Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIS, is a terrorist organisation which currently controls some Iraqi, Lebanese and Syrian territories. Claiming to be a Caliphate (a successor kingdom to the one Prophet Muhammad established), ISIS urges all Sunni Muslims to fight the decadent West and recognise its statehood.
ISIS has also claimed responsiblity for the 2015 Paris attacks and 2016 Brussels bombings.
In this post I will be exploring why the theology of ISIS is so attractive to potential recruits.
Why they are convincing
The temptation is to brush off the members of ISIS as gullible fools who were mislead into following a misguided form of a religion. Yet we have educated professionals signing up to ISIS to serve as doctors, military strategists and computer engineers. Why?
To a secular audience it may sound weird, but true religion is not just hobby people share with friends. To a true religious person, God is the most important thing in their lives. ISIS uses this fact well in its recruitment.
If all that is needed to be justified before God and enter paradise is to die for him, then ISIS is the most logical and safest bet for eternity. In the course of life, it is inevitable that one feels guilt on all the mistakes one has done in his or her life. Yet in final judgement, if God brings up one's sins, one could tell God that "I died for you", and therefore is worthy of paradise.
In the light of Christianity
However in Christianity, one could not use that reasoning. Even if we were to give our lives in following God, we do not change the fact that God (in the manhood of Jesus) had died for us. Our only hope is that God would reveal Himself to us in such a way that He chose us.
Conclusion
Any level-headed analysis of any movement must take into the account its theology.
For more information
ISIS
