Convert and Live vs. Convert or Die

By: Dale Weckbacher

Mark 16:15

15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 

NKJV

As a child, I remember going to the theater with my parents and seeing the movie “The Greatest Story Ever Told.”  For those reading this that have not seen the movie the movie is about the life of Jesus Christ.  The Greek word for gospel in Mark 16:15 is euaggelion (1) which means good tidings or good news.  The producer of the movie The Greatest Story Ever Told was no doubt inspired by the fact that the Gospel was indeed the greatest story ever told. 

The story of the Gospel started interestingly enough in Genesis 3:15.  God is speaking to the serpent that had deceived Adam and Eve.  The serpent is also symbolic of Satan.  In Genesis 3:15 we have the first Messianic prophecy where God promises that the seed of the woman will bruise the serpent, or Satan’s head.  Since the man and not the woman have the seed of conception, this birth would be a miraculous birth or a virgin birth.  In hindsight, we now know that this miraculous birth is Jesus of Nazareth, born of the Virgin Mary, who indeed did bruise the head of the serpent by his death, burial, and resurrection.

Christianity has grown through the spreading by believers of the Gospel.  Christians do not force others to convert for conversion is a free choice for each individual.  Christians depend on the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of non-believers, convincing them that belief in Jesus Christ is the key to eternal life (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10).  Conversion to Christianity is a peaceful conversion for the convert is a willing convert.  Converts to Islam are also willing converts but this is where the similarity ends.  (2)

Christianity teaches showing kindness to our neighbors, even if they are enemies (Matthew 5:44).  When a Christian shares his or her faith with someone and they experience rejection or even persecution for their faith, a Christian will actually pray for them and continue to treat them as a friend.  This is in essence following the example of Jesus who, as the Son of God, could have stopped his executioners at any time but instead chose to willingly sacrifice himself as payment for our sins. 

The Quran, however, contains 109 verses calling for Muslims to go to war with nonbelievers for the sake of Islamic rule.  Some of these references are quite graphic calling for chopping off heads and fingers and calling for Muslims to kill infidels wherever they may be hiding.  (3)  With the brutal decapitation of two journalists in the past week, we are witnessing the fact that believers in Islam that experience rejection when attempting to convert a nonbeliever still believe they are serving god by resorting to brutal violence.  (4) (5) Then we have the charter of Hamas calling for the killing of Jews wherever they are found (6) and we can see that those refusing to convert to Islam are not loved by Muslims but face death in the name of Allah. 

Now that we understand the difference in conversion to Christianity and conversion to Islam, we must ask ourselves what Phil Robertson meant in his comments during an interview on the Hannity show where when asked how we should deal with ISIS said, “Convert them or kill them.”  (7)  On the surface, it would indeed appear Mr. Robertson is calling for some form of Christian Caliphate where those failing to convert from Islam to Christianity face death.

To understand Mr. Robertson’s comment we must put it in the context of both his faith and the events that had occurred at the time of his interview.  Phil Robertson is a devout Christian and to my knowledge has never called for the outright brutal murder of anyone simply for not converting to Christianity.  His comments came after the brutal decapitation of two American journalists at the hands of members of ISIS.  Even though Christianity is a religion of peace calling for one to love their enemies, Christians do have the right to defend themselves when threatened.  I therefore believe that Phil Robertson was telling members of radical Islam that if he were the one making the decision, anyone refusing to convert or abandon their culture of hatred and violence would face death, as he would defend the nation and its citizens against such brutal violence. 

We are a nation that embraces freedom of religion, which means that people are free to share their faith and attempt to convert others to their faith.  However, those choosing to reject conversion to a religion are also free to reject it and live without the threat of death.  Those choosing to murder people rejecting their religion lose their right to seek converts and will face the consequences of their crimes.   

1. Apostolic-churches. Strongs Greek Definition for #2098. www.apostolic-churches.net. [Online] [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://www.apostolic-churches.net/bible/strongs/ref/?stgh=greek&stnm=2098.

2. Huda Islam Expert. How to Convert to Islam. islam.about.com. [Online] About Religion. [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://islam.about.com/od/converts/ht/convert.htm.

3. Religionof peace.com. What does the Religion of Peace Teach About. www.religionofpeace.com. [Online] Religionofpeace.com. [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/quran/023-violence.htm.

4. JAMES NYE FOR MAILONLINE and MICHAEL ZENNIE FOR MAILONLINE and DAVID MARTOSKO, US POLITICAL EDITOR FOR MAILONLINE. 'I'm back, Obama': ISIS executioner Jihadi John taunts President as he beheads second US journalist, Steven Sotloff . . . and then threatens to kill a British hostage next. www.dailymail.co.uk. [Online] Daily Mail, September 2, 2014. [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2740998/ISIS-release-video-showing-beheading-American-journalist-Steven-Sotloff.html.

5. Yablonski, Steven. ISIS video shows journalist James Foley's beheading, U.S. officials say. www.wcvb.com. [Online] wcvb.com, August 19, 2014. [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://www.wcvb.com/news/isis-video-appears-to-show-journalist-james-foleys-beheading/27619126.

6. Information Division, Israel Foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. THE COVENANT OF THE HAMAS - MAIN POINTS. fas.org. [Online] Israel foreign Ministry - Jerusalem. [Cited: August 12, 2014.] http://fas.org/irp/world/para/docs/880818a.htm.

7. Breitbart TV. PHIL ROBERTSON ON ISIS: 'CONVERT THEM OR KILL THEM'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, September 2, 2014. [Cited: September 5, 2014.] http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2014/09/02/Phil-Robertson-on-ISIS-Convert-Them-or-Kill-Them.