ISIS... Islamic Terrorism at its worst

In October 2001, almost thirteen years ago, Robert Worth published an article in the New York Times entitled "The Deep Intellectual Roots of Islamic Terror." In the article, he quotes Princeton professor of Near Eastern Studies Michael Doran who talks about terrorist group Al-Qaeda and its leader Osama bin Laden. Remember, this article was published only a month after the horrible events of September 11, 2001.

''Many Americans seem to think that bin Laden is just a violent cult leader,'' said Michael Doran. ... ''But the truth is that he is tapping into a minority Islamic tradition with a wide following and a deep history.''

Although many Muslims are horrified at the notion that their faith is being used to justify terrorism, Mr. bin Laden's advocacy of jihad, or holy war, against the West is a natural extension of what some radical Islamists have been saying and doing since the 1930's. These radicals were jailed, tortured and often executed in their home countries... for their attacks on Western influences and their efforts to replace their own regime with an Islamic state."

The Deep Intellectual Roots of Islamic Terror, New York Times

Extremism can occur in any religion, any group, in any ideology, in any cause that inspires people and draws them together. Today, the world is faced with Islamic extremism. It is not 'just' a violent cult leader proclaiming jihad. It is not 'just' Al-Qaeda and the events of September 11, 2001. It is not 'just' the Taliban and Hamas and Islamic Jihad and Hezbollah and the Islamic Brotherhood and Islamic Jihad. It is not 'just' ISIS (aka ISIL aka the Islamic State in Syria and the Levant). It is all of those terrorist organisations together with their followers and supporters from all around the world.

Just before I started writing this, I watched a video of ISIS mass-murdering scores of men. Several friends shared it on Facebook, expressing their disgust at the horror it depicts. The video is extremely brutal, showing people being beaten, being shot, killed in cold blood. I don't understand nearly enough Arabic to know what is being said, however I do know what I see. Mass murder as evidenced by shocking and horrifying images.

The Right Scoop : ISIS Murders 1500 POWs

This is what is happening in the world today. This is what human beings are doing to each other. This is what a world religion with an amazing potential for peace and love and brotherhood is being misused for. And this is what will spread around the world unchecked if we -- global humanity -- do not stand up and say NO to Islamic extremism.

"It is shameful and disgraceful that these terrorists are doing this in the name of religion, killing the people whose killing Allah has forbidden, and mutilating their bodies and feeling proud in publishing this."

~ King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, earlier this month

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New Orleans' Garden District

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