ISIS lies to prospective recruits
May 26, 2015
ISIS has been in the news lately, from military defeats, horrific videos of innocent people being beheaded & more cities captured for the Islamic caliphate. We are all familiar with the ungodly things ISIS members do: they are guilty of torture, murder, rape, arson, destroying entire cities, etc.
In a recent news article I saw on Yahoo news, over 17,000 people of all walks of life have voluntarily joined ISIS from over 90 different countries around the globe. Why would so many people join such an evil organization to commit such horrific atrocities?
The article cites several motivating factors: “From a psychological perspective, many of them are at a stage in their lives where they are trying to find their place in the world — who they are, what their purpose is,” said John G. Horgan, a psychologist who directs the Center for Terrorism & Security Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.
The bible provides that in living color for anybody who wants to get the answers to these questions.
Ecclesiastes 12
13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear [reverence] God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
The book of Matthew provides similar wisdom.
Matthew 6:33
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you
Colossians 3
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Clearly, our purpose as a son of God is to live for him, to glorify God.
Here are some of the reasons cited in the article for joining ISIS:
- Some are driven by religious zeal to protect the caliphate, or Muslim theocracy
- Others are thrilled by the chance to join what is tantamount to a secret and forbidden club
- Still others appear to enlist mainly because others do
“Every person can contribute something to the Islamic State,” a Canadian enlistee in Islamic State, Andre Poulin, says in a videotaped statement that has been used for online recruitment. So there also appears to be the need or desire to belong to something greater than themselves, in addition to the idea that you are valuable because you can contribute to a cause you believe in.
While its still very disturbing that the number of ISIS recruits in the past 3.5 years is more than double the size of the French Foreign Legion, one motivating factor stands out from the rest. “You can easily earn yourself a higher station with God almighty for the next life by sacrificing just a small bit of this worldly life”, said the Canadian enlistee.
What does the bible say about working your way into heaven or eternal life?
Ephesians 2
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
So God’s word clearly and emphatically says that salvation is by grace and is not of works, lest any man should boast. So the statement on the online ISIS recruitment video contradicts God’s word, and is therefore, a falsehood, a lie that can only have originated from God’s archenemy, Satan.
John 8:44
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
The last usage of the word “father” in this verse is a figure of speech, a Hebrew idiom and means originator. That’s right – not only is the devil a murderer and liar, but he is the originator of lies.
That’s interesting:
- ISIS members are recruited with a lie and the devil is a liar and the originator of lies
- ISIS members murder innocent people and the devil was a murderer from the beginning
- ISIS members steal things, kill innocent people, and destroy property and the devil’s whole purpose in life is to steal, kill & destroy [John 10:10]
Do you suppose there is an association there? Is that just a coincidence?
The book of Genesis backs up John 8:44 as well, making the bible a very trustworthy source.
Genesis 2
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.
Verse 17 is not talking about physical death, but spiritual death. Adam & Eve lost the gift of holy spirit that was upon them by committing treason against God, [among other things]. So their spiritual connection with God ceased to exist. That is why it’s called a spiritual death.
Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Let’s rearrange these verses a bit to better see the direct contrast between God and the devil.
- God: thou shalt surely die
- Devil: Ye shall not surely die
All promises of life after death, reincarnation, etc are based on the first recorded words from Satan in the bible, which are a lie. That demonstrates that deception is the dominant characteristic of the devil.
So ISIS’ lie to recruits of a better afterlife that is based on human works is contingent upon the recruits’ ignorance of the word of God. In other words, they are being exploited by Satan…
British Dictionary
verb (transitive)
2. to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically or unjustly for one’s own ends
John 16
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
Look at these priceless and frighteningly accurate and relevant words of Jesus Christ written several centuries before the Koran was even conceived.
Romans 13:9
For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
In a very important detail, the word “kill” in verse 9 means murder.
Greek lexicon of Romans 13:9 Go to the Strong’s column, link #5407.
Strong’s Concordance #5407
phoneuó Definition: to kill, murder
Part of Speech: Verb
Phonetic Spelling: (fon-yoo’-o)
HELPS Word-studies
5407 phoneúō (from 5408 /phónos, “murder, homicide”) – to murder, commit intentional (unjustified) homicide.
The precision of God’s word always stands the test of time. Its ok to kill somebody in the case of self-defense when your life is in danger. However, true murder, according to the bible, is when somebody gets possessed with a devil spirit of murder and deliberately kills somebody. So when people commit murder in the name of God, its always a deception from Satan. Multiple types of devil spirits are at work in these situations.
We have seen in the various aspects of the media Muslim radical extremists telling us that they were doing God or Allah a favor by killing “the infidels”. They never mention Jesus Christ or the one true God, designer & creator of the universe, father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, they have not known the father or Jesus, and therefore, according to God’s word, they are the infidels. That’s religious hypocrisy.
II Thessalonians 3
1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith [are infidels].
3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
The fact that these verses were written several centuries before the Koran or some other religious books shows who the true infidels, unbelievers are. The bible is the standard of truth for all of life that we must consult.
Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…
Of course, the ISIS lie that “You can easily earn yourself a higher station with God almighty for the next life by sacrificing just a small bit of this worldly life” conveniently fails to mention Jesus Christ as part of the formula for a better afterlife. Is he important in the equation of eternal life? Only you can decide.
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
The phrase “I am the way, the truth, and the life” is a figure of speech called Hendiatris, literally meaning 3 for 1. There are 3 main parts to it: the word “way” is the subject matter, the noun and the other 2 words are adjectives that modify the subject. So the meaning of Jesus Christ’s statement is: I am the true and living way. That implies that there are false and dead ways, which corrupt systems of man-made religion certainly supply in abundance, courtesy of Satan.
Acts 4
10 Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
So now we know that we know that ISIS’ promise of a better afterlife is a lie by 2 unchanging criteria:
- Jesus Christ is not mentioned at all
- You cannot work your way into heaven [the afterlife].
So once again, God’s word, the bible, corroborates its record of truth and that’s very comforting in this uncertain world of deception, chaos, and confusion.
