ISIS VIDEO SHOWS CHRISTIAN BOOKS BEING DESTROYED, ADDS FUEL TO GENOCIDE DEBATE:

Having driven the last Christian out of Mosul, ISIS has now released a chilling video showing a bonfire consuming a huge pile of Bibles and other Christian literature. The video, entitled "Diwan of education destroys Christian instruction books in Mosul,” was made by ISIS’ "morality police,” according to Christian Today. It comes as the USA is deliberating over whether to label the terrorist group’s actions in Iraq as genocide, a term that has important ramifications under international law. The House voted unanimously this week to approve a resolution branding ISIS’ actions as genocide, which the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide defines in part as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” The State Department is under pressure to reach the same conclusion, which could obligate the USA to take action. 

Mosul, long considered a haven for Iraq’s Christian population, was overrun by terrorists in 2014. After the takeover, ISIS demanded that Christians convert to Islam, pay a tax known as a jizya, or flee the city. Although Mosul was once considered a center of Christianity in the region, all Christians are believed to be gone from the city. The Christian population of Iraq has dropped from 1.5 million to 275,000 since ISIS established its caliphate. "The stated purpose of ISIS to eliminate and force the Christians and Yazidi people out of the region,” Curry said. "They are succeeding. The Christian population in the region has greatly diminished.” If USA Secretary of State John Kerry determines their actions amount to genocide, the UN could be forced to address the issue. "This has always been genocide,” Curry said. "The West has realized that they cannot deny it any longer.” (Fox) Indeed, more deeply heart-rending than the loss of precious Christian books is the loss of lives, loved ones, homes, limbs, dignity and peace for hundreds of thousands of Christians in Middle East war-torn areas. Pray for comfort, relief and liberation to come to those who suffer beyond anything most of us can begin to imagine.