ISIS AND LOVE - IS THERE ANY CONNECTION

If ISIS is a faith-based movement, do its foundational documents contain anything like this?

Does the Koran contain references to unconditional love of others, humanity in general? Find an online concordance and settle on the four orthodox English translations and do a word search for ‘love,’ and the results may surprise you.

There is no citation of unconditional ethic of love for outsiders, enemies, or fellow humans in general. 

In contrast, do a concordance search of the New Testament for the word "love" and here is the result.

·      "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"  (Matthew 5:43-44)

·      "so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Mt. 5:45). 

·      "If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?"  Matthew 5:46

·      "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'  But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:38-39

·      "But I say to you who hear,  love your enemies, do good to those who hate you."  (Luke 6:27)

·      "But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men."

·      "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  (John 3:16)

·      "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly."   Romans 5:5-6

·      "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."   Romans 5:8

·      "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."  Romans 12:14 

·      "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."   Romans 12:17-19

·      "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary:

·      "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

·      if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

·      In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."  Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

·      "Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."  Romans 13:10

·      "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1

·      "If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."  1 Corinthians 13:2

·      "And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing."  1 Corinthians 13:3

·      "Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away."  1 Corinthians 13:8

·      "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."  1 Corinthians 13:13

·      "Let all that you do be done in love."  1 Corinthians 16:14

·      "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love."  Galatians 5:6

·      "But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."   1 Timothy 1:5

·      "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline."  2 Timothy 1:7

·      "But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,"  Titus 3:4

·      "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  1 John 4:8

·      "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him."  1 John 4:9

·      "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."  1 John 4:10

·      "We love, because He first loved us."  1 John 4:19

·      "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  (Galatians 5:10)