The Nazis and the Holocaust: Deja-vu. A Review of Defying ISIS

How can a book be both an easy and a difficult read? It can be easy to read when the author is Johnnie Moore and the writing style and size of the volume (a mere 155 pages) are reader friendly. The subject matter, however, makes it difficult to read. What you are hearing in the headlines, reading in your newspapers or online are a mere fraction of what is actually going on.

Moore’s book, Defying Isis, is a call for the Western Church and Western society as a whole, to wake up to what is happening in the Middle East. His argument is presented in three parts: What ISIS is Doing, Why ISIS Matters to You and What We Are Losing. Clearly, we are horrified by the accounts that do make the news but our sense in the Western world that it matters enough to really do something is just not there.


In What ISIS is Doing, Moore gives accounts of atrocities. While including some that you have heard, he also includes personal accounts of terror that devastates and faith that inspires. Read first-hand accounts of those in refugee camps who fled with the clothes on their backs and not much more.

Why ISIS Matters to You, dives into why the West, particularly Christians, should care. First, these are our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering. Also, a humanitarian disaster and genocide is taking place. Beyond that, as you have read in the headlines, ISIS inspired terrorists are both leaving Western countries, including the U.S., and committing terror in Western countries in the name of ISIS.

As to What We Are Losing, Moore goes into the history of the region. From biblical history through the early days of Christianity, this region is part of our rich heritage and ISIS is seeking to wipe it out by killing and chasing off Christians and other minorities and the plundering and destruction of holy sites and artifacts.

What motivates me the most from the book is the first section. I am convinced that we are witnessing a modern day Holocaust committed by today’s version of the Nazis. Just as then, the world watches and does nothing or little as the body count mounts; as ISIS expands into Libya, Africa, Asia and on and on; even though waiting risks the threat growing ever greater and more difficult and costly to defeat; and even though evidence is growing that an ISIS Pearl Harbor may be only a matter of when, not if.

Moore makes the case that the cost to confront ISIS will be great. However, not to do so or to do so inadequately will only make the cost of eradicating the threat all the greater. This book is a trumpet call to warn of the danger already here and to marshal the will necessary to remove this evil.

As an evangelical, there are statements that he makes that are uncomfortable. We evangelicals are amazed at the faith of our Eastern brothers and have had to reassess our understanding of them in light of their bravery and fortitude. Surely, we have much to learn from them. I highly recommend this book, most especially the first and second sections.

Note: I have an additional copy to give away so leave a comment for a chance to get it for free from Beacon2Light.

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I received a complimentary copy of Defying ISIS in exchange for an honest review from Allen Media Strategies.  burke@allenmediastrategies.com

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