A Conversation About the Jihadi Threat

Recently I had a frank conversation with someone whom I respect, yet who is blind to the threat posed by the Global Islamic Movement.  I often hear from many UTT followers about their experiences sharing their concern about this threat with otherwise intelligent, caring, and reasonable people who do not take it seriously and end up defending Islam because they know a friendly Muslim.

I offer this simple exchange as a lesson on one way to break through this layer of unbelief.

For the purposes of this conversation, in this transcript of the conversation, I am “JG” and the other person is “UM.”

JG:  So what is it we are talking about today.

UM:  I am having a hard time understanding how a guy like you who seems to be a patriotic and serious-minded faithful man can have so much hate for Muslims.  I have worked with Muslims and know several who are amazing people and whom I call ‘friends.’

JG:  What gives you the impression I hate any group of people, including Muslims?

UM:  I have seen your youtube videos and read some of your stuff.

JG:  And where in any of that did I say I hate Muslims?

UM:  You don’t but you make it clear you believe Islam is the threat we face.

JG:  Islam is the threat we face, and we will get to that in a minute.  However, I have never said I hate Muslims because I do not.  Neither do I have any concern with people who self-identify themselves as Muslims and who simply want to live their lives under the laws of the United States.  However, Muslims in America who want to impose Sharia (Islamic Law) by all means possible including force on non-Muslims or even Muslims who do not want to live under it, are a direct threat to our Republic, our Constitution, and to our entire system of government and rule of law.

UM:  There is the broad brush you always use.  There are many versions of Sharia.  You make it sound like it is one simple system.

JG:  Because it is.  All Islamic scholars agree that the object of Islam is to destroy the Dar al Harb (House of War) until the entire world is the Dar al Islam (House of Islam) ruled by Sharia Law under a Caliph.  The vehicle to do this is called “Jihad” which is only defined in Sharia (Islamic Law) as ‘warfare against non-Muslims.’  This is taught across the globe in all of the schools of Islamic Jurisprudence down to the first grade level in text books in Islamic schools.  Can you give me the name of one authoritative Islamic Law book that says something other than that?  Can you tell me where another “version” of Islam is taught in Virginia?  In the United States?  Anywhere on the planet?

UM:  That’s a ridiculous question.  I am not an Islamic scholar.

JG:  So, what Islamic Law have you read?

UM:  I haven’t read any, but I…

JG:  So you are arguing with me about something you have no knowledge of, yes?

UM:  I am saying you are making sweeping statements about Islam that are not true?

JG:  Which of the statements I just made is not true?

UM:  I don’t know, but I do know Islam isn’t what you say it is.

JG:  How do you know that?

UM:  Because no religion exists to put the world under it’s control.

JG:  Islam does and it teaches it’s revolutionary ideology to children even before they reach kindergarten.  And again I ask you, how can you know what Islam does or does not claim as its doctrine if you have admitted you have never read even a page of it?

UM:  I don’t know.

JG:  Is it possible that you are basing your understanding of Islam based on individuals you know who identify themselves as “Muslims” yet do not subscribe to the very thing Islam tells its adherents they must obey – Sharia?

UM:  That’s a possibility, but I have never met a Muslim who says they want to overturn our laws and make Sharia the law in America.

JG:  So, the fact you have never met a Muslim who subscribes to Sharia forms your entire understanding of Islam, correct?

UM:  Well, yeah.

JG:  Do you see how that may not be the most logical way to understand a real threat that is currently conquering nations and killing tens of thousands of people across the globe?

UM:  I can see your perspective, but don’t you think the grievances of Muslims has something to do with the violence we are witnessing?

JG:  First, this is not my “perspective.”  Everything I teach about Islamic Law comes from Islamic sources that have authority in Islam and cannot be factually denied by Islamic doctrine.  Secondly, do you have any evidence, besides the words of Islamic leaders, that the jihadis are doing what they are doing for economic, educational, or social reasons.

UM:  Nothing I can point to, but I could probably find something.

JG:  OK.  I encourage you to find a factual basis for what we are seeing based on economic, educational, and social reasons.  You won’t find them however.  They are fighting us because their doctrine commands them to.

UM:  That seems so difficult to believe.

JG:  Are you willing to agree that their doctrine is Sharia?

UM:  I suppose that is reasonable.  I mean, all of the terrorists we capture or arrest seem to say the same thing.  Like they want a Caliphate under Sharia, they hate Israel, and are doing grotesque acts of violence.

JG:  And they support their actions by quoting Islamic Law and the Quran, yes?

UM:  Yeah.

JG:  What are the differences in the objectives of ISIS, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hizbollah, Boko Haram, and all the other jihadist groups?

UM:  I don’t know.

JG:  They all state they want a Caliphate under Sharia.

UM:  All of them?

JG:  Yes.

UM:  What about the Muslim Brotherhood?  They seem to want to change things politically, not violently.

JG:  Have you read the Muslim Brotherhood creed, or studied its log, or read their By-Laws?

UM:  No.

JG:  Would it surprise you if I told you their doctrine also calls for the establishment of the Caliphate under Sharia, and recently they just called for a “long and unrelenting jihad”?

UM:  It would.

JG:  Maybe we can continue this conversation after you do some more study on the Sharia.