ISIS: Selling Christian Artifacts, And Using Churches As Dungeons For Torture?
ISIS reportedly saw wealth and opportunity in Christian churches in ways many Christians and others would find extremely offensive.
According to Fox News, ISIS utilized the Christian churches in Syria and Iraq by turning them into chambers and dungeons for torturing and brutalizing people. Before basically destroying the churches, ISIS militants looted the churches of artifacts to sell on the black market.
The Christian artifacts were priceless relics of ancient times. Some were entire murals torn from the churches. All were smuggled via the same route ISIS used to move weapons and other items through the area the militants have claimed.
Jay Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice and the author of Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can’t Ignore told Fox News why ISIS attacked the Christian churches.
“ISIS has a stated goal to wipe out Christianity. This why they are crucifying Christians — including children — destroying churches and selling artifacts. The fact is, this group will stop at nothing to raise funds for its terrorist mission.”
According to DNA, ISIS has already destroyed several treasured Islamic and Christian monuments and sites.
Christians were not the only targets that faced destruction in the path of ISIS. Sunni shrines have been destroyed, and anyone or group who does not convert to their strict interpretation of the Sunni faith (which does not allow shrines or idolatry other than Allah) should expect destruction and death.
Sekulow described how ISIS violates Islamic law and is a danger to humanity.
“We know that ISIS considers several groups — including Christians — as ‘infidels without human rights.’ ISIS jihadists commit violence against fellow Muslims in violation of Islamic law. They routinely commit war crimes and engage in torture in violation of international law; and they also kill and threaten Christian, Jewish, and other religious communities.”
Despite the violence of the radical militant group, ISIS continues to draw in more people from around the world to join in its holy war. When people cannot leave their home countries to join ISIS at its base, sometimes they are called upon to take violent action in their home countries for ISIS.
“In short, ISIS is composed of religiously motivated psychopaths,” Sekulow summed up.
ISIS may continue to destroy Christian churches and terrorize people of other religions, but it only underscores deplorable violence and how far the group has separated itself from the true ways of Islam.
[Image via REUTERS/Omar Sanadiki]
