'Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson on ISIS Beheading: He'd Rather Point Them to Jesus, but Is Prepared for War

By Lauren Leigh Noske
Phil Robertson on ISIS
Phil Robertson on ISIS

After the second beheading of an American journalist by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), "Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson was invited by Fox News to share how he feels the United States should deal with the terrorist group. "My opinion, we're going to have to deal with this group way more harshly than we have up to this point ... I'd much rather have a Bible study with all of them and show them the error of their ways and point them to Jesus Christ, the Author and Perfecter of having your sins removed and being raised from the dead - I would rather preach the Gospel of Jesus to them. However, if it's a gun fight and a gun fight alone - if that's what they're looking for - me personally, I am prepared for either one," says Robertson.

ISIS released a new video beheading American journalist Steven Sotloff just two weeks after beheading James Foley. In the wake of such sadness and disbelief at the evil behind such an act, Fox News host Sean Hannity asked Phil Robertson to explain how there could be such evil in the world.

"Worldwide, planet-wide, Biblically speaking, [there are] two groups of people: the children of God and the whole [rest of the] world is under the control of the evil one," Robertson says citing 1 John 5:19. "The evil one works in those who are disobedient ... they are prisoners of sin," the "Duck Dynasty" patriarch explained. "The Bible says that they've been taken captive by Satan to do his will," he says, paraphrasing parts of Ephesians 2, Galatians 3, and 2 Timothy 2.

Phil Robertson on ISIS
Phil Robertson on ISIS

In response to why jihadists would slaughter Jews, Christians, and people who are not even provoking them, Robertson quoted from Proverbs 8:35. "Whoever finds me finds life, and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find Me harms himself. All who hate Me love death," he says.

"With this [jihadist] ideology that we're faced with, this is like ... street thugs on steroids ... not like a country with a standing army that we line up and do battle with [and adhere to] a certain amount of rules ... this is more like a worldwide gang warfare. But this gang is well-armed and well-organized," Robertson explains.

"In this case, you either have to convert them - which I think would be next to impossible ... I'm not giving up on them, but I'm just saying - either convert them or kill them, one or the other" Robertson says.

The patriarch released his new book, "unPHILtered: The Way I See It," yesterday.

'Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson Releases New Book, 'unPHILtered,' to Explain Homosexual Comments 

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories