Obama admits to not having a strategy when it comes to ISIS. Duck Dynasty Godfather, Phil Robertson, wants to “Convert ‘em or kill ‘em.”
But what does Jesus’ Way offer in response to a terrorist group like ISIS?
ISIS has morphed out of Al Qaeda, a network too liberal for their radical Islamic interpretations. They believe there should be a new national Muslim identity – a Caliphate. They have chosen Iraq and al-Sham (the Levant) as the territory from which this new “state” will emerge. And they have killed thousands, mostly non-Sunnis, in this quest for power.
Ethnic Christians and a small people-group called Yazidis have found themselves in ISIS’ path, but so have the armies of Syria (both the national army and the various rebel groups), Iraq and even Lebanon. It seems anyone who isn’t willing to lay down their “flag” and join the newly self-appointed ISIS Caliphate is deemed a traitor and deserves to die. The execution of two American hostages by beheading has horrified the West and captured our daily imaginations. As President Obama has put it, Americans are asking how we can “demoralize and destroy” this new evil encroaching on our freedoms and international interests?
But I’m not a politician. I’m a private citizen and a follower of Jesus who has spent 32 years in the Middle East. I speak Arabic. I’ve met personally with the leaders of Hezbollah, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and the Bin Laden family.
The politics of this are complicated to be sure. To bomb or not to bomb? Boots on the ground? It would seem that any attempt at a real diplomatic solution would be ridiculous with such a group.
But what should the attitude be of folowers of Jesus in the West? How should we talk about ISIS amongst ourselves? If we had the chance to speak to one of our Congressional representatives, what might we encourage them to do? As “people of the book” (the name Muslims give to Christ-followers), what is our posture?
Unlike President Obama or the Duck guy, Jesus did have a strategy. He lived under an occupying force and dealt with zealots (men who would have been considered “terrorists”). And, lest we forget, Jesus was killed. He knew pain, suffering, persecution and terrorism first hand.
Against the enemies of his day, Jesus taught five basic rules of engagement:
1. Take the log out of your own eye, before you help get the speck out of someone else’s eye. Are there logs in the eyes of the West–America specifically–that we need to recognize? Where did ISIS get its weapons, for instance? And are there logs in the eyes of those of us who claim the way of Jesus as the way for the whole world? If the church had done its job of sharing Jesus in the Arab world in years past, would we have this issue? If the boys who are now men in ISIS had heard the good news of Jesus ten years ago, would they be doing what they are now?
2. Blessed are the eyes that see and the ears that hear. We need to see, hear and understand, as Jesus said in the parable of the Sower. There are reasons ISIS exists. We may not like them, and we might not want to understand them, but a mature and wise person will seek to know. Ask the question “Why?” Why is there an ISIS? If you were in their shoes, would you be tempted to do something similar? If you grew up in a country with no power at your disposal, no outlet for travel, economic opportunity or education – and someone handed you a gun and said, “We can take what should have been ours anyway, ” would you be tempted? It’s easy to say “No.” But….Are you sure?
3. The harvest is ripe. Who has attempted to bring them good news? Saul was a terrorist before he became Paul – killing Christians just like ISIS is doing. The good news is the Power of God for salvation. Do we believe that? Who’s willing to go?
4. Turn the other cheek, carry the pack an extra mile and give them the coat off your back. Jesus was rooted in Middle Eastern culture. He understood the power of shame and employs it brilliantly in these three simple strategies. Each are used by Jesus to show that the one who is being abused can take power back from the abuser by taking charge of the situation. “Turning the other cheek” wasn’t being passive, but forcing the man who struck first to think about what he was doing before striking again. Forcing a civilian to carry a pack an “extra mile” was actually illegal, so the Roman soldier would be in big trouble with his superiors if someone saw what was happening. Taking off your “outer cloak” and showing your nakedness would have been a huge shame on the one who saw – not the one who took it off. Shaming is Jesus’ clever way of granting power to the powerless.
What if we spent a billion dollars on creative ways of shaming ISIS? What might we come up with?
5. Love your enemy, bless them and loan without expecting return. Develop a long-term strategy for confronting evil. These injunctions of Christ – to love, bless and give to our enemies – are long-term strategies. They may not work right now within the current situation, but we have to be asking about the next generation. Who are the kids playing soccer in the dirty streets of Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan who could become successful businessmen and women, OR the next ISIS?
We’d never heard of ISIS just one year ago. We didn’t know about Al Qaeda before 9/11. Who is the next terrorist organization? Who are they recruiting now? And how do we move beyond our short-sighted 4-year-at-a-time policies to a more enlightened policy of generations?
To love, bless and give to your enemy speaks of development and opportunity. Are we taking economic and educational reform seriously enough in countries like Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan? If not, why not?
Of course, there is a legitimate argument to be made that when people such as those within ISIS submit themselves fully to evil, war is our last option. Christians and those committed to the ways of Jesus have argued that position through the lens of “Just War Theory” since the days of St. Augustine. However, I believe we are too quick to employ that as a strategy when Jesus gave us some clear methods for confronting our enemies.
Jesus’s way is not passive. The way of the cross is perhaps the most aggressive stance towards evil ever taken. The love that God offers the world, in Christ, is not wimpy. It is a robust affront to the systems of our day that cry out for blood and revenge.
The way of Jesus is the hard way. Forgiveness, love, choosing to lay down our lives is the most difficult path in the face of real enemies. Evil is real. But love is far more powerful.
Ironically the Phil Robertson’s of the world use the exact same language as ISIS – “convert or die.” There is another Way!
Paul summarized this Way of Jesus well when he said, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
ISIS is evil, but they can ultimately be overcome by good.