ISIS Burning Christian Artifacts

ISIS’ Stolen Artifacts and Torture Chamber Churches

ISIS Burning Christian Artifacts

ISIS has stolen ancient religious artifacts and converted churches into torture chambers in their ongoing war.

ISIS has, in the past, taken to terrorizing religious groups that don’t agree with their version of Islam, one that is violent and horrifying. In July, militants took a sledgehammer to the tomb of Jonah, in Mosul. They followed up by destroying Sunni mosques in Ninevah, as well as Christian churches around and in Syria. ISIS is a militant terrorist group that has openly waved their twisted banner claiming religion. According to Jay Sekulow, the author of Rise of ISIS: A Threat We Can’t Ignore and part of the American Center for Law and Justice, told Fox News that ISIS “has a stated goal to wipe out Christianity.” He said that was the reason “they are crucifying Christians, including children, destroying churches and selling [Christian] artifacts.”

The Importance of the Middle East

According to Shaul Gabbay, the senior scholar at the University of Denver, the Middle East holds a particularly revered aspect of the three biggest monotheistic religions, as it is the birthplace of them all, “and anything that can inform us about the history and chronology of the development of religion is of unparalleled significance to the core identity of anyone who is Christian.” He added that anything that can preserve the history of religion in the area, “including more modern artifacts is of extreme value to Christianity.”

It is widely believed that ISIS is selling Christian artifacts to fund their military campaigns, while cleansing the region of Christianity. According to Abu Aasi, a priest from Mosul, the “churches are being used as prisons and for torture. Most inside are Christians, and they are being forced to convert to Islam.”

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