For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
Through this post, I want you to re-think all of the ideas of terrorism that have infiltrated our minds through the media and consider this plausibility: that the number one reason that extends through every country of the world, across all cultural and religious or non-religious boundaries why young men and woman pursue terror groups such as Isis is connected to the very prevalence of fatherlessness in our world.
In an article found at http://goodguyswag.com/how-absent-fathers-may-be-contributing-to-isis-recruitment/, they found that there is growing evidence that the primary reason why young men pursue Isis or other related fringe groups is the lack of a father in their lives.
According to the writings by Robert Blye and Gordon Dalbey, a man sees God how he sees his earthly father. If a man has a distant or cruel relationship with his dad, he will likely see God as distant and cruel. This same argument applies to young girls, as well.
Gordon talks about gangs in Sons of the Father. When boys have an absent father, whether physically or emotionally, they tend to be more violent. He goes on to equate the growth of gangs with the rising numbers of fatherless homes. “In 1960, 11% of American children lived in homes without a father. By 2009, that figure was 33%. Today, over 50% of children born to women over 30 are out-of-wedlock…The problem is most clearly defined among African Americans, where 64% of children live in father-absent homes.”
The great society of the 1960's under President Johnson's administration did much to destroy the fabric of the American family when his policies made it more lucrative for families to earn more money through the AFDC program when dad removed himself from the home.
As much as woman's rights like to proclaim, mother's alone can never replace the powerful influence of the father, the source for their children's validation.
Young men are ultimately drawn to gangs because they are hoping to be validated, but the argument both Bly and Dalbey make is that you cannot receive your identity as a man from peers.
True validation can only come from a father or father figure.
In this context, Isis is not a religion but a violent gang that is made up of young men drawn to it by the violent verses in the Quran.
Change their color of their skin and keep them fatherless, the statistics remain true with many young men drifting toward lawlessness because they never had a dad to validate them as a man. Gangs, whether they are affiliations with the 'Bloods' or the international gang known as Isis is a way for a neglected man to receive validation.
According to the federal definition, a gang is defined as consisting of the following:
An association of three or more individuals;
1.Whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation, frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo or other physical markings, style or color of clothing, hairstyle, hand sign or graffiti;
2.Whose purpose in part is to engage in criminal activity and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives.
3.Whose members engage in criminal activity or acts of juvenile delinquency that if committed by an adult would be crimes with the intent to enhance or preserve the association’s power, reputation or economic resources.
With this definition in mind, it becomes evident that Isis has become an international gang which uses fear and intimidation tactics, and under the guise of religion commits murder, rape and sex trafficking. Western young men may be recruited the same way when Isis offers them a sense of identity. However, true identity comes from having a father or father figure in his life that is a gentleman and is willing to pour his life into them.
As much as woman's rights like to proclaim, mother's alone can never replace the powerful influence of the father, the source for their children's validation.
Young men are ultimately drawn to gangs because they are hoping to be validated, but the argument both Bly and Dalbey make is that you cannot receive your identity as a man from peers.
True validation can only come from a father or father figure.
In this context, Isis is not a religion but a violent gang that is made up of young men drawn to it by the violent verses in the Quran.
Change their color of their skin and keep them fatherless, the statistics remain true with many young men drifting toward lawlessness because they never had a dad to validate them as a man. Gangs, whether they are affiliations with the 'Bloods' or the international gang known as Isis is a way for a neglected man to receive validation.
According to the federal definition, a gang is defined as consisting of the following:
An association of three or more individuals;
1.Whose members collectively identify themselves by adopting a group identity, which they use to create an atmosphere of fear or intimidation, frequently by employing one or more of the following: a common name, slogan, identifying sign, symbol, tattoo or other physical markings, style or color of clothing, hairstyle, hand sign or graffiti;
2.Whose purpose in part is to engage in criminal activity and which uses violence or intimidation to further its criminal objectives.
3.Whose members engage in criminal activity or acts of juvenile delinquency that if committed by an adult would be crimes with the intent to enhance or preserve the association’s power, reputation or economic resources.
With this definition in mind, it becomes evident that Isis has become an international gang which uses fear and intimidation tactics, and under the guise of religion commits murder, rape and sex trafficking. Western young men may be recruited the same way when Isis offers them a sense of identity. However, true identity comes from having a father or father figure in his life that is a gentleman and is willing to pour his life into them.
In one sense, we guys have it all wrong in pursuing the sacred cow of success of 6 digit salaries, multiple job titles, prestigious corner offices to the exclusion of our families, thinking that once we complete one more level of success they will have more time for their children; the problem is time is fleeting and before they realize it, their children are fully grown and have moved on with their lives. Their wives can be the canary in the coal mine and warn them that their children need them, but oftentimes those warnings are heeded much too late.
I discovered this at a recent wedding when I had the acquaintance of a conversation with another dad. He shared with me that he never really knew his father and the last time he saw his dad was when he was twelve, but then he said this, " I had a friend's father pour his life into mine who was affirming and taught me how to be a man by teaching me the things his own dad never did. So, there is hope for the rest of us who never had a healthy father role model because of their physical absence from our lives, or for others their emotional absence.
My challenge is this. What if the Christian church were to reach out and support our fathers in the community? What if we find a way of keeping our fatherless boys by sponsoring them much like we sponsor children from Compassion International? As a Compassion sponsor, I have seen how my monthly support and encouraging letters mean to a child in poverty. My willingness to pour my life into them by affirming and validating them as a person gives them a hope and a future that their lives matter. Simply sharing my story of Jesus's redemption and how he delivered me through pain and suffering lets them know they are not alone in this world. I would venture to guess that if all of us did this for our fatherless boys and girls we would see the same result.
God continues to be in the miracle making business. He continues to use people who have been through the most incredible pain of their lives to help others, and I am reminded of this verse from Jeremiah that sums it up quite nicely: " For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I discovered this at a recent wedding when I had the acquaintance of a conversation with another dad. He shared with me that he never really knew his father and the last time he saw his dad was when he was twelve, but then he said this, " I had a friend's father pour his life into mine who was affirming and taught me how to be a man by teaching me the things his own dad never did. So, there is hope for the rest of us who never had a healthy father role model because of their physical absence from our lives, or for others their emotional absence.
My challenge is this. What if the Christian church were to reach out and support our fathers in the community? What if we find a way of keeping our fatherless boys by sponsoring them much like we sponsor children from Compassion International? As a Compassion sponsor, I have seen how my monthly support and encouraging letters mean to a child in poverty. My willingness to pour my life into them by affirming and validating them as a person gives them a hope and a future that their lives matter. Simply sharing my story of Jesus's redemption and how he delivered me through pain and suffering lets them know they are not alone in this world. I would venture to guess that if all of us did this for our fatherless boys and girls we would see the same result.
God continues to be in the miracle making business. He continues to use people who have been through the most incredible pain of their lives to help others, and I am reminded of this verse from Jeremiah that sums it up quite nicely: " For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
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