam itself.

What ISIS is doing to Sunni Muslims, the Islamic Republic of Iran has done to Shiite Muslims in Iran. After over 35 years of Islamic rule, Iranian Muslims have come to the conclusion that the root of their problems is not political but spiritual. They vast majority have come to believe that the problem is not with the Islamic government but with Islam itself.

Please pray for the many Muslims that are seeking refuge—physically and spiritually—from the ravages of the Islamic world. They are open and ready for the Gospel. Pray that the Church and the nations will be open to them. Let’s pray that all of us be free from fear and hatred towards Muslims, and instead, be filled with God’s immense love for them.

And pray for the hundreds of thousands of Muslim-background believers in Iran. Through Iran Alive Ministries, I have seen multitudes of Muslims in Iran seek refuge in Jesus. They are repulsed by the violence and hatred and are attracted to the love, joy, and peace that Jesus offers. Coming from darkness, they value the light even more. They value their new faith in Jesus so much that they are ready to live and die for Him. And they are closely living out His example, enduring persecution with humility and honor, loving their enemies, and spreading the Kingdom of God.

Join me in supporting these true Christians.

Related:

President Obama Says ISIS ‘Not Religious Leaders, They are Terrorists’

ISIS—Helping the Cause of Christ?

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A mother finds her young daughter alive after a bombing and kidnapping at the school. She decides to flee Syria that very hour.

A father waits in line every day to cross through a government-controlled area to his family. Every day he watches the soldiers shoot three or four people in the line, not knowing if today will be his turn to die.

As millions of refugees pour out of Syria and Iraq, ISIS is helping the cause of isis-terrorChrist. Muslims fleeing to neighboring countries and the European Union are converting to Christianity at a high rate. Why is this so?

This week and next, we will ask two questions about ISIS:

  1. How is ISIS pushing Muslims away from Islam?
  2. Are members of ISIS true Muslims or not?

Last year I predicted, “The brutality of ISIS will cause millions of Muslims to have an objective look at Islam. Many of them will come to reject Islam and become open to the message of the Gospel.” This is exactly what has been happening.

Workers in refugee camps tell me that amid the suffering and anxiety, Muslims are becoming open to the message of Christ. Now as refugees pour over the borders, we are seeing many more flee not only their countries but also their Islamic faith. Hundreds of Muslims seeking asylum in Germany are choosing to follow Jesus. One church in Berlin welcomed 450 new members in a short time. They believe; they are baptized; they hope. 

How is ISIS pushing Muslims away from Islam?

Refugees are escaping Iraq and Syria, both countries torn by civil war that pits one Muslim against another. More than half the 22 million Syrians have been forced to leave their homes. Everywhere, houses are destroyed by ISIS or President Assad’s Shiite government, security forces harass civilians, and armed militants bomb and attack. In Iraq, ISIS is threatening the takeover of the whole country. The people are hurting, and they believe rightly that it is the Islamic practices of ISIS that are hurting them.

The brutality of ISIS is causing Muslims to question their faith. We must understand, this questioning is a major spiritual breakthrough for any Muslim. Jesus commands us to seek and ask, and Paul commends Bereans for questioning his teachings. But, in Islam, questioning your faith is not allowed. Those who question Islam are often shunned as infidels and are punished—sometimes with lashes. So when a Muslim comes to a point in his/her spiritual journey to start asking questions, he has already taken steps towards spiritual freedom. So their suffering in the hands of ISIS causes them to ask, “What is true Islam?” Then after looking at Islam objectively, they come to conclusion that the problem is not just with ISIS, but there is something fundamentally wrong with Islam itself. That along with the love and support they receive from Christians causes a large number of them embrace Christianity.

In my next blog, we will look at the question “Are the followers of ISIS good Muslims?”

The answer may shock you.

Related Articles:

USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? 5 questions answered —#4Muslim Refugees Are Being Baptized and Converting to Christianity, Says Berlin Pastor

USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? 5 questions answered – #5

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This entry is part 5 of 5 in the series USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq?

5.  Will the US and Iran partner in Iraq to stop ISIS?

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
  1. Both have similar interests: to help the current Shiite Government of Iraq maintain control and stop the Sunni ISIS from taking over Iraq.
  2. They may partner in some ways to help stop ISIS but will never acknowledge it publicly.
  3. Iran has a major influence in Iraq where the majority of the population is Shiites and the government is led by Shiites.
  4. Iran’s goal has been to get the US out of Iraq and be the sole influencer of the Shiite Iraqi regime. They are happy that the US has pulled out of Iraq and do not want to see the US’s influence and presence increase. Therefore, they may work with the US for the short time but will want the US out of Iraq as soon as ISIS is stopped.

USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? 5 questions answered – #4

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This entry is part 4 of 5 in the series USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq?

4.  How the events in Iraq will impact His Kingdom?christian-persecution

  1. Christians in Iraq and Syria have been persecuted and have been leaving as refugees.
  2. Under ISIS, the killing and persecution of Christians will dramatically increase. It has already started and there will be a mass exodus of Christians.
  3. The brutality of ISIS will cause millions of Muslims to have an objective look at Islam. Many of them will come to reject Islam and become open to the message of the Gospel. This is what happened in Iran. Millions of Syrian refugees have seen the brutality of Islamist “freedom fighters” of ISIS. Many of them are coming to Christ in refugee camps in Turkey.

USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? 5 questions answered – #3

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This entry is part 3 of 5 in the series USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq?

3.  Who is ISIS?

  1. ISIS stands for Islamic State in Iraq and (greater) Syria.

    ISIS members are painting the Arabic letter N, for “Nasrani,” or Nazarene on homes as a way of identifying unwanted Christians.
    ISIS members are painting the Arabic letter N, for “Nasrani,” or Nazarene on homes as a way of identifying unwanted Christians in Mosul, Iraq.
  2. They are the coalition of Sunni forces in Iraq and Syria.
  3. Their immediate goal is to topple two Shiite governments in Iraq and Syria.
  4. Their intermediate goal is to have a unified Sunni state that covers the whole region including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel.
  5. Their long-term goal is to bring back a worldwide rule of Caliphates. They believe that they are mandated by the Quran to do so and use as much violence as needed to accomplish that goal.
  6. They are much stronger than Al-Qaeda in numbers, unity, and finances. They have performed mass executions, even including women and children. They are so violent and brutal that Al-Qaeda looks conservative and moderate comparatively.
  7. When in power, they will be the number one source of terrorism in the world.

USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq? 5 questions answered – #1

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This entry is part 1 of 5 in the series USA and Iran Partnering in Iraq?

Major events are happening in Iraq. They can have biblical significance regarding the prophecies for that region. Many Americans have asked me how the current events in Iraq are impacting Iran. Over the next several days, I will answer 5 questions, which I hope will help you better understand the situation.

ISIS Militants are terrorizing Iraq & Syria.
ISIS Militants are terrorizing Iraq & Syria.
  1.  What is happening in Iraq?
    1. A Sunni group called ISIS is trying to take over Iraq by force. They already have control of many cities in the north and east of Iraq.
    2. It is possible that Iraq as a country will cease to exist soon and divide into 3 countries: Shiite (south), Kurds (far north), Sunnis (north and west).
    3. Saddam was a Sunni and suppressed the Shiites, who are the majority in Iraq. The new government under Jalal Talabani is ruled by Shiites. It has fired top officials that were Sunnis and in general, have marginalized the minority Sunnis in Iraq. So Sunnis in Iraq have joined forces with Sunnis in Syria to topple the Shiite Iraqi government.