Hey Christian American, are you awake? Do you remember 9/11?
At times, it seems we have forgotten. As a reminder, on Sept. 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four American passenger planes.
They crashed two into the World Trade Center, struck the Pentagon with a third, and would likely have attacked another target had courageous passengers not fought back aboard United Flight 93. That plane crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
In all, the terrorists murdered 2,977 innocent people.
One of my dear friends and mentors, Dr. Wayne Grudem, once said, “The single greatest threat to American security is Islam.”
In his book, “Politics According to the Bible,” he examines the responsibility of government to defend its citizens against such threats. He issued these warnings years ago, yet today we seem increasingly willing to turn a blind eye to this brutal reality.
You would think Americans would wake up on the 9/11 anniversary, especially in the city where these terrorists attacked our country. Instead, we are welcoming in new political leaders, like Zohran Mamdani, who was sworn in on a Qur’an!
Not a Bible, a Qur’an — the same book that fuels the dangerous doctrines of jihad, the doctrine by which the Al-Qaeda terrorists were inspired.
Why are we doing this? We are doing this in the name of cultural relativism?
We are accommodating, or worse, we are promoting Islamic religious practices without seriously considering the ideologies that can accompany them.
You would think that more recent events in Israel would have awakened America.
On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists invaded Israel, then killed approximately 1,200 people — most of them civilians — and abducted 251 hostages.
Did we forget that Israel, in their eyes, is “The Little Satan” and America is “The Great Satan”? Or did we miss that?
What’s going on, America? Do you have amnesia? Did you forget? Did you lose your memory? Or are you ignorant?
Well, it’s time to lean in and learn a little more.
Today, Islam is in the news almost daily. Recent controversies involve Islamic accommodations at airports, Muslim organizations within Scouting America — no longer the Boy Scouts, thanks to the woke movement — Islamic schools seeking public funding, and public school field trips to mosques.
Christians should recognize the dangers of indoctrination in education and certain Islamic doctrines. However, we must also make important distinctions and offer necessary disclaimers.
In my book, “Think Biblical About the Geopolitical: Israel, Iran, and America’s Future,” I help readers understand the spectrum within Islam.
I write:
Muslims are individuals who follow Islam, either by birth or conversion. They may pray, fast, and observe Islamic traditions, yet they live peacefully within society without seeking political or legal dominance.
I then distinguish Muslims from Islamists:
Islamists believe that Sharia law, Islam’s religious legal system drawn from the Qur’an and Islamic tradition, should govern society above all other laws. Sharia speaks to every part of life: worship, diet, dress, sexuality, family structure, economics, crime, and punishment. Islamists are not always violent, but they work politically, socially, and culturally to advance and impose Islamic law at every level of society.
The third category I identify is jihadists.
They not only seek the dominance of Sharia law but are willing, even eager, to use violence, terror, and war to achieve it. Jihadists justify bloodshed in the name of Allah, claiming religious duty as they target civilians, destabilize governments, and wage holy war. They openly call for the destruction of nations they view as enemies, including the United States, Israel, and Western democracies, whom they label “infidel nations” or “enemies of Islam.”
These distinctions matter because clarity allows us to reject prejudice without becoming blind to genuine danger.
Not every Muslim is an Islamist, and not every Islamist is a jihadist. Yet Americans must understand where these beliefs differ, what they seek to accomplish, and how each can affect our nation.
America cannot afford to confuse compassion with complacency or religious freedom with ideological surrender.
We must recognize the important distinctions between peaceful Muslims, political Islamists, and violent jihadists without ignoring the doctrines and movements that threaten our faith, freedoms, and national security.
The answer is not hatred, fear, or vigilante violence. It is truth, courage, wisdom, and faithful Christian engagement.
In Part Two, I will explain how Christians can love their Muslim neighbors, share the gospel of Jesus Christ, defend the innocent, and stand firmly for the freedoms that have long defined our nation.
Look for Part Two in The Western Journal’s Op-Ed section tomorrow.
The views expressed in this opinion article are those of their author and are not necessarily either shared or endorsed by the owners of this website. If you are interested in contributing an Op-Ed to The Western Journal, you can learn about our submission guidelines and process here.
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