Creationist Evangelicals Kindred Spirits With ISIL, See Antiquity Destruction as Hopeful Sign

Both groups oppose the teaching of evolution-- of Darwins theory-- in schools. But the evangelicals must envy ISIS, which, when the religious extremists are not chopping off heads of non-believers or people who don't rise to their standards of fanaticism, have totally banned the teaching of evolutionary theory, rather than what the Evangelicals currently settle for-- calling for teaching creationism alongside evolution theory.

An article from MNBC's Rachel Maddow show reports, "the Associated Press reported yesterday on ISIS terrorists taking a keen interest in the curricula of schools in Mosul. 'The extremist-held Iraqi city of Mosul is set to usher in a new school year...' and, The AP report added that Islamic State explicitly prohibits lessons on 'Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.'"

But there's more. "Young Earth" creationists believe that the world was created between 5,700 and 10,000 years ago. So you think this is some remote, fanatic sect? Actually, Wikipedia reports:

Since 1982, between 40% and 50% of adults in the United States say they hold the view that "God created humans in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years" when Gallup asked for their views on the origin and development of human beings . A 2011 Gallup survey reports that 30% of U.S. adults say they interpret the Bible literally . These beliefs are often contradictory. A 2009 poll by Harris Interactive found that 39% of Americans agreed with the statement that "God created the universe, the earth, the sun, moon, stars, plants, animals, and the first two people within the past 10 000 years" yet only 18% of the Americans polled agreed with the statement "The earth is less than 10 000 years old""

So, whether we use the 50% or 18% stats, we're talking about somewhere between 50 and 165 million people who must love that ISIS is destroying antiquities that show that humans had a culture long ago. NBC calls it 'cultural genocide." This is idea of cultural genocide is nothing new. It's been the policy and mission of evangelists for hundreds of years-- aiming to destroy "heathen" cultures, replacing them with good Christian values. Now, ISIS is doing the same thing, aiming to destroy-- engaging in cultural genocide.

Some "end times" evangelicals, like many of the sixty million plus Christian Zionists, eagerly look forward to signs that the end times are coming, bringing the "rapture," when all god believing born-agains will be beamed up to heaven, leaving only sinners and non-believers. To "end times" rapture fantasizers, ISIL's destruction of ancient artificacts is like end times porn, with videos like this one desperately groping to find ties between the abominable acts of ISIS and biblical prophecy.

For example, they take this citation from the bible as a sign that ISIS is fulfilling prophecy Jeremiah v.52-53:

It's an interesting situation. Islamophobia is a main leg of right wing political mobilization. Yet the rise and actions of ISIL are titilating the rapture Christians raising hopes they are moving closer to that moment when they are swept up to heaven, leaving the lesser humans behind.

It's ironic that creationists and members of ISIS share these values.

What do you think?