Evangelist leader Franklin Graham wrote Saturday on Facebook that politicians "should stop saying 'Islam is a religion of peace.'"
Graham wrote in response to the attack in Barcelona last week, specifically referring to an article by former CIA officer Bryan Dean Wright for Fox News titled "Islam is at war with itself and the West isn't helping."
"I urge you to read it," Graham writes. "He says our politicians should make it clear that our fight is 'against a religious ideology rather than a random group of fanatics' and should stop saying 'Islam is a religion of peace.'"
In his article, Wright notes that many terror attacks in the West "were inspired by the teachings of Salafi Islam… an ultra-conservative" Sunni sect, Sunni being the predominant branch of Islam.
"Within Sunni Islam, there are dozens of different types of sects with distinct beliefs. The vast majority are moderate and want to live in peace," he writes. "Indeed, they're willing and eager to live amongst diverse groups of people, including Christians and atheists."
"Salafis reject a separation of mosque and state, believing that governments should be made up of religious clerics — and only clerics — that use the Quran to justify their governing decisions."
"It is this ideology that forms the backbone of al-Qaida, ISIS, and other jihadist groups," he writes.
Wright recommends that "we would stop saying, 'Islam is a religion of peace,' and instead say, 'Islam is a religion in crisis.'" He also recommends that the "Departments of State and Homeland Security . . . support the moderate, non-Salafi Muslims who are battling the extremist agenda," who make up the vast majority of Muslims.
Graham adds, "He's right—we are making a mistake by allowing the operation and spread of the dark and dangerous teachings of Islam . . . While there are millions of Muslims who don't agree with or participate in the violence of Islam, they can't leave the religion because their families would be obligated to kill them. Islam reigns in lives through fear and intimidation. I pray that Muslims everywhere will come to know Jesus Christ, the Son of God who loves them and can truly set them free."
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