Download Islam, ISIS and Jihad Session 1: Making Sense of What`s Happening

Islam, ISIS and Jihad
Session 1: Making Sense of What’s Happening
I.
Introduce the Conference:
We are living in very uncertain times. America is fighting an enemy that
cannot be overcome by traditional warfare nor can this enemy be defined by
geography, nationality or race. We are facing a far-reaching religious
ideology that is currently still widely misunderstood and underestimated.
The threat posed is a Church issue even more than it is a national one and the
people of God cannot afford to remain uninformed about the threat that
Islamic Jihad will have in the next decade. The recent rise of ISIS is only one
of an unending number of terrorists groups that have and will continue to
form; all of them share a demonic agenda that is based in the teachings of the
Quran and which has significant end time implications. God has great zeal to
see even the worst of sinners turn to His saving grace whether Muslim or
atheist. It is therefore important that we understand the spiritual fight we
have found ourselves in and that we know how to rightly combat what is
coming.
A. Recap of What’s been Going On:
There are a number of concerning realities that are adding together to
create a concerning landscape.
1. El Paso Cartel dismemberment and burning (September 2014).
2. First US Ebola cases here in Dallas (October 2014).
3. Fort Bliss set on high alert for believed threat (September 2014).
4. Russia acting out in cold war era like tactics (October 2014).
5. The rise of violent Islamic terrorist acts (October 2014).
B. People are Getting Freaked Out:
We are living in a difficult timeframe that is awakening fear and causing a
real stir right now in America and beyond.
1. Unusual events causing a rise in fear.
The above occurrences have struck a nerve with the American people
and there is a growing fearful expectation of what might happen next
or how these things may escalate.
2. The Lord is allowing these things to draw us:
All of these things are actually part of God’s perfect plan to awaken
His people to our great need for Him.
“When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When
disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it (Am. 3:6)?”
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“When they sin against you...and you become angry with them and give
them over to the enemy…if they have a change of heart…and repent and
plead with you…if they turn back to you with all their heart and
soul…and pray…then…hear their prayer and their pleas, and uphold
their cause. And forgive your people, who have sinned against you (2Ch.
6:36-39).”
3. Part of the Lord’s end time plan:
A sign of the end of the age is the issue of increased fear. It is actually
a significant part of the Lord’s end time purposes that helps form the
landscape of the final generation.
“On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity…People will
faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world (Lk.
21:25-26)”
C. Addressing Our Lack of Understanding:
A primary concern of mine is that there is so little understanding about
Islam and so people (the Church included) are not responding in a way
that is fitting to the magnitude of the situation. The teachings of this
conference will introduce some concerning realities about Islam; address
the immediate threat of ISIS and help us to better understand the
Jihadists’ agenda.
II.
Recapping Recent Events:
I think it is important that we look at the time line of events that all spring
forth from “radical” Muslims over the past few years. We will mainly focus
on what has been transpiring in the West because of the newness of these
sorts of attacks stemming from religious ideology.
A. In America:
America has seen more terrorist activity in the past the few years in the
form of individuals acting out in terrorist acts with a Jihadist motive and
agenda than perhaps in all of our nation’s history combined. Over half of
this activity happened this Fall 2014 and many of them in response to
recent ISIS propaganda asking true Muslims to act in independent acts of
terror.
1. NYC Honor Killing Beheading (February 2009).
2. Fort Hood Killing Spree (November 2009).
3. Boston Marathon Bombing (April 2013).
4. OKC Beheading (September 2014).
5. Hatchet attack in NYC (October 2014).
6. Beheading in NYC non Muslim with Judaists influence (October 2014).
7. More reports like these in the news that never got much press.
B. Other Western Nations:
America isn’t alone in this difficult reality, there are many other Western
nations that have been experiencing similar acts of terror stemming from
the Jihadist agenda.
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1. British Solider Murdered in London (May 2014).
2. ISIS Beheading Plot in Australia Thwarted (September 2014).
3. Canadian Parliament Shooting (October 2014).
C. Reports of Those Caught Along the Border:
There have been several suspect reports of terrorists, specifically ISIS
who have been caught along the border trying to cross over. Whether
these reports are true or not there is great cause for alarm because of the
current state of the unsecured state of our border.
1. There are large gaps in the US/Mexico border right now.
2. The border patrolmen have been taken down from their posts.
3. There are constant reports of those trying to cross.
4. There are way more that have undoubtedly already crossed.
D. Citizens of Western Nations Fighting for ISIS:
These are all low estimates of those from western nations who have had
citizens of their nations leave their country to go fight for ISIS. In the case
of all three nations listed below there have not only been nationals that
went over to fight but a number have returned to their home country
after having been active in ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
1. Some 500 British Citizens have gone over to fight for ISIS.
2. At least 60 Australian Citizens have gone over to fight for ISIS.
3. Over 300 American Citizens have tried to go fight for ISIS.
4. Americans caught on their way to fight (October/November 2014).
E. Obama’s Suspect Behavior and History:
Whatever we might be persuaded to believe about our current president
and his religious views there have been a number of things that he’s done
or said that have been very suspect. Whatever his motivations are these
facts are cause for concern because they promote and protect the Muslim
agenda. I pray for our president regularly but there are some concerning
facts that remain and he has made some terrible decisions concerning the
wellbeing of our nation.
1. Barack Hussein Obama was raised in a Muslim household.
2. He received at least some Muslim education and attended a mosque.
3. Most favorably disposed president towards Muslims in US history.
4. After each terrorist act he refers to Islam as a religion of peace.
5. Recently he thanked the mosque that the OKC beheader attends.
6. Continues to say America’s border are the safest in decades.
F. Local Grocery Store:
Just when you think that everything that is happening is a safe distance
away I learned something concerning that recently arose here in
Arlington. There is an old grocery store in South Arlington that we were
at one time looking at that is now a Arabic market and Mosque.
G. Islamic Centers:
In preparation for this conference we were contacted by a DFW are
Islamic Center. There are several such institutions that have already been
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established in our city, these are Muslim houses of prayer and training
centers. These centers serve the Muslim Faith in a way similar to the
mission statement of The Prayer Room Missions Base is to the Church.
They meet for corporate prayer five times a day and have schools of
theology attached to them to equip Muslims in what it means to live a
devoted life to Allah in this evil day.
III.
Resulting Trends:
When new fears arise the conversation changes and new ideas and emotions
begin to surface and spread. We are witnessing some new trends that are
centered around this conversation.
A. People Speaking out Against Islam:
Understandably there are now many people who are speaking out against
Islam and voicing their concerns about the religion as a whole. There are
a growing number who are becoming educated about what Islam really
teaches and are speaking a true warning and some are speaking out with
wisdom and others just out of anger.
B. The Media Majority Downplaying that as Islamaphobia:
Anyone who speaks out against Islamic extremisms is received well
enough receiving concerned nods of agreement from nearly every camp;
but those who try and link the Jihadists activity to Islam as a whole are
labeled racists. Everyone wants to downplay the fears that are arising as
unwarranted and wants to keep the conversation on the subject of
“Muslim extremists,” and “terrorist groups” which is still currently
understood as a very specific and very limited few. Anyone who speaks
about Islam as a whole right now is being written off as having
Islamaphobia, like the threat is not real.
C. Rise in Hate Crimes:
After 9-11 there was a wave of hate crimes and discrimination that took
place all over the nation and now the propensity for this same type of
activity to rise again is real as tensions are high right now. There is of
course no place for believers to participate in hate crimes at any level.
We have the responsibility to speak truth and to operate in wisdom and
legal forms of justice, not violence against people of other faiths. We have
been called to love those who hate us, even those that would take our
lives we are to love.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell
you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn
to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your
shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go
with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away
from the one who wants to borrow from you. “You have heard that it was
said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Mt. 5:38-44)”
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D. God is Speaking to His Prophets:
Nothing escapes the notice of the Lord and He has promised that before
He brings about judgment He will first speak to His prophets. Well, His
prophets are hearing a lot right now about what is coming and they are
all hearing the same stuff (we will spend a whole session on this later on).
“When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it? Surely the
Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the
prophets (Am. 3:6-7).”
IV.
Moderates View of the West:
When many Muslims look at the prosperity of the West they don’t hate
America they are actually jealous for what they see in our government, our
freedoms, economics, technology, etc. This fuels the aggression of extremists
while opening a door for evangelism to the moderates.
A. Liberal Islam:
A moderate version of Islam dominates much of the Muslim world, it is
often self proclaimed as liberal, while others refer to it as complacent
Islam. Liberal Islam is especially prevalent where the faith is found
outside of the Middle East. Exceptions to this exist, especially as in the
case of Indonesia which had a far more conservative and fundamental
form of Islam.
B. Deep Longing for Western Culture:
While I was a missionary in Muslim Africa I was met with intrigue and
receptivity because of where I was from and the color of my skin. Despite
being in a Muslim culture there was a deep longing for the things of the
West. They watched American television, wore American clothing,
listened to American music and everyone wanted to come live in America.
C. Moderate Nations:
This is probably not as much the case in Arab nations but for much of the
black majority Muslim nations there was an overwhelming respect and
jealousy for what we have here in what they consider the Christian nation
of America.
D. The Hidden Agenda:
Conservative Muslims who come across as Western friendly have a
hidden agenda that is perhaps masked by their outward interactions and
statements but that fundamentally cannot be true for followers of Islam.
Refer back to the Islamic practice of Taqiyya (from Session 3).
V.
Islamic Fundamentalists:
First we need to be clear that the only true version of Islam is that which
holds to the fundamental teachings of the Quran. The vast majority of
Muslims that hold to a moderate are dismissing significant portions of the
Quran and even live in complete disregard to what I teaches. These Muslims
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are living out a version of Islam that can not be supported by what they
would claim is their primary source of inspiration for their religion; the
Quran. The only true version of Islam is a fundamentalist Islam; anything
else is outside of the teachings of Muhammad.
A. Rude Awakening:
The West has a rude awakening coming regarding the truths about Islam
as it pertains to moderate verse fundamental Muslim beliefs. Namely we
need to understand that all moderates are actually either complacent or
they are lying about what they believe.
B. Guarding Against Prejudices:
Even so we want to be careful not to build up prejudices against people
but instead recognize the deception such people are under. It is the role
of every Christian to love our enemies, we are treat Muslims as we would
anyone else who is lost and living in deception deceived or the throws of
a sinful lifestyle.
C. We Call Them Terrorist Groups:
In general the below groups follow fundamental Islamic doctrine,
adhering to the teachings of the Quran and Islamic traditions more
closely. They also practice and propagate Jihad.
1. The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization)
2. Hamas
3. Muslim Brotherhood
4. Taliban
5. Al-Qaeda
6. Hezbollah
7. ISIS
8. Boko Haram
D. Being a Good Muslim:
To be a believer in Islam you must adhere to the 5 Tenets of Islam and to
the 5 Pillars (from Session 2). This necessarily means that to be a good
Muslim you would have to fall more in line with fundamentalist doctrine
(we call these people terrorists) than the belief system of the moderates
(who probably make up the majority).
E. If Muslim Revival Came:
A revival in Islam would mean that everyone in the Muslim world would
begin thinking according to what the West calls “radical Islam.” But
according to the principles of the Islamic faith very little about it is radical
in fact. Muslims are called to wholehearted commitment, when acted
upon looks like.
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