Greg Laurie and End Times Expert Agree It's a Mistake to Deny That ISIS and Similar Terrorist Groups Have Roots in Islamic Religion
Christian apologist Don Stewart and evangelist Greg Laurie both agreed during a recent discussion about the End Times that it is a mistake to deny that terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State in the Middle East and other parts of the world, are rooted in the Islamic religion, something they and others believe as fact.
"There's so many groups. What we are dealing with in a broad spectrum is Islamic terrorism," Laurie said during his interview with Stewart Thursday evening at the Harvest Orange County church in Irvine, California. "So, I think it's a mistake when someone stands up and says, 'You know these people are not Muslims.' Well, aren't they?"
Stewart responded, "Yes, they are." Adding that the first thing that politicians such as President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry (and George W. Bush, Laurie added), say is that "it's this peaceful religion that's been hijacked and that it's not Islam."
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"Actually, it is Islam, it's Islam from the very get go — how it started and how it continued. And that's why this IS group, Islamic State, believes they are the original Islam," Stewart said. "They are doing what Mohammed did and his immediate followers."
After naming the various Islamic terrorist groups around the world, he added, "The bottom line is that they all believe one thing, Greg, that Islam is going to take over the world, there's going to be a worldwide caliphate."
When asked to define caliphate, Stewart, who has authored several books, including The Rapture, answered, "Caliphate is a political religious system where Islam rules everything — the way you live your life, what you do, how you act every day, and that sort of thing. It literally controls every aspect of your life."
Laurie concluded this part of the discussion by saying, "But of course, we know that's not what the Scripture teaches, but that's their agenda. We are not saying that everyone who happens to be Muslim embraces this, there are many peaceful Muslims in America and around the world. But [the terrorists] are a radicalized group that believes that they are doing the will of Allah and they want world conquest."
Both Laurie and Stewart also agreed that some young people today are vulnerable to joining these types of groups.
"They have a structured belief system. [Youth in the U.S.] grow up in school today [learning that] the common ancestor is the ape, and there's no purpose for existence," Stewart explained. "IS is giving them a purpose for existence. There is a god. There is an end of history where they will be in control. That's what draws these people."
Laurie pointed out that modern technology, including social media, has allowed for the extremist group's belief system to recruit young people.
"We've worked so hard to remove God from our culture, in England, and even in America that's happening as well, and so there's this big vacuum, and so along comes this group that says we know God, Allah, and this is what you should do. They have kind of made, for some, jihad a little bit cool," Laurie said.
Asked by Laurie what the current events mean in terms of Bible prophecy, Stewart answered, "The players are moving into position. It's almost like a play … before the curtain goes up you have to hit your mark, and once you hit your mark then the curtain goes up. Players are moving around backstage ready to hit their mark and what they are doing is showing the fact that there is no world leadership, no world leader, that Israel is the enemy of everybody. … So, the problem is again, the stage is being set for Israel to be in the crosshairs, center stage for the final countdown."
After Laurie's interview with Stewart Thursday evening, he was asked by The Christian Post why his featured discussions that focused on the End Times in recent years often come at a time when there seems to be a heightened state of chaos and catastrophe in the world.
"That is so true. It shows how fragile things are in our world and how quickly things can change," Laurie answered. "It's like we are seeing foreshocks of a powerful earthquake that is ready to happen. The prophetic events are like dominoes closely stacked together. When the first domino falls, the others will fall in short order."
The full archived video of Laurie's interview with Stewart can be viewed by clicking here.
