ISIS -- Evil -- Other Countries -- A Martyr -- An one King's suggested response

Last night I watched the 60 Minutes segment on ISIS. I was appalled at the sheer hatred that these people have towards those who will not agree with their religion (if you can even call it that). I couldn’t believe the evil that was expressed by just one man (Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi) who has declared himself their leader and the leader of all Muslims around the world. I was amazed that even al Qaeda kicked him out of their organization.

To get kicked out of al Qaeda you must have some serious issues that are totally out of control.

The report had very disturbing pictures of ISIS exterminating those who disagree with them. Taking 300 plus men, having them lie on the ground, and then riddling their bodies with bullets. What kind of religion would bring that type of response to those who are not their adherents?

But ISIS is not the only evil in the world. There are many other countries where evil is on the rise and ungodly leaders are causing more harm than good. What about the civil war in Somalia? What about the intolerant regime in North Korea?

While reading a new book by Philip Yancy (Vanishing Grace – I’ll post a review tomorrow) I read the story of a young man from Chile who was killed for his views that didn’t coincide with the a group who had overthrown the government. Here is the quote from Yancy’s book;

“Victor Jara was a Chilean musician whose blend of folk music and political activism kindled the hopes of the poor. The day after a rightwing coup led by Augusto Pinochet, the general’s minions arrested Jara and broke the bones in his guitar-playing hands. As he lay on the ground they taunted him to play some of his songs about love and peace. This goad the new regime could not tolerate, and three days later soldiers riddled his body with forty-four bullets.”

In North Korea the atrocities have gone on for years. A book I read a few years back titled, “Eyes of the Tailless Animals,” the author Sun-Ok-Yi tells of her life in a political prisoner camp and her escape. The story tells of the harsh and cruel treatment that degrades people to the point that even tailless dogs get better treatment than the humans.

So, what can be done about this type of evil? What should we as Christians do? How can we respond?

I was very surprised at the end of the 60 minutes segment when the King of Jordan, King Abdullah II, went on camera and gave his assessment of what needs to happen. He called on the world to come together, for all religions to unite in the battle against evil. He declared that ISIS is such a horrific evil that the world should not ignore them, but instead come together to destroy this evil. Those are strong words and interesting words that a Middle Eastern Country would suggest that all countries drop their disagreements with each other for a time to unite to fight against and evil that is obviously out of control.

What was more unbelievable was the follow up story that President Obama was told two years ago by his top advisors that he should step up to the plate and take action against ISIS. Instead, he decided to do nothing and say nothing. Look how well that has worked out.

Please understand I do not desire to see us sending troops into harms way to just impart our way of life and our ideals. But there comes a time when all faiths need to unite and agree that evil has gone to far and needs to be stopped.