All posts tagged: Syria

Market place in Aleppo, Syria Photo: Flickr/alejooo

Was the recent beheading of Syrian Christians by ISIS predicted in the Book of Revelation?

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Christian Aid Mission (CAM) is reporting the killing of 12 Christians by ISIS near Aleppo, Syria. ISIS crucified four of the group and beheaded eight. CAM provides help to ministries and Christian groups in this troubled area of the world. As I read of this account , I again wondered if the beheading of these Christians is actually a fulfillment of the Book of Revelation that is the written record of an end-times vision received by the Apostle John about the apocalyptic events that would occur before the Second Coming of Jesus. Towards the end of his book, John sees a special reward given to two groups who had suffered through the extreme persecution seen in his vision: Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on …

Liminal -- a doorway to a new world. Photo Jens Schott Knudsen/Flickr

Jihad vs the Liminal Bulge

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There are two news stories from the Middle East. Young Muslims raised in prosperous western countries are returning to Syria or Somalia to fight for Jihad, the holy war of Islam. This is a major security concern. Families are losing their teen children, and some young westerners become vicious executioners. Also, Syrians, Muslim Arabs, are migrating to Europe in huge numbers. I don’t want to add to all the discussion, but it is clear that Syrians are not escaping a terrible war in their home country. They are leaving refugee camps in Turkey, where they are safe, but where they have no hope. Hiding among the Syrians are many from places liked Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Iraq who are looking for better jobs. When these Muslims leave Muslim majority Turkey, and scramble onto the beaches in Greece or Italy they shout “freedom” and act like they have just escaped from something terrible. There are rumors that many convert to Christianity in Europe. I suspect many more convert to western materialism. This escape from Islam must be …

More British Muslims fighing for Islamic extremists than the British Army

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According to Khalid Mahmood, a British MP from Birmingham, England, there are more British Muslims fighting for Islamic State (IS) extremists in the Middle East than there are serving in the British army. The IS — which goes by various acronyms including ISIS (Islamic State in Syria) — is attempting to set up an Islamic Caliphate in the Middle East. The British army says there are 600 Muslims serving in the British army. MP Khalid Mahmood believes over the last three years 1,500 British Muslims have joined the IS in its fight in the Middle East.

Syrian Islamic militants demand Christians become ‘dhimmi’ and pay Jizya — a ‘protection’ tax

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A militant Islamic group in Northern Syria, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), is demanding Christians living in the region pay a ‘protection tax’ to make sure the militants won’t kill them. The ruling affects the province of Raqqa. Al Raqqa, the provincial capital population 300,000, fell to rebel insurgents in March 2013.  Prior to the Syrian civil war there were 3,000 Christians living in Al Raqqa.  According to reports, ISIS is requiring every wealthy adult Christian male pay a Jizya tax of four golden dinars, middle class males two golden dinars and poor ones, one dinar. Four golden dinars is about $750 US. They can pay the tax over two payments.

Barbaric Muslim ritual reported in persecution of Christians

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Sister Hatune Dogan reports Muslim jihadists are performing barbaric atrocities against Christians in Syria. Sister Dogan is a nun with the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church and spends much of her time documenting Muslim extremists persecution of Christians. In this graphic interview (be warned), Dogan speaks of Muslim persecution of Christian men and women in Syria. One involves the purging of blood from martyred Christians, so it can be sold to Muslim extremists for a bizarre ritual.