Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson Embraces ISIS’ Theological Mindset
It is likely that throughout Christianity’s history, there were faithful followers who embraced the peaceful teachings of the religion’s namesake Jesus Christ, unless they were advocates of the Crusades and Inquisition or Americanized Christians. One thing is certain, Christians would never, never ever, advocate or approve of the alleged Islamic teaching that any human who refused to convert to Islam warranted being killed. However, if they are Duck Dynasty patriarch and self-proclaimed Christian theologian Phil Robertson, they embrace the “convert or be killed” mindset; particularly to deal with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
In a previous article, this column noted the barbarism of ISIS is only slightly dissimilar to American brutality borne of war criminal George W. Bush’s unwarranted invasion and destruction of two sovereign Muslim nations. Apparently, ISIS utilizing America’s war tactics caught the attention of Robertson and his Christian theology informs him it is time for America to embrace the ISIS tactics and religious ideology, and as a Christian nation issue an ultimatum to the Islamic terrorists to “convert or be killed.” Before condemning the duck call mogul’s version of Christian theology in dealing with non-believers, it is noteworthy that his version of Christianity is part and parcel of the religion’s foundation
Robertson was promoting his book when Sean Hannity asked “America’s preacher” to weigh in with his foreign policy insight on how America can best respond to radicalized Muslims in ISIS. Like a good preacher, Robertson promptly whipped out his trusty Christian bible and began citing scripture and verse. He read a passage from 1 John chapter 5 where he claimed god almighty divided the world into “two groups of people; the children of god, or Christians, and those under the power of the evil one” he claimed was ISIS and likely all Muslims. He also cited god’s words in Proverbs 8:36 that “all who hate me, love death.” The two scriptures led him to conclude that America has a simple foreign policy choice in dealing with George W. Bush’s spawn; “you either have to convert them, or kill them. One or the other.”
Now, it may appear there is an inherent disconnect between duck-boy’s so-called loving Jesus message of love for fellow man, and hypocrisy in embracing the ISIS ideology of “convert or kill” as conservatives’ favorite Christian, but there is an inconvenient truth, and a powerful message, in his interpretation of god’s word and peaceful Christian faith. A message that all Christians, and anyone familiar with the nearly any portion of the bible, including Jews and Muslims, knows is a theme throughout the Christian bible from Genesis through A Revelation. It is a message that the avatar of peace, love for fellow man advocate, and son of god used when he instructed his faithful disciples; nations of all the world will convert, believe and live, or they die.
Most Christians, particularly phony Americanized-Christians in the religious right movement, are aware of Old Testament god’s instructions to the “chosen ones” to exterminate any people, including entire nations, who rejected him, or heaven forbid worshipped another god. They are also aware that the same Jesus who preached that his followers were to “Love your enemies, do good to those that hate you” in Luke 6:27, and said in Matthew 26:52 that “all who take the sword will perish by the sword,” also warned that anyone who did not follow his commandments were doomed to die. In Mark 16:16, peace-loving Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” and whether it was during the Crusades or in that strange concept of the afterlife, a person either converted or would be killed.
There is a similarly stark warning in John 3:16-18 that “whoever believes in him (Jesus) shall not perish but have eternal life, and whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned.” In Matthew 28:19 Jesus gave his disciples a command to go and “make disciples of all the nations, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” If the people of all the nations refused to comply and be made into disciples, be baptized, or obey all the things Jesus commanded, they must be killed sooner or later. Not unlike radical Islamists in ISIS, Christians during the Crusades and Inquisition, or Duck Dynasty’s resident theologian who asserted that if Muslims in ISIS, and likely all Muslims, do not convert, you kill them.
Now, the idea of killing non-believers is world’s apart from Jesus words “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of god,” but it is beyond dispute that the concept of killing, either now or later, any person that does not accept conversion is not unique to what many believe is the primary tenet of Islam. It is, in fact, the primary tenet of any religion founded on so-called “Abrahamic” faith of which Islam is just one of many; including Christianity. As vile as Duck-boy Robertson’s appraisal of how best to deal with radicalized Muslims in ISIS, or ISIS itself adhering to the “convert or be killed” ideology, they are both founded on and function as the major theme of the entire Christian bible. It is a death threat meant to coerce acceptance and obedience pronounced by both god of the Old Testament, Jesus of the Gospels, and apparently Muhammad of Islam.
This is not to say that all Christians adhere to the “convert or die,” or “obey or be condemned to eternal death” as a life strategy or a valid American foreign policy, but it is the basis for their religious devotion whether they admit it or not. No-one wants to pay the ultimate price for disobedience; especially if they lust to go to that bizarre concept of heaven for eternity. What Robertson did in espousing the “convert or be killed” remark was shine a light on his hypocritical claim that he loves humanity according to “Christ’s love,” particularly when he claimed he is “personally prepared for a gun fight with ISIS.”
Robertson, as a master theologian and loving Christian said he would rather sit down and have a bible study with members of ISIS than kill them, and one wonders why he is not on the first flight to Northern Iraq with his handy pocket bible to test his faith and resolve. Likely, it is because whether he met radical Islamists with a bible or a gun, he knows full well he would be summarily slain because ISIS is well-versed, and practiced, in the biblical and Duck Dynasty Christian policy of convert or be killed. Unlike Robertson, their actions speak louder than words and they are unafraid and more than happy to execute their interpretation of the Abrahamic faith.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
Every time this fur faced As$Wipe opens his ignorant mouth he proves that Evangelical/ Fundamentalist Tea Bagging tyrants ARE the EXACT same thing as the Taliban and ISIS. One thing that is quite obvious is their fear of razors and reality.
Everytime one of these assholes open their mouth they weaken the nation, what I want to know who the hell pulls these idiotic puppet strings, you side with the enemy that beheads innocent Americans and you want to go over there and sleep with them, you treasonist bastard.
I am surprised that McCain hasn’t grown a beard as he wanted Obama to arm ISIS. Ever notice its the bearded ones that always quote the old testament?
The ducks are idiots. And would be just like ISIS given the chance
I saw Phil on Hannity.
Of course last night on his show,
Hannity ‘clarified’ what Phil
said/meant. It’s US! WE just didn’t
hear what we heard! He REALLY meant
this………….
Funny how Hannity is always there to
defend the Crazy Right Wing Christian
Extrements.
A statutory rapist like Phil, carries a cartoonish version of the Bible, that doesn’t contain admonitions against the accumulation of wealth, wearing long hair, or turning the other cheek, when attacked.
They really should be very afraid of any second coming, since pious frauds like Phil will be leading the way to Hell. But since they don’t follow scripture, they are just opportunistic atheists, dressed in Christian drag. Jesus would chase these frauds with a whip.
Kill them all. The children of the book and let the flying spaghetti monster sort those out who will go with a Bolognese sauce with a nice red wine
It the secular laws in our great nation that keep folks like Phil from committing the same atrocities.
Organized Religion is Poison!
Its followers are moral cowards.
Its message is Hate!
Hate! Hate! Hate!
Heubler, An atheist would NEVER lower themselves to act like Phil. So please refrain from lumping we true hearted atheists with any form of religion as we atheists have a personal relationship with reality.
This hillbilly doesn’t know it but his religion is that of a pharisee in old time judaism. ;the people Christ called hypocrites.
As far as religions go, Christianity and Islam are relative newcomers. Therefore for tens of thousands of years before these two upstarts appeared on the scene, there were nothing but infidels and condemned non-believers living and believing in their own mumbo-jumbo. I can’t help but think of all those millions of people who lived before 4000 b.c. They were all condemned? What does the bible say of all these people? What of the billions of others who did not live near the Mediterranean since the founding of Judaism? Or even today with cultures that did not originate in Europe or the Middle East? We all know what happened to the indigenous people of the western hemisphere. They were exterminated by the Christian believing invaders from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Phil Robertson = Jerry Falwell without a bath and a shave.
I’m not referring to avowed atheists. I am one. No, I’m talking about atheists-in-Christian drag, meaning they sound like Christians, but rarely act like them. I thought my differentiation between the two was clear. Apologies, if I wasn’t.
He does realize hes a criminal right? Statutory rape is a crime. Who would even watch their show if not for the bought women that get paid to be submissives. Phil is a piece of hypocritical waste.
No apology needed Heubler, I do get defensive a bit when it comes to my choosing sanity over fantasy. Your comment was clear I just jumped a bit too soon. Live Long and Prosper
The atheist I know would never act like them and scam money out of goobs.
I’ve been pushing this truth (mandate of Christianity and Islam that adherents must convert others) for over a year, you can see one of my first attempts to get the word out in the American magazine, July 29 2013 edition, the Root of Evil article by William T. Cavanaugh. I truly believe mandating conversion of others is analogous to making these religions a disease, that must propagate themselves. If you are a Christian do you want a member of the Muslim faith trying to convert you and your children? Do you as a evangelical wanting a Roman Catholic trying to convert you and your children? Do you as a Sunni want a Shia trying to convert you and your children. This example is just one source of the hatred.
“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:27
To be honest jesus wasn’t the paragon of tolerance that people claim he was. Personally I find the bible to be a litany of hate and intolerance pretty much from cover to cover.
I just read 1st John again, never read these words at all. Wonder just what Bible he reads anyway? Mine tells, in 1st John about healing. Jesus healed on the Sabbath and was being condemned for it.
I believe stinky Phil reads his own bible:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/05/duck-dynasty-bible_n_5452828.html
let me get this straight:
we should kill those who refuse to convert to a religion whose god commands thou shalt not kill?
that is not Christianity, I don’t know what it is but Christianity it is not.
btw, I’ve also noted that many times people like Robertson (both phil and pat) bear false witness against others to further their agenda.
He is writing his own from the Huffington post.
Wonder if this evil dirty looking man has ever read the part of the Bible that tells you what happens to those who change it? Not a good end Mr Duck!!
Hes a phony. Phil only has to follow Phil’s commandments, which are based on racism, homophobia, greed,and he could care less about actual Bible scripture – he doesnt even know it. Not to mention, he looks like he smells like a foot. He sells his false religion to the sad unknowing that should really learn about the Bible at their local church and not some douchebag trying to sell them a load of crap.
A different view – You may be a theist, agnostic, pantheist, pagan, deist, atheist, or even just a microorganism in this limitless universe, but truth is eternal. The world is a huge family and despite all our differences we are all the same, what’s yours is what’s mine.
Hinduism – Rigveda – It is one of the oldest extant texts in any Indo-European language. Philological and linguistic evidence indicate that the Rigveda was composed in the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent, most likely between c. 1500–1200 BCE.
The Nasadiya Sukta (Creation Hymn) of the Rig Veda is one of the earliest texts which “demonstrates a sense of metaphysical speculation”.
It says:
Who really knows?
Who will here proclaim it?
Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation?
The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe.
Who then knows whence it has arisen?
The same hymn also speaks of “The One”:
Then there was neither death nor immortality
nor was there then the torch of night and day.
The One breathed windlessly and self-sustaining.
There was that One then, and there was no other.
At first there was only darkness wrapped in darkness.
All this was only unillumined water.
That One which came to be, enclosed in nothing,
arose at last, born of the power of heat.
I see yall throwing stones and judging a man for SAYING, what we should do, but I don’t see ANYONE throwing stones or judging ISIS for “CARRYING OUT THE ACT OF MURDER” for not converting to islam……what did I miss?
So it’s OK for Muslims to kill other religions/denominations for not converting, but a Christian says we should retaliate on ISIS the same way ISIS IS DOING to others? Last time I checked we all have the right to worship or serve who want when we want and where we want. Any Muslim coming to my door with that bull will not make it out my driveway TRUST AND BELIEVE THAT!!!!! Who cares what Christians or any other religion did 2000+ years ago…..this is 2014 GET OVER IT…..none of us can go back and fix anything. Stop bringing up old crap and blaming Christians NOW for Christians back then!!!
Did you wake up just to post this idiocy
This unbathed, horrific, pediphile-preaching Duck guy is as much “America’s preacher” as the lunatics at Westboro “Baptist,” only worse. Hannity, for all his obvious ignorance, pays deference to this moronic slob and gives him a national audience. Said audience, if they had an iota of sense, would read “Star” or watch the toilet flush rather than this fool. The Tea Party’s best ammo and why they have such a loyal following, especially in the “cracker south,” is to keep ’em stupid. Don’t let learnin’ stop ’em from voting against them damn commie dems who actually would help their human condition. Keep ’em ig’nant. Let ’em be proud to vote against their best interests for the Mill-/Billionaire-guys who wrap themselves in American flags while they laugh at those rubes wrapped in Confederate ones, all the way back to Washington! (IMHO)