An Open Letter to ISIS

Hello to Any Member of Islamic State Who May be Seeing This Now:

I hear about the things that members of your organization do, and I hear about them daily in the news:

Last year, one of yours beheaded a journalist in my country who was reporting on Syria;

Last year, one of yours beheaded a humanitarian aid worker who was serving in the Middle East also;

Last year, we were alarmed that your members have begun recruiting boys and girls even of my own daughter's age;

Even before your members touched anyone in the West, we who follow world affairs knew that your members have been beheading, crucifying, and murdering men, women and children in two countries, namely Iraq and Syria;

This year, one of yours beheaded a hostage from Japan and soon after, a second hostage from Japan;

A few weeks ago, one of yours burned a pilot in Jordan, alive, in a cage;

Over a week ago, may of us were horrified as some of your members beheaded 21 followers of Jesus and the whole world saw it caught on video; recall that the last words of these victims was to a Person Whom they call Jesus;

I can go on and on. I have done enough research to know that you have been raised to think totally differently from those of us in the West. Let me try to share this for you to think about. You sincerely believe that you have a cause and that anyone who disagrees with that cause is an "infidel" and must be eliminated, right? I wonder, why are people who disagree with you in any way, shape, or form, such a threat to you that they must be removed from the planet, whether by beheading, crucifixion, burning, or any other method? Believe it or not, as heinous, horrific and evil as your acts are, there is one thing that we who call ourselves followers of Jesus can learn from you: You leave zero room in your hearts for Jesus or for goodness. As you are 100 percent on the side of darkness, we followers of Jesus in the West can learn from you how to be 100 percent on the side of the Light and on the side of Jesus. The followers of Jesus whom you have beheaded, crucified and persecuted have been 100 percent on the side of Jesus. That is why they are willing to die for their cause, while you are willing to kill for yours. In your wholehearted zeal for a cause, you are correct. But your wholehearted zeal is not for the correct cause. Let me ask you, what has Allah done for you?

I know that members of Islamic State get on the Internet because I hear in the news how you do. I hear about how your members have just recruited three girls who are missing and may have been recruited by your members. I have heard about how you have issued death threats against those who work with Twitter, the social network, especially the head. I know that you obviously think differently from the rest of us and that you will not stop on your own. But I hope that, if any of your members happen to "stumble" on this post, that you will know that there is One Who, even now, is willing to forgive you and change you from within if you repent and follow Him with the same wholehearted, "all-in" zeal that you now follow Allah with. This Person is Jesus, the One Who many of your victims follow. He is much more than a Prophet. He is the Son of God and He has died on the cross and risen again. Unlike Allah, Jesus is alive! Yes, I am praying for you, that even as you plan your next atrocity in the name of Allah or prey on your next recruit, that Jesus will reveal Himself to many of your members and show you that there is a far better cause that the one you are currently fighting for. It is one into which you can re-channel your zeal for Allah.

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