Is This War?

Part 1 The War from the East Session 1.1 Is This War? Session 1.2 Islam – One of the Great Monotheistic Religions Session 1.3 The Fight for the Soul of Islam Session 1.4 Dar al-Islam - The House of War Session 1.5 The Global Caliphate Session 1.6 Islam – Religion of Peace? Session 1.7 The History of the Conflict Session 1.8 Poverty in Islamic Nations

Outline 9/11 Two Jihadist Visions Is This World War III? Islamists War Against Modernity The War of Ideas Will we believe bin Laden and Ahmadinejad? Something to live and die for!

September 11, 2001

9/11

The Prelude February 26, 1993 Bombing of the World Trade Center 6 deaths 1042 injuries

The Prelude November 13, 1995 Bombing of U.S. – Saudi military base in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The Prelude June 25, 1996 Bombing U.S. military base Dhahran, Saudi Arabia 19 U.S. Servicemen killed

The Caves in Tora Bora

The Prelude August 23, 1996 bin Laden declares war against the United States – “Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places” The Declaration of War In the declaration of war, to the then Secretary of Defense William Perry, bin Laden stated: “These youths [the Jihadists] love death as you love life…. Those youths will not ask you for explanations, they will tell you singing there is nothing between us [that] need[s] to [be] explained, there is only killing and neck smiting.” 2) The Prelude - World Islamic Front for Jihad against Jews and the Crusaders - Brought together key Jihad leaders from the Muslim world - Issued a Fatwa against the Jews and the USA

The Prelude February 23, 1998 bin Laden re-states Fatwa against the USA Published in Al-Quds Al-Arabi London-based Arab newspaper

The Fatwa “The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies – civilian and military – is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, …. and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together …. fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah.”

The Prelude August 7, 1998 Bombing U.S. Embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Love Death More Than Life “These youths love death as you love life...These youths will not ask you for explanations. They will sing out that there is nothing between us that needs to be explained, there is only killing and neck-smiting.” Osama bin Laden to U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry

Love Life or Death

The Prelude October 12, 2000 U.S.S. Cole attacked in Yemen 17 Sailors killed 39 wounded

9/11 Sept 11, 2001 USA attacked by al –Qaeda 2974 people killed From 90 countries 318th anniversary of the defeat of the Ottoman Empire at the gates of Vienna Avenging the defeat of the Muslim armies in the heart of Europe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11,_2001_attacks

9/11 Targets carefully considered World Trade Center – symbol of U.S. economic power Pentagon – symbol of U.S. military might U.S. Capitol – symbol of U.S. political power

Two Jihadist Visions Sunni and Shia

Two Jihadist Visions The Sunni Front Osama bin Laden; Ayman al-Zawahiri Al-Qaeda Philosophic Roots Wahhabism Centers: Saudi Arabia and Egypt Goal: “To establish the truth, get rid of evil, and establish an Islamic nation” The Shiite Front Ayatollah Khomeini and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Rooted in an apocalyptic vision that will return the “Hidden Imam” (left world in 874) through the destruction of Israel and the ignition of a global military conflict Centered in Iran and Syria Goal: “We shall export our revolution to the whole world. Until the cry ‘There is no God but Allah’ resounds over the whole world, there will be struggle.” - Ayatollah Khomeini

Is This World War III? A Tipping Point The Beginning of an Era“ -- Dr. Bernard Lewis Professor Emeritus Near Eastern Studies Princeton University AEI Annual Dinner, Irving Kristol Lecture March 7, 2007 “There are times in the long history of the human adventure when we have a real turning point, a major change – the end of an era, the beginning of a new era. I am becoming more and more convinced that we are in such an age at the present time – a change in history comparable with such events as the fall of Rome, the discovery of America, and the like.”

Two Fronts Migration and demographics Jihad – Holy War Large numbers of Muslims are moving to the secular and anti-maternal Western world Led to a peaceful Islamization of Europe in a generation Jihad – Holy War A Carefully Conceived Assault -- Henry Kissinger U.S. Secretary of State “After Lebanon: A flawed cease-fire won’t end Hezbollah’s war against Israel” The San Diego Union-Tribune September 10, 2006. “We are witnessing a carefully conceived assault, not isolated terrorist attacks, on the international system of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. The creation of organizations such as Hezbollah and al-Qaeda symbolize that transnational loyalties are replacing national ones…. “….The driving force behind this challenge is the jihadist conviction that it is the existing order that is illegitimate, not the Hezbollah and jihad method of fighting it. For the jihad’s adherents, the battlefield cannot be defined by principles of world order that they reject; what we call terror is, to the jihadists, an act of war to undermine illegitimate regimes. “The debate sparked by the Iraq war over American rashness versus European escapism is dwarfed by what the world now faces. Both sides of the Atlantic should put their best minds together on how to deal with the common dangers of a wider war merging into a war of civilizations against the background of a nuclear-armed Middle East.” “It is most important to grasp that the jihad is an institution in itself; that is to say, an organic piece of Muslim society…. The world … is divided into two regions: the dar al-Islam and the dar al-harb, the ‘the domain of Islam’ and ‘the domain of war.’ The world is no longer divided into nations, peoples, and tribes…. The world belongs to Allah and all its inhabitants must acknowledge this reality; to achieve this goal there is but one method: war.”

World War III “I am firmly convinced that the world confronts a situation that is frighteningly similar to a Third World War, one every bit as serious and dangerous as the two great conflicts of the 20th Century.” Newt Gingrich Historian and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives A Third World War by Newt Gingrich Human Events online July 17, 2006

A Whole New History “And so, as I watched live on CNN as the twin Towers imploded and collapsed onto the streets of Manhattan, it was equally obvious to me that history, wherever it had been heading before the morning of September 11, had taken another turn, and a whole new history would flow from this towering inferno.” Thomas Friedman Longitudes and Attitudes Thomas Freedman Longitudes and Attitudes page 325

Islamists War Against Modernity

Clash of “Two Civilizations” “Two global civilizations appear to be poised in a complex confrontation on various levels of human activity. One is based in Muslim countries and the other in the West… Commentators are already seeing the confrontation in apocalyptic terms and calling it the Last Crusade.” Akbar S. Ahmed Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University in Washington, D.C. Muslims See the West Atheistic metaphysic A-moral – licentious (freedom = license) A global campaign to spread atheistic values through: Technology: movies, internet, T.V. Military Hedonistic consumer capitalism What Is the West? Muslims falsely think that the West is Christian The West was founded on biblical principles, but now is Post-Christian Europe is now utterly atheistic The USA is two nations One nation under God One nation under man The Conflict Jihadists see conflict between Islam and Secular West Islam represents monotheism and moral values The West represents atheism and decadence Secularists see conflict between Secular (atheistic) West and religion (Christianity and Islam) Where are the followers of Christ in all this?

Where Is the Church? Too often the church in the West lumps herself with the secular West and does not provide a vibrant 3rd way. There are three “faith” systems vying for world influence (or domination depending on your perspective) Islam – Monotheistic and moral Atheism (Secular Materialism) and amoral Biblical Theism – Monotheistic and moral Where Is the Church? -- Khurshid Ahmad Pakistani Educator “Not a Clash of Religions” The Philadelphia Inquirer Jan 21, 2007. “Had Western culture been based on Christianity, on morality, on faith, the language and modus operandi of the contact and conflict would have been different. But that is not the case. The choice is between the divine principle and a secular materialistic culture.”

Where Is the Church? Explain the two graphics Where Is the Church? The Church is on the sidelines. Because of Evangelical Gnosticism, she has disengaged from the culture. The USA is two nations ideologically One nation under God – the heartland/ “fly over America” One nation under man – the major cities on the coasts The Culture Wars in America Three ideologies vying for the soul of the USA Atheism (Secular Materialism) Judeo-Christian Theism – wholistic and engaged Evangelical Gnosticism – dualistic and disengaged Which group will prevail?

The Culture Wars “These two world views [Judeo-Christian theism and secular humanism] stand as totals in complete antithesis to each other in content and also in their natural results − including sociological and governmental results, and specifically including law…. Francis Schaeffer Evangelist and Apologist

The Culture Wars “It is not that these two world views are different only in how they understand the nature of reality and existence. They also inevitably produce totally different results. The operative word here is inevitably. It is not just that they happen to bring forth different results, but it is absolutely inevitable that they will bring forth different results.” Francis Schaeffer The Culture Wars Herbert E. Meyer Davos Forum “There has never been a superpower in this position before [only one superpower]. On the one hand, this makes the U.S. a magnet for bright and ambitious people. It also makes us a target. We are becoming one of the last holdouts of the traditional Judeo-Christian culture. There is no better place in the world to be in business and raise children. The U.S. is by far the best place to have an idea, form a business and put it into the marketplace….” “ …. We take it for granted, but it [the best climate to do business and raise children] isn’t as available in other countries of the world. Ultimately, it’s an issue of culture. The only people who can hurt us are ourselves, by losing our culture. If we give up our Judeo-Christian culture, we become just like the Europeans. The culture war is the whole ballgame. If we lose it, there isn’t another America to pull us out.”

The War for the Heart and Soul of Nations For thoughtful and committed Christians, the war is on two fronts The Jihadist ideology from the East The Atheistic ideology in the West Both ideologies stand against freedom and basic human rights Christians must stand and fight with a better set of ideas that are articulated and “fleshed” out. Who Will Speak for Freedom? Paul Berman Author and Journalist “The Philosopher of Islamic Terror” NY Times March 23, 2003 “The terrorists speak insanely of deep things. The antiterrorists had better speak sanely of equally deep things. But who will speak of the sacred and the secular, of the physical world and the spiritual world? Who will defend liberal ideas against the enemies of liberal ideas?”

The War of Ideas

The Strongholds of the Mind 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 The Holy Bible : New International Version. electronic ed. Grand Rapids : Zondervan, 1996, c1984, S. 2 Co 10:2-5

Strongholds Greek – pochuroma: 1 a castle, stronghold, fortress, fastness. 2 anything on which one relies. 2a of the arguments and reasonings by which a disputant endeavours to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent. Means Mental strongholds Mindsets or ideologies Strong, James: The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible : Showing Every Word of the Text of the Common English Version of the Canonical Books, and Every Occurrence of Each Word in Regular Order. electronic ed. Ontario : Woodside Bible Fellowship., 1996, S. G3794

The Goal – “New World Order” Jihad – Global Caliphate Secularism – One World Government Christianity – Freedom (with responsibility)

Three Great Monotheistic Religions Judaism, Christianity, Islam An Infinite-Personal God exists In contrast to: Atheism –There is no God. Man or the state is the ultimate authority. Monism and Polytheism – nature is “God” There is a transcendent God and metaphysical and moral truth.

Three Great Monotheistic Religions Consequences of Monotheism Order in the universe – development of science and technology Man the image of God – justice and human rights Transcendent purpose in life Foundation for transcendent truth, goodness and beauty Progress in the material world

Reason and Revelation REASON NO REVELATION REVELATION Jews Atheism Christians (moderate) Muslims Atheism Pagan humanism NO REVELATION REVELATION Muslims (Jihadists) Some Christians Some traditional religions Pagan Animism New Age NON-REASON

How to Fight the War of Ideas Jihadism by the sword Secularism by intimidation and coercion Christianity by persuasion Secularism: 1 Ben Stein – Expelled 2 Language – “pro-choice,” “homophobia” 3 Ignore – facts, reality 4 Public Relations

Will We Believe bin Laden and Ahmadinejad? Two Parties in the Conflict -- Osama bin Laden al Jazeera, 1998 “There are two parties in this conflict: World Christianity, which is allied with Jews and Zionism, led by the United States, Britain, and Israel. The second party is the Islamic world.” The West’s Naïveté We do not want to believe the worst. The free world did not believe Hitler’s rhetoric in Mein Kampf. Theo van Gogh: “Can’t we talk about this?”

The West’s Grid Moral and cultural relativism There is no such thing as evil All cultures are “the same” (make no value judgment) Humankind is basically good The root of problems is social, political and economic. Fail to take religion seriously See economic poverty as the driving root of the angry young Muslim men Blind to history (this is a modern conflict beginning on 9/11) LISTEN! Wake Up! -- Mary Habeck Knowing the Enemy “The consistent need to find explanations other than religious ones for the attacks say, in fact, more about the West than it does about the jihadis. Western scholars have generally failed to take religion seriously. Secularists … discount the plain sense of religious statements made by the jihadis themselves…. “….To see why jidhadis declared war on the United States and tried to kill as many Americans as possible, we must be willing to listen to their own explanations. To do otherwise is to impose a Western interpretation on the extremists, in effect to listen to ourselves rather than to them.”

This War Is About Ideas This war is not about economic frustration. It is about “ religion” - belief – sacred belief systems. the supremacy of Islam and the inferiority of the West Bringing the world into submission to Allah and the Koran

A Better Set of Ideas Both Atheism and Islam think they have a better set of ideas. In the West Atheism is dying Rise of Neo-Paganism – Post-Modernism In the East Osama bin Laden is capturing the minds and imaginations of the youth. He is offering them something to die for.

Something to Live and Die For! Love of Death – Osama bin Laden in “The Declaration of War” “Our youths believe in paradise after death…. Those youths know that their rewards in fighting you, the USA, is double… They have no intention except to enter paradise by killing you. An infidel, and enemy of God like you…. Those youth are different from your soldiers. Your problem will be how to convince your troops to fight, while our problem will be how to restrain our youths to wait for their turn in fighting….”

Questions What is your response to what you have heard? What are the implications of loving death more than life? What are you living for? Is there anything that you are willing to die for?

Something to Die For Secularism: “Eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Islam: Allah, the Koran, Paradise and 72 virgins! Yes, and to KILL for Christianity: live and die for Christ and his kingdom

Something to Live and Die For! Christians are called to die for but not kill for Christ. Symbol of Islam is the sword; of Christianity it is the cross – self-sacrifice. The arsenal that Christians fight with: Love and service (Gospel moves forward on the knees of the saints) Better “ideas” – Truth, Beauty and Justice

Symbols of the Faith