[azth]

> That Islam allows a way for them to recruit does not mean they are Islamic only opportunistic.

Very true. Incidentally (and ironically), Islamically one is not allowed to overthrow their (Muslim) government to "establish a caliphate". So what ISIS is doing is against the teachings of Islam to start with. They take texts, keep what they like and leave out what they don't like, and use those texts for their own purpose.

We have in Islamic literature, several authentic narrations that talk about, and warn of people who have a similar ideology to that of ISIS.

[rdancer]

They just declare the rulers apostate, and poof, no government. Same trick the medieval European rulers would use to get rid of their rivals, by the way (they had to convince the Pope).

If their daily practice agrees with the Scriptures, and by all accounts, they are very uncompromising, it is very hard to argue that they're somehow not legitimate.

[azth]

> They just declare the rulers apostate, and poof, no government.

Islamically, this does not hold either (and we have authentic narrations to back this up). In order to declare the leader an apostate (a very serious accusation by the way), there has to be extremely clear evidence upon which there is zero room for interpretation or excusing. I'm talking about something along the lines of the ruler outright coming out in front of everyone and saying that he is no longer Muslim.

This applies to everyone, from Mobarak to Qadhafi to Saddam, etc. There were terrible things that happened under their regimes, and I am not defending them. However, absolutely no one can come out and declare them apostates without crystal clear proof upon which no two would disagree -- this has never happened.

[rdancer]

I understand what you're saying, however, for the ISIS project to work, it is not necessary that all Muslims agree with them. In fact, ISIS are more than happy to genocide all Muslims who disagree, notably all the Sunni Muslims, and have steadfastly been doing so in the lands they have conquered.

Might is right, and as long as the Caliphate keeps on existing, they will do what they're doing, simply because they can. Your theological objections cannot be taken seriously because they're a state power, you're not, and quite naturally conflicts where one side of the argument is a state, are best settled by war.

[azth]

> however, for the ISIS project to work, it is not necessary that all Muslims agree with them.

Perhaps, but how far will they get? There are Muslim nations that are fighting ISIS, both in military and in talking about their corrupt ideology and explaining how they have gone astray. For example (if you speak Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb2yAczRc5g

> Your theological objections cannot be taken seriously because they're a state power

While ISIS may not take what I mentioned seriously, the goal is to educate people (especially the emotional and easily charged youth) into showing how misguided ISIS are, and answer their questions in an attempt to prevent the corrupt ISIS message from influencing them.

> where one side of the argument is a state

Just because they call themselves a state does not mean they are :)

> are best settled by war.

We try to educate first and bring truce, but yes, sometimes fighting is unfortunately necessary: http://quran.com/49/9