ISIS Publication Aims to Lure Recruits; Justifies Atrocities by Citing Mohammed

The latest propaganda publication by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) is clearly designed to lure more recruits from Western countries, portraying an idealized picture of a band of “strangers from the East and the West,” drawn together despite national and ethnic differences, in common allegiance to one leader and one sacred cause.

Entitled Dabiq, the slick, full-color digital magazine has been produced in English and several other European languages. The style and grammar suggest first-language English writer or writers, and the spelling is American rather than British.

The magazine’s inaugural edition appeared in early July, highlighting the “caliphate” announced by ISIS days earlier. A second edition underscored the religious basis for ISIS’ vision, arguing that those who oppose Allah’s will will be punished, just as those who mocked Noah when he built the ark were punished in the Flood. Read more

See also
New evidence of 'ethnic cleansing' by IS in Iraq
British woman who joined ISIS calls for beheading of Christians
Former Muslim UK school director funding Islamic State
What the spread of Boko Haram has to do with Jesus' return

One of the reasons that ISIS is successful in recruiting in Western countries is that it responds to approaches made by disaffected individuals, something from which US Christian leaders could learn. Too often individuals who are struggling with life issues will approach a Christian leader over the Internet--by email, on a blog, on FaceBook, and so on--and not receive a response. This may be due to the problems of a particular individual being so overwhelming that the Christian leader may not know how to respond or as in my own case my email accounts are so cluttered with bulletins, newsletters, and the like that I miss people's emails.(I apologize to anyone who has tried to contact me and did not receive a reply.) However, often as not it has become the practice not to respond to people. I don't think that is a good thing. 

Image: ISIS/Al-Hayat Media