“Today, recognize and keep in mind that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below; there is no other.” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
“Allah, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting, Who sustains the entire order of the universe - there is no God but He.” (Quran 3:2)
Again, this is a difficult part to write since I’m a Christian, and my faith, Christianity, and its progenitor, Judaism, are guilty of religious Conquer and Dominate.
Because every person carries the Subdue and Rule Mandate that moves them to bring their world under control and manage it, and every person wrestles with the Mandate’s sin-twisted version, Conquer, and Dominate, then we should expect to find examples of Conquer and Dominate in world religions sin people are part of all faith communities.
In this part, we’ll look at how New Testament Judaism, historical Christianity, and Islam have succumbed to the drive to Conquer and Dominate people in God’s and Allah’s name.
Jewish and Christian Conquer and Dominate Examples
The New Testament
The Gospels record how the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day (the wicked shepherds of Israel, Jeremiah 23: 1-4; Ezekiel 34:1-10; Zechariah 11) Conquered and Dominated their fellow Jews. “Then (Jesus) said, “Woe also to you experts in the law! You load people with burdens that are hard to carry, and yet you yourselves don’t touch these burdens with one of your fingers. Woe to you! You build tombs for the prophets, and your fathers killed them” (Luke 11:46-47).
Jesus levels two accusations against the Jewish leadership. First, the leaders had taken it upon themselves to interpret and apply the Torah/Law in ways that went beyond the spirit of the Torah. Rather than teaching God’s guidelines that led to an increasingly righteous and godly life (Torah commands), the leadership promoted rabbi-created laws, guidelines, and customs (mitzvot, gezeirah, minhag – halakah/Jewish law), which often rose to the level of God’s direct commands (jewfaq.org). These additions to God’s commands were intended to help people not violate the negative commands of God’s Torah/Law (“Thou shalt not”) and to observe His positive commands (“Thou shalt”).
However, these extra-biblical rulings became burdensome over time due to the extreme details instituted to ensure proper observance. For example, God required Aaron and the priests to wash their hands and feet before their daily service in the Temple (Exodus 30:18-20). No such command applied to the general Israelite population. However, by Jesus’ day, the hand-washing command was extrapolated, expanded, and applied to all Jews before eating. This expanded law made it burdensome for people because how could they eat if food was present but not the means to wash up first? Therefore, the need to serve the man-contrived laws overrode the need to eat, something Jesus strenuously objected to as an outright misinterpretation and misapplication of His Father’s command (Matthew 7:1-5). “‘Abandoning the command of God, you hold on to human tradition.’ He also said to them, ‘You have a fine way of invalidating God’s command in order to set up your tradition!’” (Matthew 7:8-9).
The purpose of such extra-biblical commands that extended past the letter and spirit of the written Torah was for the rabbis to ensure the Jewish people lived for God properly according to their theological views.
Second, while the leaders built the tombs of the prophets and revered God’s deceased servants, it was their fathers who killed those same prophets for condemning the past leaders’ apostasy. Their fathers rejected God’s call to repent from their idolatry and return to Him, so they Conquered and Dominated His emissaries to silence God’s message. In a veiled way, Jesus was indicting the current leaders that they were “like father, like son,” rebellious people who had turned from God in their hearts and would soon likewise reject God’s Messenger, Jesus, who had also called for Israel’s repentance and return to God.
Another Conquer and Dominate example from the Gospels comes from the account of the man born blind (John 9). After Jesus created a set of eyes for the man born blind and the man’s subsequent rejoicing and testimony, the Jewish leaders frantically sought out the now-seeing man’s parents to ask if their son had indeed been born blind. However, the man’s parents refused to answer out of fear. “His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jews (i.e., the Jewish leadership), since the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed (Jesus) as the Messiah, he would be banned from the synagogue” (John 9:22, italics author). This threat was the leaders’ move to Conquer and Dominate the growing Jesus movement by threatening excommunication of anyone foolish enough to join it.
In the book of Acts, after Jesus’ resurrection and the Holy Spirit’s arrival marking the start of God’s New Covenant people, the Jewish leaders launched their Conquer and Dominate campaign against the newly formed messianic stream of Judaism. We see this in the account of Peter and John’s arrest and trial (Acts 4:1-22, 5:17-42), Stephen’s execution (Acts 7:54-60), the Sanhedrin’s persecution against Jesus’ followers (Acts 8:1, 11:19, 13:15), and Saul/Paul’s mission to arrest Jesus’ followers for prosecution (Acts 9:1-2).
This Conquer and Dominate strategy didn’t surprise Jesus’ followers. Jesus had told His disciples to anticipate such a reaction and not to fear. Jesus said, “I say to you, my friends, don’t fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more” (Luke 12:4, italics author). See? Even Conquer and Dominate has its limits. Jesus also warned them of the threats to come. “They will ban you from the synagogues. In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering service to God” (John 16:2, italics author). Rather than fear the Conquer and Dominate assault, Jesus’ followers were to Subdue and Rule the situation and their opponents by letting the Holy Spirit take the lead. “So when they arrest you and hand you over, don’t worry beforehand what you will say, but say whatever is given to you at that time, for it isn’t you speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11).
Throughout the epistles, Jewish believer Apostle Paul often refers to the ill-treatment he received from his fellow Jews, both non-believing (2 Corinthians 11:24) and the believing but legalistic Jews (Galatians 5:11, 6:12-13). Both groups used Conquer and Dominate to control the Jesus movement’s spread, doctrine, and practices.
Christian Church History
For the last nearly 2,000 years, Jesus worked via the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit through His people to Subdue and Rule humanity by inviting all people to come to Him, to learn His ways and walk them out in love, spreading the testimony of His Father and Himself to the world. But regrettably, human nature got in the way many times, and religious Conquer and Dominate again reared its ugly head.
It’s a sad testimony that Christianity’s history is replete with examples of how Jesus’ followers, whom Jesus commanded to love their neighbor and even their enemies, have ignored His command and deployed Conquer and Dominate to humanity’s harm.
Initially, Jesus’ congregations were established in Judea among Jewish believers. Then, more congregations were birthed in Samaria, and ultimately, the messianic Jewish movement, later called Christianity, spread throughout the Roman Empire via trade and travel. But as the new movement grew, increasing numbers of Gentiles joined the ranks of Jewish believers. Because of antisemitism and a gross misunderstanding of Jesus’ teaching regarding the Torah, the Jewishness of Jesus’ congregations began to be purged as more Gentiles joined, and Western philosophy and practices began to override the foundational Judaism of the congregations.
As mentioned previously, the Easter Controversy became a significant schism between the Roman bishop and the Asia Minor bishops. The Easter Controversy arose over the issue of when to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. The problem resulted from the Romans’ solar-based calendar versus the Bible’s lunar-based calendar. Because of that difference, the days to observe Jesus’ death and resurrection varied between the gentilized Roman congregations and the more Jewish Asia Minor congregations.
Unfortunately, Roman centrism and supremacy had infected the church at Rome and its bishop, Victor I. Rome and its emperor were considered supreme as in “all roads lead to Rome,” and “it’s Rome’s way or the highway.” Also, Rome didn’t hesitate to use Conquer and Dominate force to keep its subjects in line. Bishop Victor sought to impose his will on the Asia Minor congregations during the Easter Controversy. He acted unilaterally to excommunicate the rival Asia Minor bishops and their assemblies. Had Victor I served with the cooperative Subdue and Rule attitude, allowances and compromises could have been made rather than begin the schism that ultimately split Jesus’ body in two – the Eastern and Western Church.
Other Christian Conquer and Dominate manifestations that cropped up during the early church years were Replacement Theology and supersessionism. “Supersessionism is the traditional Christian belief that Christianity is the fulfillment of Biblical Judaism, and therefore that Jews who deny that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah fall short of their calling as God’s Chosen people. Supersessionism, in its more radical form, maintains that the Jews are no longer considered to be God’s Chosen people in any sense. This understanding is generally termed ‘replacement theology’” (theopedia.com). In other words, because the Jews rejected Jesus as Israel’s Messiah, supersessionist theologians espouse that God has abandoned the Jews and replaced them with a new Chosen People, the Christian church. All God’s promises and prophecies given to Israel now belong to the Christian church, which has superseded Judaism.
The biblical fallacy of Replacement Theology and supersessionism is behind the Christian church’s errant historical claim of dominance over Judaism. While Jesus’ importance and His way of salvation remain crucial differences between Christianity and Judaism, the scriptures clearly show that God has not abandoned His people and still has a central plan for them (Romans 11:1; Isaiah 2:2-3).
As Paul wrote, “I don’t want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you will not be conceited: A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way, all Israel will be saved…”. In what way, Paul? “…As it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Romans 11:25-27). In other words, when God is finished with His Kingdom-building work through the Gentiles, He will bring His people, the Jews, to salvation because of the covenant He has with them, which He has never renounced.
For the church to appropriate God’s promises to Israel and His prophesied mission for the Jews is outright Conquer and Dominate and cannot be supported by scripture.
Other ways the organized Christian Church historically moved to Conquer and Dominate its followers was through the abuses listed above, including financial manipulation via unbiblical indulgences (britannica.com) and the Catholic Church’s wars and persecutions to force the Protestant Reformers back into the fold and under Papal authority.
Throughout church history, other church leaders have succumbed to the drive to Conquer and Dominate in many ways:
· Over God’s word. Apostle Paul tells us to “Be diligent to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15). We need to master God’s word so it can be our master. However, when our zeal for God’s word replaces His command to love others, we have a problem. Today, some church leaders attack others for their stand on whether God’s spiritual gifts are valid, or the timing of the Rapture (pre- or post-Tribulation, or a Rapture at all), or whether Christians need the Hebrew scriptures at all (answersingenesis.org). The Conquer and Dominate drive has also led some Christians, churches, and denominations to usurp God’s word by twisting it to allow for “My will be done,” particularly regarding sanctioning sin (see homosexual practice, same-sex unions, and abortion).
· The Shepherding/Discipleship movement. This movement grew out of the concern for low-level discipleship commitment, shallow relationships, and encroaching worldliness in the Charismatic movement of the 70s. The Shepherding Movement peaked in the 80s and emphasized personal discipleship under strong, sometimes overbearing, and intrusive leadership that violated reasonable discipleship. What began as the leaders’ desire for appropriate spiritual accountability and to promote spiritual maturity quickly morphed into the Conquer and Dominate desire for strict control and heavy-handed management. “The Shepherding Movement has received well-deserved criticism for its cult-like manipulation and intimidation tactics and its emphasis on the non-biblical idea of a ‘spiritual covering” (gotquestions.org). At its core, the Shepherding movement’s focus on submission to spiritual authority was fertile ground for Conquer and Dominate exploitation. Because of the resulting damage, the original leaders came to “(admit) that the movement was a mistake and have disassociated themselves with it.” However, the idea of needing a “spiritual covering,” such as a pastor or elder, as an ultimate authority over one’s life continues in pockets.
· Dominion theology/Dominionism. Dominionism teaches “a divine mandate to claim dominion over the earth, physically, spiritually, and politically” (gotquestions.org). Dominionists believe God has given Jesus’ followers a mandate with authority and power (sound familiar?) to bring various domains called the Seven Mountains under God’s influence and control. This is accomplished by having Christians occupy critical positions in the seven domains of family, religion, education, media, entertainment, business, and government. Once achieved, Christians will be able to influence the culture toward God. The more extreme version of Dominionism is Christian Reconstructionism and Kingdom Now theology (Ibid.). Again, the fault of such a misunderstanding of our Subdue and Rule Mandate is that it aims to control people by controlling the culture, using influence rather than force to move people into line with God and His will. Jesus told us to influence the world as light affects darkness and salt prevents corruption. But that influence did not include a command to take dominion physically, spiritually, or politically over other people. Only one person has been commissioned to do that, which will only happen when Jesus returns.
In the meantime, Jesus’ followers need to learn how to live and work side by side in loving cooperation. Our direct commission is to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20), not “Go, therefore, and force people from all nations to become disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, forcing them to observe everything I have commanded you.” As it was in Jesus’ day, God’s kingdom is by invitation only, and that invitation is to submit willingly to God.
There is, however, another faith community whose very name implies submission, but its radicalized nature is the embodiment of Conquer and Dominate that forces people into submission – Islam.
Radical Islam: A Conquer and Dominate Religion
What’s in a name?
Biblically speaking, a name describes a thing’s nature or function. “Heaven” in Hebrew is shamayim, translated as sham (there) mayim (water). Heaven’s Hebrew name shows that its nature and function is to provide water crucial to the ancient Israelites’ survival. More than that, heaven is where God, who provides Israel’s life-giving water, resides. Rain may come from heaven, but God is the rainmaker. Also, Jesus’ Hebrew name, Yeshua, means “salvation.” Therefore, Jesus’ name reveals that His nature and function were to bring the Father’s salvation to His lost children.
So, what about the name Christian? “The word ‘Christian’ means ‘belonging to the party of Christ’ or a ‘follower of Christ’” (gotquestions.org). Therefore, one who bears the name “Christian” should be a person who is conforming to Jesus’ nature – the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – and His functions as presenter of the Father’s way of salvation (Matthew 28:19-20), doing good works (Ephesians 2:10), and even supernatural works (John 14:12). Therefore, a Christian is supposed to be by nature and function striving to be like Jesus.
What about the name Islam? Islam means “submission” (whyislam.org). “The term Islam derives from the three-letter Arabic root, S-L-M, which generates words with interrelated meanings, including ‘surrender’, ‘submission’, ‘commitment’ and ‘peace’ (islamicity.org). Therefore, we should expect Islam’s nature as a religion to promote submission to Allah to find peace, which is how many Muslims describe themselves today. “Islam means to achieve peace – peace with God, peace within oneself, and peace with the creations of God – through wholly submitting oneself to God and accepting His guidance” (Ibid.). However, once Islam becomes infused with Conquer and Dominate, the tune changes to “You will have no peace unless you submit to Allah.” Rather than “I will submit to Allah,” it becomes, “You will submit to Allah.”
What does Islam offer?
Contrary to Judaism and Christianity, who share the same God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Mohammed presented an entirely new revelation that supersedes God’s revelation of Himself through the Hebrew and New Covenant scriptures. In this, we see the root of Islam’s drive to Conquer and Dominate – Conquering and Dominating a competing God, His prophets, His Torah/Law, His standard set by His character and will, and Yehovah’s rule over all humanity whom He created.
Islam is a true Replacement Theology and Supersessionism that presents:
· The Imposition of a New Prophet – Mohammed (A.D. 570-632).
· The Imposition of a New God – Allah, selected by Mohammed from the pantheon of Arab polytheism. “Allah is not the Jehovah of the Old Testament. In fact, Allah is a version of the Moon-god, a pagan god in Arabia who was worshipped during pre-Islamic times. And that is why the Crescent moon is the symbol of Islam, and the month-long Ramadan fasting begins and ends with the crescent moon” (chalcedon.edu). Mohammed went on to copy Judaism’s and Christianity’s monotheism but elevated Allah’s status as the only, not just supreme, god in place of Yehovah.
· The Imposition Of A New Religion – “According to Islamic texts and tradition, an angel named Gabriel visited Muhammad in A.D. 610 while he was meditating in a cave. The angel ordered Muhammad to recite the words of Allah. Muslims believe that Muhammad continued to receive revelations from Allah throughout the rest of his life” (history.com).
· The Imposition Of A New Law – Sharia. Sharia law is an all-encompassing code of conduct for nearly every aspect of life, which annuls Judeo-Christian laws.
Mohammed’s “revelation” introduced a radical faith that opposes the God of the Jewish-Christian Bible. Islam infringes and encroaches upon and usurps Yehovah’s rule. Yehovah’s character and will are no longer the standard. Allah’s character and his will alone are Islam’s standard.
To be clear, there is absolutely no equivalence between Yehovah and Allah.
The Quran is clear about this as it openly repudiates the Bible’s Father and Son: “Muhammad Sarwar: Say, ‘It is only God who deserves all praise. He has not begotten a son and has no partner in His Kingdom. He does not need any guardian to help Him in His need. Proclaim His greatness” (Chapter (17) sūrat l-isrā (The Night Journey), corpus.quran.com, islamweb.net).
What happens to Christianity and Islam when they are infused with the drive to Conquer and Dominate?
When Conquer and Dominate infuses Christianity, what’s produced is antithetical to Jesus’ teaching because He said, “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, italics author). Subdue and Rule involves serving others for their benefit and not harming them while accomplishing one’s duties.
However, a Christian functioning under Conquer and Dominate works for personal benefit regardless of whether it harms another. Subdue and Rule Christianity radiates with the fruit of the Spirit. Conquer and Dominate Christianity only produces the works of the flesh, such as “sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar” (Galatians 5:19-21). A Subdue and Rule Christian bears Jesus’ name honorably. A Conquer and Dominate Christian betrays the name of Christ.
What about Islam? If Subdue and Rule influences Islam, you would have “Muslims who are loyal to the core creed and worship devoutly but are not inclined to practice violence or even intolerance towards non-Muslims” (foreignpolicy.com). However, a Conquer and Dominate influenced Islam nuclearizes submission. Conquer and Dominate Islam drives its followers to force others to submit to Allah, Sharia law, and other Muslims. The question is whether Islam, at its core, is a peaceful or violent religion.
Is Islam, by nature, a religion of peace?
Today, many apologists for Islam say that Islam is all about peace, for that’s the root meaning of Islam’s name. “The Arabic word ‘Islam’ means ‘submission’ and is derived from a word meaning ‘peace’. As such, the religion of Islam teaches that in order to achieve true peace of mind and surety of heart, one must submit to God and live according to His Divinely revealed Law” (islamreligion.com).
That’s a nice introduction to Islam, but we can already see Islam’s Conquer and Dominate foundation via its name. In biblical thinking, a name reveals something’s nature or function, what that thing is or is designed to do. Therefore, Islam’s nature and function is for a person to submit to its god, Allah, and swear allegiance to his will. According to the above Islamic website, “The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of his/her race, nationality or ethnic background. Hence, any person who is ready to submit to the will of God is eligible to become a Muslim. Becoming a Muslim is a simple and easy process. All a person has to do is to declare the Testimony of Faith (Shahada)… ‘There is no true god (deity) but God (Allah), and Muhammad is the Messenger (Prophet) of God.’ Once a person says the Testimony of Faith (Shahada) with conviction and understanding its meaning, then he/she has become a Muslim” (Ibid., italics author).
What must a Muslim do after conversion? Like Judaism’s and Christianity’s expectation to obey Yehovah’s commands and live His word, Muslims must follow their god’s word, the Quran, and Sharia law. “Sharia means ‘the correct path’ in Arabic. In Islam, it refers to the divine counsel that Muslims follow to live moral lives and grow close to God. Sharia is derived from two main sources: the Quran, which is considered the direct word of God, and hadith—thousands of sayings and practices attributed to the Prophet Mohammed that collectively form the Sunna… Sharia isn’t the same as Islamic law. Muslims believe sharia refers to the perfect, immutable values understood only by God, while Islamic laws are those based on interpretations of sharia” (cfr.org).
The difficulty is when Sharia law clashes with the laws of a non-Muslim country. Since Sharia is viewed as the ultimate law, all other laws must submit to it. Thus, the imposition of Sharia law with its harsh corporal punishments, call to armed struggle (jihad, although moderate Muslims interpret jihad as a personal spiritual struggle), and religious intolerance must often be instituted by Conquer and Dominate force.
“The fundamentalists who envision a regime based on sharia, Islamic religious law…argue for an Islam largely or completely unchanged from its original seventh-century version and take it as a requirement of their faith that they impose it on everyone else. I call them ‘Medina Muslims,’ in that they see the forcible imposition of sharia as their religious duty, following the example of the Prophet Mohammed when he was based in Medina” (foreignpolicy.com). “As the Princeton scholar Michael Cook observed in his book Ancient Religions, Modern Politics, ‘the historical salience of warfare against unbelievers … was thus written into the foundational texts’ of Islam. There lies the duality within Islam. It’s possible to claim, following Mohammed’s example in Mecca, that Islam is a religion of peace. But it’s also possible to claim, as the Islamic State does, that a revelation was sent to Mohammed commanding Muslims to wage jihad until every human being on the planet accepts Islam or a state of subservience, on the basis of his legacy in Medina. The key question is not whether Islam is a religion of peace, but rather, whether Muslims follow the Mohammed of Medina, regardless of whether they are Sunni or Shiite.”
Dustin Yancy writes in his master’s thesis, A Historical Analysis of Violence in Islam (Fall 2010), “According to this evidence, the radical Islamic movement is not a collective of militant groups twisting the nature or purpose of Islam. These groups are instead, fundamentalist adherents to the Islam practiced by the religion’s own founder, existing for over 1,400 years. The examination of this evidence leads to the conclusion that violence is an inherent component within the Islamic religion and stems from its historical and theological nucleus.” (scholars.csus.edu, italics author)
Is Islam a religion of peace? It can be if its adherents submit to living harmoniously with other faiths and geo-political systems. But for the radical Muslim fundamentalists, Islam is practiced best when done so according to Mohammed’s early words and example.
By way of comparison, if a Christian were violent, a fundamentalist Christian would exclaim, “You’re doing it wrong.” If a Muslim were violent, a fundamentalist Muslim would exclaim, “You’re doing it right!” But let’s be clear. We can never say all Muslims are violent or tend toward violence, just like we can’t generalize any other people group. However, Islam’s history shockingly reveals a propensity toward Conquer and Dominate in Allah’s name to achieve its global goals.
Radical Fundamentalist Islam’s Conquer and Dominate Goals
Islam is, by nature, a supremacist religion fused with a political ideology, and Islam’s goal, whether by persuasion or force, is for all humanity to submit to Allah and global Islamic domination. But doesn’t Christianity want to “win the world for Jesus?” Yes. That’s God the Father’s goal. But again, Jesus invites everyone to come to Him, and a person must accept willingly. On the other hand, various streams of Islam embrace willing conversion or forced submission.
A recent Breitbart.com article revealed the radical Islamists’ desire to Islamize the entire world. “Hamas’s original charter, which claims that ‘peace and quiet’ for Jews and Christians will only be possible ‘under the wing of Islam,’ repeatedly cites the Koran and other mainstream Islamic texts.” Hamas co-founder and senior official Mahmoud al-Zahar was reported as saying that peace would only come through total submission to Islam. “The entire planet will be under our law; there will be no more Jews or Christian traitors.” In other words, Jews and Christians will have peace only when they have been Conquered and Dominated by Islam. Al-Zahar continued, “The entire 510 million square kilometers of Planet Earth will come under [a system] where there is no injustice, no oppression, no Zionism, no treacherous Christianity and no killings and crimes like those being committed against the Palestinians, and against the Arabs in all the Arab countries, in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and other countries” (breitbart.com).
As seen in the above quote, Islam specifically targets Jews and Christians. That’s because they serve Allah’s competition, and according to Islam, there is only one god, and Allah is it. Ironically, this contradicts Yehovah’s self-revelation: “Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like me” (Isaiah 46:9).
Eliminating all competition is Islam’s goal. Islam has successfully eradicated most, if not all, Jews from Muslim-controlled nations, and the remaining Christians are threatened. According to Israelnationalnews.com, Islam is on the move to Conquer and Dominate more than Jews and Christians. “First the Saturday people, second the Sunday people, third the secularized West but it doesn’t care” (israelnationalnews.com).
Life Under Conquer and Dominate Islam
What is it like to live under Conquer and Dominate Islam? In the extreme cases, Islam creates a male-dominated, women-subservient culture. The three countries where women are most oppressed under Sharia law are Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Afghanistan. Women are closely watched for compliance with Sharia law. In Saudi Arabia, “‘We have more and more women in prisons, either for not wearing abaya or, you know, for dancing in public or for tweeting their opinions, whatever the subject, even on unemployment,’ Lina al-Hathloul, head of monitoring and communications for the rights group ALQST, told France 24.” In Iran, “As in Saudi Arabia, a male guardianship system governs women in Iran, requiring women to obtain permission to marry, divorce, get custody, inherit and even travel abroad. The legal age of marriage is 13, and girls can be married even younger if their male guardian deems it appropriate.” And in Afghanistan, “Women are also barred from school, working outside the home, and working for NGOs” (fairplanet.org)
In addition to these obstacles, women continue to confront various challenges, including forced marriage, child marriage, honor killings - where individuals are murdered due to perceived damage to a family’s honor - and violence. Despite widespread, albeit short-lived, media criticism, the ruling group’s reign of terror against women persists” (fairplanet.org). For further information, check out How Victims of Rape Are Viewed: The Persecution of Christians, August 2022, gatestoneinstitute.org/18946/persecution-of-christians-august).
Historically and currently, non-Muslims often face three choices in Islamic countries under Sharia law. “Those conquered are given three choices: to convert to Islam; to remain tolerated, second-class citizens, called dhimmis, pay a ‘protection’ tax [jizya], and live according to humiliating rules to remind them of their inferiority, -- such as being allowed to ride a donkey but not a camel or horse. The third choice is to die” (gatestoneinstitute.org).
No, this isn’t an isolated example. When ISIS swept through the Iraqi region in 2014, non-Muslims were faced with the Conquer and Dominate choice. “Islamist insurgents have issued an ultimatum to northern Iraq’s dwindling Christian population to either convert to Islam, pay a religious levy or face death, according to a statement distributed in the militant-controlled city of Mosul… ‘We offer them three choices: Islam; the dhimma contract - involving payment of jizya; if they refuse this they will have nothing but the sword,’ the announcement said.” (reuters.com).
The Gatestone Institute, International Policy Council, documents Islamic forced conversions extensively. In Pakistan, “Every day you run the risk of being kidnapped, forcibly converted to Islam, raped, and coerced into a ‘marriage’ with an older or elderly man. This is what takes place often in Islamic Pakistan. The victims are Christian and Hindu women and children” (gatestoneinstitute.org). Sadly, Islam’s Conquer and Dominate forced conversions continue today with little outcry and influence from the more moderate Islamic world.
Radical Fundamentalist Islam’s Past Actions
Islam’s Conquer and Dominate history speaks for itself. Islam is known historically more for its wars for conquest than for evangelism and peace (cbn.com).
Gatestoneinstitute.org describes conditions under the last Islamic empire, the Ottoman Empire. “The conquests by Turks resulted in the violent and destructive Islamization of the Byzantine civilization… The Ottoman Empire lasted for some 600 years -- from 1299 to 1923 -- and included parts of Asia, Europe and Africa. During this period, the Turks engaged in practices such as: the ghulam system, in which non-Muslims were enslaved, converted and trained to become warriors and statesmen; the devshirme system, the forced recruitment of Christian boys taken from their families, converted to Islam and enslaved for service to the sultan in his palace and to join his janissaries (“new corps”); compulsory and voluntary Islamization -- the latter resulting from social, religious and economic pressure; and the sexual slavery of women and young boys, deportation and massacre” (gatestoneinstitute.org).
What is especially concerning is that Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is attempting to restore the Ottoman empire with himself as Caliph, the political-religious successor to the Islamic prophet Mohammad and a leader of the entire Muslim world (ummah) (wng.org).
Radical Fundamentalist Islam’s Threat Today
Significant events of the last 60 years have brought the threat of radical Islam to the forefront of Western minds, particularly in the United States. 1) The Iranian Revolution, the return of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and the U.S. citizens taken hostage for a year; 2) the Marine barracks bombing in Beirut, Lebanon in 1983; 3) the bombing of Pan Am flight 103; 4) the rise of Islamic terrorism and terror groups around the globe; 5) the Twin Tower attacks on September 11, 2001; 6) the rise of ISIS/ISIL in Iraq and radical Islam’s call for a world-wide caliphate; and most recently, 7) Hamas’ attack on Israel (October 7, 2023) and the shocking revealing of antisemitism as people and nations around the globe side with terroristic Islam.
Islam’s nature as a Conquer and Dominate faith that strives to have all humanity submit to it is explicit. The Quran doesn’t mince words. “Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor comply with what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor embrace the religion of truth from among those who were given the Scripture, until they pay the tax, willingly submitting, fully humbled” (Qur’an, 9:29 Khattab translation).
Radical Islam is like the Borg of Star Trek infamy, an entity whose sole purpose is to subsume everything into its politico-religious collective. In the words of the Borg’s leader, “You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.”
But resistance is not futile.
The Bible’s books of Daniel and Revelation describe a final beastly empire utterly consumed by the drive to Conquer and Dominate all. While most Bible-believing Christians think the Final Empire will be a resurrected Roman empire, author and End Times researcher Joel Richardson makes a compelling case for a restored Islamic empire (see The Islamic Antichrist and Mideast Beast.) When confronted with the choice between swearing allegiance to the politico-religious Beast and his authority or death, faithful Christians will resist – and die. But their resistance in the face of the Conquer and Dominate final beastly empire will bring them great reward because they refused to bend their knees to anyone but Jesus. “They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; for they did not love their lives to the point of death” (Revelation 12:11).
That’s the proper response. When faced with Conquer and Dominate threats, we must first and foremost have ourselves Subdued and Ruled by the Lord so we can meet even the worst form of Conquer and Dominate, death, and remain true to our King.
In closing, I want to encourage you not to look at all Muslims as terrorists or threats. They are misguided children of God in need of His gracious salvation through Jesus. As I wrote earlier, not all Muslims adhere to the Conquer and Dominate fundamentalism modeled by Islam’s radical elements. With radical Islam’s contemporary rise, there’s also been a significant shift toward a moderated form of Islam with a live-and-let-live attitude. And like many Christians, these Muslims just want to live quiet and peaceful lives.
We must keep in mind, though, that Allah is not God the Father. Allah proclaims himself as the only God, usurping God the Father’s place (Quran 6:1). And while Islam declares that Allah is not a father and has no son (Quran 112:1-4), Christianity does, and we know which revelation will prevail in the end.
So, imagine a world where every person knows the One True God and does His will. Heaven on earth, right? Don’t worry, it’s coming. In that restored world, we would cultivate and manage our lives in absolute cooperation with everyone. Our domains would meet and intersect with others without conflict. We would all happily help and watch out for others as we went about our daily business.
We would willingly and joyfully use our God-given gifts and talents to improve our little piece of heaven on earth continually. We would also work side by side to accomplish tasks far greater than any one person could achieve or manage. Under God’s authority and with His power, we would work for our benefit and the benefit of the community, our nation, and God’s whole world. We would be free to solve problems arising from bringing God’s creation under control and managing it without conflict.
Very Eden-like, wouldn’t you say? Don’t worry. It’s coming (Revelation 21:3-7).
Sources:
Halakhah: Jewish Law, jewfaq.org/jewish_law
Supersessionism, theopedia.com/supersessionism
Indulgence, britannica.com/topic/indulgence
Andy Stanley Says We Need to “Unhitch” the Old Testament from Our Faith, answersingenesis.org/christianity/andy-stanley-says-we-need-to-unhitch-the-old-testament-from-our-faith
What is the Shepherding Movement?, gotquestions.org/shepherding-movement.html
What is Christian dominionism?, gotquestions.org/Christian-dominionism.html
What is a Christian?, gotquestions.org/what-is-a-Christian.html
What is Islam?, whyislam.org/what-is-islam
What is Islam?, islamicity.org/covers/whatisislam
The Origin of Allah, chalcedon.edu/resources/articles/the-origin-of-allah
Islam, history.com/topics/religion/islam
Chapter (17) sūrat l-isrā (The Night Journey), corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=17&verse=111
Referring to Allah as ’a spiritual father’, islamweb.net/en/article/150920/referring-to-allah-as-a-spiritual-father
Islam Is a Religion of Violence, foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/09/islam-is-a-religion-of-violence-ayaan-hirsi-ali-debate-islamic-state/#cookie_message_anchor
HOW TO CONVERT TO ISLAM AND BECOME A MUSLIM, islamreligion.com/articles/204/how-to-convert-to-islam-and-become-muslim
Understanding Sharia: The Intersection of Islam and the Law, cfr.org/backgrounder/understanding-sharia-intersection-islam-and-law
A Historical Analysis of Violence in Islam (Fall 2010), scholars.csus.edu/esploro/outputs/graduate/A-historical-analysis-of-violence-in/99257830922201671#file-0, italics author
Hamas Co-Founder Admitted Ultimate Aim of War on Israel to Eradicate Zionism, Rid ‘Treacherous Christianity’ from World, breitbart.com/politics/2023/10/10/hamas-co-founder-admitted-ultimate-aim-of-war-on-israel-to-eradicate-zionism-rid-treacherous-christianity-from-world
First the Saturday, then the Sunday people, third the secularized West, israelnationalnews.com/news/352729
3 COUNTRIES WHERE SHARIA LAW IS HARDEST ON WOMEN, fairplanet.org/story/3-countries-where-sharia-law-is-hardest-on-women.
How Victims of Rape Are Viewed: The Persecution of Christians, August 2022, gatestoneinstitute.org/18946/persecution-of-christians-august
Another Palestinian Reverie, gatestoneinstitute.org/19980/palestinian-reverie
Convert, pay tax, or die, Islamic State warns Christians, reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-christians/convert-pay-tax-or-die-islamic-state-warns-christians-idUSKBN0FN29J20140718
Pakistan: Kidnapping, Forced Marriages, Forced Conversion, gatestoneinstitute.org/19800/pakistan-forced-marriage-conversion
1,400 Years of Christian/Islamic Struggle: An Analysis, https://www2.cbn.com/article/religion/1400-years-christianislamic-struggle-analysis
Turkey’s No Longer Best-Kept Secret: Islamized Christians, gatestoneinstitute.org/15321/turkey-islamized-christians
Dreaming of a caliphate, wng.org/opinions/dreaming-of-a-caliphate-1684841460
For more information about current religious persecution, specifically Christian, and how to help, please check out:
· The Voice of the Martyrs (persecution.com) is “a missionary organization that serves persecuted Christians in the world’s most difficult and dangerous places to be a Christian.”
· Open Doors International (opendoors.org/en-US) “works in more than 70 countries, supplying Bibles, training church leaders, providing practical support and emergency relief, and supporting Christians who suffer persecution and discrimination for their faith.”
· Gatestoneinstitute.org.
Shining the Light of God’s Truth on the Road Ahead
Pastor Jay Christianson
The Truth Barista, Frothy Thoughts